The Telecel Ghana Foundation has handed over 100 new laptops to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi to help bridge the digital learning gap for underprivileged students.

A second time donation to the ‘Support One Needy Student with One Laptop (SONSOL)’ initiative, Telecel donated 200 laptops in 2021 in response to an appeal from KNUST.

Both donations align with the Telecel Ghana Foundation’s Connected Learning pillar, which is targeted at bridging the digital gap for underprivileged people and communities through training and access to digital tools.

Leading the delegation in donating on campus, Chief Executive of Telecel Ghana and KNUST alum, Patricia Obo-Nai, said the gesture honours a pledge the telco made the previous year to support the university’s visionary initiative.

“We believe this donation will bridge the digital gap and promote inclusion in the university. With these laptops, more students will now be able to participate fully in virtual learning, collaborate on projects, and take control of their academic future,” Ing. Obo-Nai said.

In 2021, KNUST’s SONSOL initiative, led by Vice-Chancellor Professor Mrs. Rita Akosua Dickson, aims to provide laptops to students from deprived backgrounds who struggle to access digital tools for virtual learning.

The university’s appeal highlighted challenges faced by over 3000 students, particularly in adapting to digital platforms amid limited ICT resources.

Receiving the donation on behalf of the university, Professor Dickson expressed gratitude for the timely intervention and chronicled the struggles of brilliant but needy students during virtual learning sessions, research and assignments. She believes the gesture will further the career aspirations, dreams and potential of the beneficiaries.

 “Thank you for this investment; we have come this far as a university because of your connectivity and support. This donation will go a long way to unearth the potential of these gifted, talented and transformational leaders who are from deprived backgrounds. It will have a multiplier effect even beyond the hundred beneficiaries,” Prof. Dickson said.

Vice President of KNUST’s Students Representative Council (SRC), Samuel Afful, said the donation means a lot for students as it will give them the hope and confidence to study without the constant worry of losing or damaging a borrowed laptop.

“Many students from deprived backgrounds go through a lot of struggles just to get access to a laptop for their studies, which sometimes leads to device problems. These laptops will truly light up the lives of so many students and ease their burden,” Mr. Afful added.

The donation was made during Telecel Ghana’s annual Ashanti Month, a month-long celebration to honour the telco’s strong roots and partnerships in the Ashanti Region.