At MWC Barcelona, Huawei’s partner roundtable displayed the game-changing capabilities of modern technology when made accessible to all, with a shared long-term goal of a more sustainable planet. Huawei’s TECH4ALL programme is a digital inclusion initiative enabled by innovative technologies and partnerships, designed to enable inclusion and sustainability in the digital age.
With AI advancements driving rapid digitalisation, there are fears there may be a new ‘digital divide’ on the horizon. Huawei is working to mitigate this by driving accessible technology through its Tech4All programme, as detailed during an exclusive roundtable event during MWC last month.
Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona is one of the largest and most influential tech events globally. Industry leaders, founders and tech innovators come together to showcase their products and discuss the future of connectivity.
We had the privilege of attending the event with Huawei, witnessing first-hand the tech giant’s innovative capabilities and developments in the telco space and beyond, as well as how it is collaborating with its partners to equip them with the tools to avoid being left behind in the digital age.
We delved deeper into this aspect at the Huawei ICT Sustainability Roundtable, where we heard from Huawei’s partners about how technology is being embedded into their communities as a result of the ‘Tech4All’ initiative.
Huawei rolled out its Tech4All programme with the goal of making technology accessible to all in a way that benefits both people and the planet. Key partnerships coupled with IT capabilities are the driving force behind this transformation project, resulting in sustainable practices and digital inclusion whilst minimising the divide.
During the roundtable, we heard from Ken Hu, Rotating Chairman for Huawei, who highlighted the impact of AI on the planet: “As AI makes the world more intelligent, we are likely to see a new digital divide. We need to pay attention to this and work together to bridge the gap. We need policymakers to build more inclusive institutional frameworks and more tech companies to embrace open innovation. We need to work together to build more open platforms for collaboration.”
In 2019, Huawei and the Belgian NGO, Close the Gap, launched a mobile, solar-powered classroom called the DigiTruck – with the aim of bringing digital skills to underserved communities. The programme provides free training in basic digital skills to less fortunate communities around the world and has provided training for nearly 6,000 Kenyan youth since 2019.
The project helps to encourage the number of people using the Internet as well as highlighting the benefits of doing so. The truck can access hard-to-reach areas where conventional classrooms aren’t accessible. Inside the truck are laptops, VR headsets and built-in Wi-Fi – it is essentially a digital school providing free classes, resources and materials.
Target trainees include young people, adults and senior citizens who are looking to improve their employment prospects, access public services online and confidently use digital tools such as social media.
The roundtable highlighted the positive influence this programme is having in practice, emphasised by Eng. John Tanui CBS, representing the Kenyan government. He talked about how the project aligns with Kenya Vision 2030 by driving digital economic development through digital infrastructure rollout, digitised government services and digital skills training for remote and rural communities.
“In Kenya, we believe no one should be left behind. That’s why Huawei is a strategic partner in upscaling digital skills through initiatives like TECH4ALL, which we leverage to drive digital inclusion,” said Eng John Tanui CBS, Principal Secretary for the State Department of ICT and Digital Economy for Kenya. “With mobile DigiTrucks, we have been able to train young people on smartphone functionality, online risks, responsible Internet use and securing online accounts and resources for learning.”
The 2024 DigiTruck Digital Literacy Skills Program Evaluation Report released by the Kenyan government shows that 93% of DigiTruck trainees improved their work capabilities due to the training. The report also reveals higher employment rates among former trainees, alongside significantly increased Internet use for business activities such as e-commerce. Kenya DigiTruck project partner GSMA also highlighted the value of the DigiTruck’s mobility in reaching extremely remote communities.
Other examples of the programme’s success included the Universal Service Fund Pakistan (USF) which explored how collaboration with the Pakistani government, Huawei, and ITU-D is transforming rural villages through TECH4ALL Smart Village Pakistan projects, which bring connectivity, e-education and e-health initiatives to local communities coupled with digital skills training.
UNESCO and Spain’s University of Alicante focused on global digital skills development, including collaboration with Huawei ICT Academy to develop the next generation of ICT talent. In the area of nature conservation, International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN) introduced how ICT is redefining nature conservation through the IUCN-Huawei TECH4ALL Tech4Nature global partnership, which has supported 13 flagship projects in 11 countries with innovative tech solutions for protected areas.
Underpinning each partnership was the positive impact technology can have on the planet, as seen throughout these innovative and life-changing projects. By making technology accessible for all means we’re equipped with the same toolkit and can work together to make the world a more sustainable place with equal opportunities.
