NGOConnect Africa would like to thank our founding sponsor, Microsoft for making our dream a possibility. From its early days as an idea to its inception, first as a project and later an NGO in its own right, NGOConnect Afica would not have been possible without the support from Microsoft.
"As part of our ongoing efforts to strengthen the NGO communities throughout Africa, Microsoft is the founding sponsor of NGOConnect Africa and it continues to endorse and support its efforts. Microsoft is a major supporter of ICT4D, and NGOs are central to Microsoft’s objective to bring the benefits of relevant, accessible and affordable technology to the people of Africa. Through its Unlimited Potential programme, Microsoft contributes extensively to hundreds of NGOs in the form of grants, software and technical support.
Microsoft believes in the objective of NGOConnect Africa as a framework of encouraging involvement, collaboration, innovation and fostering sustainable socio economic growth. NGOConnect Africa brings us one step closer to reaching the goal of using technology to bring together non-profit organizations and the organizations and individuals that support them to achieve these goals. Microsoft continues to support NGOConnect Africa as a key initiative and encouraging its independence and self-sustainability. Initiatives such as these require endorsement, awareness, and support. Microsoft encourages other organizations to sponsor and support the initiative as well. "
Dr Cheick Modibo Diarra
Chairman for Africa, Microsoft Corp
About Microsoft
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Thirty years ago, Microsoft began with a dream of a computer on every desk and in every home. Today, for the more than 1 billion people we’ve reached, life has changed profoundly. Information is available instantaneously. Personal and professional connections are made easily. Products and services are sold conveniently. Progress is achieved more readily. But for more than 5 billion people, the opportunity to learn, connect, create, and succeed remains elusive.
Several barriers stand in the way of effectively reaching these underserved communities, including environmental or infrastructural obstacles, localisation issues, the need for personalised solutions, and the prohibitive cost of technology.
To better serve these people, Microsoft Unlimited Potential combines advanced technologies and strong partnerships with governments, international organisations, nongovernmental organisations (NGOs), educational institutions, and technology and service partners.
Ultimately our mission is to enable sustained social and economic opportunity for those at the middle and bottom of the world’s economic pyramid—the next 5 billion people. In the short term, Unlimited Potential aims to reach the next 1 billion people by 2015 by exploring solutions in three key interrelated areas. Each is crucial to developing sustained economic opportunity:
- Transforming education
- Fostering local innovation
- Enabling jobs and opportunities
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Ali Faramawy
Area Vice President – Microsoft Middle East & Africa Vice President – Microsoft International Microsoft Corp
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In these three areas, Microsoft Unlimited Potential can create the greatest possible impact in building a virtuous cycle of sustained social and economic development. This cycle drives communities; helps build connections to form new communities; is fuelled by local and global partnerships; and, most importantly, ultimately becomes locally sustainable. Sustainability is a key indicator of effective programs and activities, and is our long-term measure of success.
We truly honour our position as an industry leader, a global citizen, and an active partner to thousands of governments, businesses, and community organisations around the world. We bring the same spirit of innovation to global citizenship that we have always applied to our business. Our success has given us the opportunity—and the responsibility—to use our resources and influence to help make the world a better place for all who inhabit it.