Offline Schools in Tanzania Connected by Epson

Epson and  World Mobile (WM)  have agreed  to partner  to  support education and bring new opportunities to unconnected  schools in Africa. The project has got off the ground with network connectivity  from WM and  printers and projectors from Epson installed in schools that have until now been left off the grid in some regions of Zanzibar, Tanzania. 

This agreement reaffirms  the two companies’ commitment to  direct  action that helps  achieve  the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. In this case,  SDG4 Quality Education, SDG9  Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure  and SDG17  Partnership for the Goals. 

Forodhani  school  is located  in  Stone Town,  Zanzibar.  With around 700 pupils,  the school  has  been  left offline by traditional telecom operators, meaning that teachers and children at the school have not had the infrastructure or opportunities that are taken for granted in many regions of the world.  Building on the  low-cost  wireless network  introduced by  World Mobile, Epson  provided  the school with an Epson EcoTank ET-4700  Inkjet  printer and  an Epson EB-982W projector for education, bringing digital technologies to the classroom for the first time  and  opening  a new world of opportunity.

“When we first visited Kiwengwa School, situated in a small village in the northeast of Zanzibar, the students were learning about the internet without the ability to actually go online. To see their faces once they were connected was priceless. Everything they had been learning suddenly became a reality. This project is not about Epson or World Mobile, it’s about focusing on,  until now, disadvantaged  local communities  and providing  the people there with  opportunities  to flourish,” said Henning Ohlsson, Sustainability Director of Epson Europe. “We firmly believe that providing a quality education for all is a key goal to achieve a sustainable society, and we are delighted to work with our friends at World Mobile to do our part.  We have just started this project, but we hope that other partners will join us to create a positive cycle that benefits  everyone involved.”   

“We are excited to begin this partnership with Epson,” said Micky Watkins, CEO of World Mobile. “It’s crucial to us that we share the same values as our partners. Epson has an impressive track record in sustainability and education. This partnership will help spread the word on our mission to connect Africa in a sustainable way and give teachers and students additional learning tools.”

Although the project is still in its early stages, both Epson and World Mobile  are aiming to attract new partners and  provide  similar opportunities for communities and schools across the region.