Orange-SL launches cloud & data solutions service; digital kits for school kids

The leading telecommunications operators in the country, Orange Sierra Leone, have launched a catalogue of cloud services in its desire to support companies in their digital transformation.

It means that enterprise customers can now benefit from the IT infrastructure and data backup services in Orange’s secure datacenter if so desired.

The service is simple to use, and its offers will allow Orange customers to be more agile in the development of their business and their competitiveness. Orange Sierra Leone is also available to customers for personalized support.

The offers under this service include Virtual Server, Virtual Date Center, Backup as a Service, and Physical Server Hosting. For the Virtual Server, it is quickly deployable for IT development or application hosting. This is new and a secure platform which facilitates the deployment of customers’ IT projects.

The Virtual Date center, include a set of computer resources to host an entire information system, and it is a secure cloud infrastructure that allows the customer to calmly manage the deployment of his/her information systems.

For the Backup as a Service, it easily and automatically saves the customer’s data in the Backup Secure Cloud. This is a solution that allows the customers to backup and restore the data of their servers and workstations as needed.

The Physical Server Hosting provides safe and secure space for the customer’s physical “hardware” infrastructures in Orange SL’s Secure Datacenter.

With these state-of-the-art offers, it is prudent for customers to secure their business with Orange cloud and datacenter solutions.

 As part of their drive to create a sustainable digital Eco-space and support the Free Quality Education Program, Orange Foundation through the Orange digital center, in partnership with Biazo Limited and the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary School Education, on Monday May 23, 2022, launched the very first digital school kits to ten primary schools in the rural-urban area of Freetown. This event took place at the Orange-SL head office at IMATT, Hill Station in Freetown.

Blessing the occasion, the Director of Orange Foundation Jestina Betts, expressed her sincere happiness and excitement to witness such an occasion they are launching for the very first time.

The government-assisted schools were selected as recommended by the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary School of Education (MBSSSE), using methodology of access to stable electricity, accessible roads, secured room to house the items, and trained teachers. She went on to say that the digital school kits are to be used in the school and not outside of the school grounds.

Jestina Betts added that Orange Foundation is pleased to bring exciting projects in terms of education, and that the digital train is on the move to change the lives of thousands of school kids in Sierra Leone.

“We care and love to see positive change – and that by the end of the year we will select 10 other schools, which will take the number up to 20 schools to complete the year 2022,” she said.

The B2B Director Edward Sesay, who was also the guest speaker at the event asserted that it is the beginning of a new chapter in terms of primary education, as they have launched the pilot phase of the digital school kits project in Sierra Leone.

He went on to say that as they graced the occasion of digital transformation, they are all deeply moved by the humanitarian initiative of Orange Foundation to bring digital learning to less privileged kids Sierra Leone. The story behind this project is a huge step for the educational sector in the country, as he highlighted that in Africa and the Middle East many children have no access to books nor the internet, and digital schools and electronic libraries providing educational contents to underprivileged schools are without the necessary resources. He added that the aim of Orange Foundation is to offer children access to education using learning techniques and thereby close the gap between affluent and underprivileged schools.

He underscored that in June 2016, the first digital school was officially launched and opened in Madagascar, and 12 countries are currently part of the digital school project with Sub-Sahara Africa having the greater percentage.

He affirmed that each pupil will use a tablet to get access to the contents chosen by the teacher, with the contents also being projected on the board; pupils are eagerly waiting to use the kits – despite the turbulent interesting times ahead as Sierra Leone joins the digital school kits project for the first time in the Orange Foundation community.

Edward Sesay further explained that the digital school kits are designed to provide underprivileged schools with the teaching and other relevant school materials that are not normally available to pupils. The kits will also provide educational contents in schools and the aim is to equip 20 schools in the pilot phase of the digital learning project to help pupils and teachers become familiarize with digital learning technologies.

The project is in sync with Orange Foundation’s focus on digital inclusion and equality regardless of your background, thereby allowing children to gain access to educational contents using technology.

He concluded that the financial investment from Orange Foundation is intended to impact over 2,000 children a year in the 20 schools chosen in the Urban-Rural communities – and investment in digital technological services and skills will raise the standards of education in the country. He hoped that the two days training for teachers was worth it and that they are fully equipped with the tools to transfer the knowledge to the pupils.

This is the pilot phase in Sierra Leone and it is designed to benefit 20 primary schools country wide and each school will receive the following materials; 1 projector and screen, 10 headphones, 1 tablet with HDMI ports, 23 tablets without HDMI ports, 1 Acer laptop, 1 JBL Bluetooth speaker, 1 SD card 256GB, 6 power extensions, 1 big pack case, and 1 small power case.

He congratulated the beneficiaries on behalf of Orange-SL and its partners, for making it through the first phase. He appealed to the schools to handle the items with care and ensure that the pupils have a direct benefit from it as they will be checking in from time to time and monitor the digital learning process.

The representative for the 10 schools, Abraham B.S Kamara of Wilberforce Municipal primary school, thanked Orange-SL and its foundation for such a kind gesture and positive corporation towards the free quality education program in Sierra Leone. He affirmed that the pupils as well as the teachers who are serving as role models for these kids, are ready to work with Orange-SL at all times.

He urged other institutions to follow in the good steps of Orange-SL and support underprivileged schools in the nation as that will build a positive educational system in Sierra Leone.

Juliana Johnson a pupil of the Fourah Bay College primary school, on behalf of her fellow pupils thanked Orange-SL and the foundation for such a golden opportunity. She highlighted that Orange-SL, its foundation, and esteemed partners, have made their dreams into reality – and promised that they the pupils will make good use of the devices and protect them at all cost.

The event climaxed with the handing over of certificates to teachers that completed the digital training course.