Deutsche Telekom information technology business T-Systems South Africa has empowered the community of Emalahleni, in Mpumalanga, with the donation of 38 laptops, including software, accessories and training, to 19 local nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) in March.

T-Systems says that this corporate social investment (CSI) venture forms part of the company’s Accelerated Shared Growth Initiative of South Africa (Asgisa) commitment to assist the communities living near State-owned power utility Eskom’s Kusile coal-fired power station, in the Emalahleni region.

Asgisa is a National Treasury initiative, which seeks to consolidate the gains of the country’s post-transition economic stability and accelerate growth to create employment and improve the livelihoods of all South Africans.

One of Asgisa’s aims is to empower local communities to reduce unemployment and poverty.

As part of the Eskom’s Kusile Package 22 (Kusile P22) initiative, Eskom identified 19 NGOs in the region in need of support.

“As a large supplier of solutions and services to Eskom, T-Systems is proud to be a part of the Kusile P22 initiative, as it is perfectly aligned with our own focus on skills development, empowerment and the creation of sustainable business success,” says T-Systems South Africa MD Gert Schoonbee, who adds that the donation of the equipment will assist the NGOs, by providing them with crucial technologies.

“To ensure the NGOs receive maximum value from the donated items, T-Systems also provides full training to NGO staff on the equipment it donated,” he adds.

“Technology is critical in bridging the digital divide and in developing sustainable businesses in the local economy. We are privileged to not only have this opportunity to provide access to technology for the NGOs, but also to empower their staff with skills and training that will enable people to become skilled resources for the future,” notes Schoonbee.

“We at T-Systems are passionate about skills development and community empowerment, and the ethos of working together to achieve sustainable economic growth is embedded in our organisation. For many organisations, CSI is simply part of the mandate of a project, but for us, it is a chance to make a real and lasting impression on the communities we work in. We thank the T-Systems Kusile P22 project team for their effort on this CSI project,” he concludes.