Microsoft announces Rs 15m grant

ISLAMABAD: The National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) and Microsoft announced on Monday that they will be joining hands to establish community technology and learning centres across Pakistan, predominantly aimed at training women, according to Dr Nasim Ashraf, minister of state, and chairman NCHD, and Emre Berkin, vice president, Microsoft, for Europe, the Middle East and Africa regions.

Microsoft has committed a grant of Rs 15 million to support the NCHD project, which will commence immediately. The project aims to establish 16 community training and learning centres across the country in two phases over a period of 12 months.

The project aims to enable rural women with basic IT skills. These skills will both filter through the community through knowledge sharing and peer encouragement and will give women skills to look for employment in areas previously closed to them. Unemployed women with a matric pass will be trained in basic computer skills and data entry. The NCHD will manage the project on the ground by identifying the districts for the establishment of these centres and selecting training venues. —Staff Report

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