Huawei donates tablets to learners with special needs

From left: National Fund for the Disabled of Kenya (NFDK) board member Julia Ojiambo, Huawei Technologies Senior Director Public Affairs (Kenya) Adam Lane and NFDK chairperson Kristina Kenyatta-Pratt during the presentation of 140 tablets from Huawei Technologies Kenya at NFDK offices in Nairobi on October 29, 2019. PHOTO | SALATON NJAU | NATION MEDIA GROUP 

In Summary

• Ms Pratt said the donation of the tablets is in line with the government’s agenda of
  providing digital kits to schools aimed at equipping learners in the era of technology.

By COLLINS OMULO
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Students living with disability in the country will benefit from gadgets and empower their learning experience.

The National Fund for the Disabled of Kenya (NFDK) on Tuesday received 140 tablets worth Sh2.2 million from technology firm Huawei.

Chairperson of the fund’s board Kristina Pratt said that the tablets will be used to give the learners with special needs a chance to digitally improve their learning.

DIGITAL KITS

Ms Pratt said the donation of the tablets is in line with the government’s agenda of providing digital kits to schools aimed at equipping learners in the era of technology.

At the same time, she said the partnership will work to address forms of exclusion and marginalisation of persons with disability by creating opportunities for them to learn and work.

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“We are grateful for the gesture by Huawei as this will go a long way in empowering persons with disabilities and we hope that it will not be a one-off,” said Ms Pratt while receiving the donations at NFDK head office in Nairobi.

On his part, Huawei Kenya’s senior director for public affairs Adam Lane said the tablets come with customised software and applications to suit users with different disabilities.

He said Huawei is conducting skills training programs with its local partners and will work together with the NFDK to ensure proper utilisation of the tablets to enable the learners do something productive using the tablets.

“Our team is currently at Kapsabet school for the deaf providing training in the use of the tablets. This is just the start of our partnership with this organisation and we hope it can be a long partnership,” said Mr Lane.

Mr Lane hailed NFDK as the perfect partner as Huawei seeks to build on its 20+ years of operations and community programs in Kenya and explore ways to use technology to improve the lives of for persons with disabilities.

This year Huawei launched its 'TECH4ALL' initiative and is committed to helping 500 million people benefit from digital technology in the next five years

NFDK is an endowment fund established under the Trustees Act Cap 164 of the Laws of Kenya. The mandate of the Fund is to enhance social and economic empowerment of persons with disability in Kenya.

The fund provides mobility aids, rehabilitative equipment and vocational tools of trade to people living with disability, financial grants towards infrastructural development or income generating activities as well as engaging various stakeholders in raising awareness on matters disability and carries out advocacy initiatives in a bid to bring changes in legislation, policy-making and shaping public perception.