TIDMVOD
RNS Number : 9629D
Vodafone Group Plc
25 February 2020
25 February 2020
MOHAMED SALAH JOINS UP WITH VODAFONE FOUNDATION AND UNHCR AS
FIRST INSTANT NETWORK SCHOOLS AMBASSADOR
-- Footballer becomes Ambassador for school programme that aims
to give a quality education to 500,000 refugee and host country
students by 2025.
-- 20 new Instant Network Schools will be launched this year as
the programme prepares to enter Egypt for the first time.
Mohamed Salah has become the first Ambassador for Instant
Network Schools - which connect refugee and host country students
to a quality digital education - as the programme prepares to
expand into his home country of Egypt for the first time.
Instant Network Schools was set up in 2013 by Vodafone
Foundation and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, to give young
refugees, host communities and their teachers access to digital
learning content and the internet, improving the quality of
education in some of the most marginalised communities in
Africa.
To date, the programme has benefited over 86,500 students and
1,000 teachers ensuring that refugees and children from the
communities that host them have access to accredited, quality, and
relevant learning opportunities.
There are 36 Instant Network Schools currently operating across
eight refugee camps in Kenya, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of
Congo and South Sudan.
Vodafone Foundation and UNHCR are jointly investing EUR26
million to expand the programme to benefit 500,000 refugee and host
community students and 10,000 teachers.
By 2025, 255 new Instant Network Schools will be opened,
including 20 schools planned this year.
Mr Salah will visit some of the schools supported by the
programme and will help to raise awareness of the need and
importance of quality education for refugee children and for more
investment in digital technology that provides a connection to the
outside world and gives students a chance to shape their own
futures.
Mohamed Salah said: "I'm partnering with Vodafone Foundation and
UNHCR to close the gap between the education available to refugees
and their peers living in settled communities. Instant Network
Schools is an important initiative that I am proud to represent
which is transforming learning for a generation of young people
across sub-Saharan Africa and soon also in my home country,
Egypt."
Andrew Dunnett, Vodafone's Group Director of Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs), Sustainable Business and Foundations,
said: "Over 50% of the world's 70.8 million displaced people are
children and they can spend their entire schooling in refugee camps
with limited access to a quality education. Mohamed Salah shares
our passion about the importance of education as a pivotal building
block for personal and societal development and will help us to
promote and expand the Instant Network Schools programme."
Dominique Hyde, UNHCR's Director of External Relations said: "We
are very proud of our long-term partnership with the Vodafone
Foundation, and we are delighted to welcome Mohamed Salah as
Ambassador of UNHCR and Vodafone's Instant Network Schools
programme. On and off the football field, Mohamed is a positive and
inspirational role model for youth all around the world. His
optimism and passion perfectly align with the Instant Network
Schools programme. Connected education brings hope to refugee
youth, giving them the inspiration, motivation and opportunity to
achieve a better future."
Mr Salah, who was named by Time Magazine in 2019 as one of the
100 most influential people in the world, is well known for his
philanthropy in a range of areas including education.
Mr Salah has been a brand ambassador for Vodafone Egypt since
the end of 2017 and has fronted the company's brand advertising
campaigns ever since. In 2018, Vodafone Egypt launched the 'Mo
Salah World' promotional price plan which offered customers 11 free
voice minutes every time he scored a goal.
Instant Network Schools
An Instant Network School transforms an existing classroom into
an online hub for learning, complete with internet connectivity,
sustainable solar power and a robust teacher training
programme.
At the heart of an Instant Network School is technology provided
by Vodafone Foundation, the Instant Classroom, a digital 'school in
a box' that can be set up in a matter of minutes. It includes:
-- 25 tablets for students;
-- 1 laptop for the teacher;
-- 1 projector;
-- 1 speaker;
-- 1 4G connectivity/Wi-Fi router to connect to the internet;
-- in built solar charging for the tablets and laptops;
-- cables; and
-- a library of digital educational resources.
A recent evaluation of the existing programme over one year
showed a positive impact on learning outcomes, including an
increase in informational communications technology (ICT) literacy
of 61% for students and 125% for teachers, improved confidence,
motivation and academic performance by students. Wider analysis
shows higher levels of school attendance, with examples of young
people accessing tertiary education from within refugee camps for
the first time.
Vodafone is UNHCR's largest corporate partner for Connected
Education, supporting the delivery of the United Nations SDG number
four (ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote
lifelong learning opportunities for all) and 17 (strengthen the
means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for
sustainable development).
- ends -
Fo r further information:
Vodafone Group
Media Relations Investor Relations
www.vodafone.com/media/contact ir@vodafone.co.uk
About Vodafone Group
Vodafone Group is one of the world's leading telecoms and
technology service providers. We have extensive experience in
connectivity, convergence and the Internet of Things, as well as
championing mobile financial services and digital transformation in
emerging markets.
Vodafone Group has mobile operations in 24 countries, partners
with mobile networks in 42 more, and fixed broadband operations in
19 markets. As of 31 December 2019, Vodafone Group had
approximately 625 million mobile customers, 27 million fixed
broadband customers and 22 million TV customers, including all of
the customers in Vodafone's joint ventures and associates. For more
information, please visit: www.vodafone.com .
About Vodafone Foundation
Vodafone Foundation is at the centre of a network of global and
local social investment programmes. Vodafone Foundation's
Connecting for Good programme combines charitable giving and
technology to make a difference in the world. Vodafone Foundation
is an independent UK registered charity, registered charity number
1089625.
About UNHCR
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organisation dedicated
to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for
people forced to flee their homes because of conflict and
persecution. We deliver life-saving assistance like shelter, food
and water, help safeguard fundamental human rights, and develop
solutions that ensure people have a safe place to call home. We
work in over 130 countries, using our expertise to protect and care
for millions of people.
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END
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