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bp steps up to support computer literacy for Disability Centre

Published:
15 December 2021
bp Southern Africa has donated 30 laptops to a Disability Centre that serves an informal settlement. The donation is in support of the centre’s aim to deliver computer literacy and digital skills to its more than 50 beneficiaries. 

The community-based rehabilitation and skills development centre provides its beneficiaries support services through social work, physio, occupational therapy, mental health, and skills development in the areas of computer literacy and entrepreneurship.

 

“Across industries, digital has proven to be a critical, profession agnostic skill,” said bp’s Head of Communications and Advocacy, Hamlet Morule.” We want to make access to digital upskilling easier when we can, especially for the marginalised.In this instance it means contributing to the set-up this computer centre for the development of this critical skill.” 

 

The pace of technological innovation today is faster than it has ever been. This has improved quality of life and fundamentally changed the way that businesses operate. It also means employers look to vastly different skills from future talent.

 

This challenge presents an opportunity for organisations to proactively invest in initiatives that promote inclusive access to digital technologies to unlock the full potential of all people, irrespective of their background or access requirements.

 

The centre management welcomed bp’s donation: “The centre would like to thank bpSA for the 30 laptops donated December 2021. We acknowledge and appreciate the interest you have shown for the centre. It is support such as yours that enables us to provide the daily needs of our community of people living with disabilities.”


“The benefits of technological progress are evident. In an organization such as bp for example, digital is a key part of how we deliver our strategy, where necessary we re-skill, upskill and deep skill our employees for the future. Through this outreach initiative, we want to promote access to digital upskilling beyond our employee base and make a meaningful contribution to society."

 

“We feel privileged to be in a position to support an organization whose own mission – creating a society in which differently-abled people can participate fully - lines up well with our own diversity, equity and inclusion agenda,” Morule concludes."


**Name of beneficiary organisation withheld for security reasons.

Notes to editors

  • bpSA is deeply invested in the promotion of access to education for learners from disadvantaged backgrounds through various other initiatives:

 

Energy mobility Education Trust

  • The Energy Mobility Education Trust (EMET) has a long-standing partnership with the University of Witwatersrand on its Targeting Talent Programme (TTP). This partnership dates to 2009 when it first was piloted.
  • The Wits TTP programme is aimed at empowering learners from under-resourced schools from Grade 10 to 12 with learning and study skills suited to university education. In its 8-year involvement with the TTP, EMET has funded nearly 1400 learners.
  • Furthermore, EMET offers university scholarships to top students from the TTP programme studying engineering, accounting, actuarial science etc. We specifically target high school students, who will be first generation in their families to attend a tertiary institution. We provide them with full scholarships including some level of psychosocial support where required.


Learner Focus Week

  • Since 2013, bpSA also participated as sponsor in the Learner Focus Week (LFW), which is a Department of Energy (DoE) flagship project focusing on career awareness in the energy sector. The programme targets high school learners from underprivileged backgrounds to enter the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields during the winter school holidays. 

Media enquiries:

Nelisiwe Masina
bp Press Office, South Africa
+2787 357 9374/ +2760 769 8393
nelisiwe.masina@bp.com