ICT centres: 2,500 Lagos pupils to benefit @Dangote Cement infrastructure rehabilitation - ITREALMS

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Estimated 2,500 Lagos pupils are to benefit from the Educational Support programme under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), of the Dangote Cement Plc, as they deploy Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Centres, reports ITREALMS.

The company commissioned these centres at the weekend and handed over several multi-million naira rehabilitated educational infrastructure in Lagos Island, Lagos State.

Gyming with stars: Yudala brings swag to wellness

ITRealms:

Nigeria’s acclaimed first true online and offline retail chain, Yudala is determined to improve the quality of lives of Nigerians, as it concludes plans to put together an annual Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) event which promotes values such as fitness, wellness and entrepreneurship, reports ITRealms. 

The event tagged ‘Gyming with the Stars’ and powered by Yudala is supported by Access Bank and Airtel, seeks to promote a positive lifestyle and self-empowerment amongst Nigerians.

ITRealms gathered that the event has been scheduled for Saturday, October 17th, 2015 at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos from 7am -9am, the maiden edition would mark the roll-out of Yuboss, an entrepreneurship scheme targeted at jobs and wealth creation for millions of Nigerians and Africans at large. 

ITRealms recalls that Yuboss is an entrepreneurship scheme set up by Yudala to build a league of emerging entrepreneurs and generate creative employment for millions of Nigerians.

Members are entitled to attractive commissions and a wide range of benefits including business mentorship sessions, with exceptional performers progressing through the multi-levels to ultimately become part-owners of a Yudala franchise store. 

The Yuboss scheme is targeted at smart Nigerians: undergraduates, post-graduate students, unemployed and under-employed individuals, housewives etc. who have the drive and ambition to earn money and be their own bosses.

The Saturday’s work-out exercise would be spiced up with A-list celebrities including Iyanya, Naeto C and ace comedian, Ali Baba. 

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RedStar Express reiterates commitment to CSR

 ITRealms

The Chairman, RedStar Express Plc, Dr. Mohammed H. Koguna, has reiterated the company’s commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR), ITRealms reports.

He said that 11 additional scholarships were awarded to students from different schools in the Western and Eastern Regions of Nigeria under the Red Star Foundation Scheme, adding that under the poverty alleviation arm of the Foundation, various items were given to missionary hospitals – Saint Catherine Hospital; Ahmadiyya Clinic Apapa and SOS Children Village as well as Nigerian Red Cross Society, ITRealms gathered..

Koguna was speaking at the company’s 22^ndAnnual General Meeting (AGM) held in Lagos. He noted that, despite the challenging business environment, depreciation of the Naira, slides in crude oil prices resulting in reduction in government revenue, dearth of infrastructure and other macro dynamics of the economy, the company was able to not just remain in business but returned some profit.

Red Star Express  at the AGM, announced N6.7billion turnover  for the financial year ended March 31, 2015 and a profit after tax of N611million representing one percent increase in profit over 603.9 million profit for last year.

In keeping with the company’s commitment in the creation of wealth for shareholders and in appreciation of their support at all times, the company has declared dividend of 35 kobo per 50 kobo share, amounting to N206.3 million, a gesture commended by shareholders.

ITRealms reports.

Cyriacus Nnaji/GEE

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CWG rewards best graduating Computer Science students @ UNILAG, UNIDouala

ITRealms:

The Computer Warehouse Group (CWG Plc) has rewarded the best graduating students of the Computer Science Department of the University of Lagos and the University of Douala, Cameroon, as part of her Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, reports ITRealms.

At the two distinct ceremonies, CWG representatives presented gifts to the students in furtherance of the company’s bid to extol the essence of attaining academic excellence.

The Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Rahman Bello observed that if the focus of Computer Warehouse Group Plc’s (CWG) Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative is sustained, it is capable of aiding Universities in Nigeria to attain desired greatness.

“This award presentation has been an annual event. Since inception, CWG has lived up to their promise of rewarding the best graduating student in Computer Science Department every year, for five years now. On behalf of the management of the University I thank your organization for your commitment to this partnership. Your commitment to promoting academic excellence will help us in going forward,” he said.

As said by Prof. Bello, CWG deserved every commendation, declaring the contributions have been helpful.

“At the moment, University of Lagos is the twentieth best school in Africa and the first in Nigeria, according to the 4icu rankings. Going by our consistent progressive performance, we look forward to being the first in Africa anytime soon. This is our target. And, we believe that the input of corporate partners like CWG will see us through to the point we aim to get to”, he said.

In response, Mr. Phillip Obioha, CWG’s Chief Operating Officer, pointed out that the annual award presentation event underscores CWG’s emphasis on hard-work and qualitative education. According to him, “Our business scope covers a range of sectors; from banking to telecoms and recently SMEs. Our business is all about the quality of our workforce. We boast of an array of professionals whose expertise has formed the bedrock of service providers in the telecoms sector, for example. Our premium on quality workforce explains our emphasis on quality education.”

Thereafter, he presented the prize to the Master Agho Adrian Osemwonyemwen, and informed the audience that the award includes a prospect of employment with CWG, if the recipient so desires.

“Someone told me that a reward for hard work is more hard work. This will go a long way in motivating me to aim for higher attainments. And I promise to use what I have been given to do more than I have done”, he assured.

Similarly, in Cameroon, Mr. Alexis Mbele Ngono received the CWG excellence award for being the best graduating student of the Computer Science Department, Institute of Technology, University of Douala.  Speaking at the presentation ceremony, Mrs. Olapeju Ayo-Fisher, Head of Human Resources and Administration, noted that excellence is an integral component of the CWG corporate culture. This, she noted, has defined CWG’s business approach and service delivery over the years.

“At CWG, we appreciate excellence wherever we find it. We nurture excellence within our system. And, we are very particular about doing whatever we do to the best standard of excellence, the first time and at all times.”  “Our presence here today offers us a unique opportunity to make known to our host business community here in Cameroon that we promote excellence in academic pursuit and support our host communities” she noted.

Responding, Alexis Ngono thanked CWG for the novel gesture. He observed that the initiative is capable of motivating other students to aim for excellence in their academic pursuit. According to him, “this award presents a remarkable opportunity for students who want to leave a legacy of excellence to be appreciated and encouraged.” “This is also an opportunity for many of us to pursue an excellent carrier outside the school environment,” he said.
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 Pix: Master Agho Adrian Osemwonyemwen receiving is prize from Mr. Obioha.

PPLD, CFA takes CSR to Nigerian media @ one-day training

ITRealms:

A Lagos-based Purpose Power and Lifestyle Design (PPLD) International in collaboration with ICTwithCFA, hosted some 30 media executives to a one-day training on personal transformation strategies and new media under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), reports ITRealms.

The one-day session tagged ‘Personal Development & Technology Improvement’ intensive training was held on November 6, 2014 at PPLD training centre, Amuwo Odofin, Lagos, with participants drawn from Radio, TV, Print and Online media.

The organisers, told ITRealms the training was specifically designed for success-driven individuals who truly desire to transform their potential to high performance, personally and professionally.

Visionary founder of PPLD Nigeria, Engr. Tunde Makun also told ITRealms alongside other participants that the idea was to promote sound leadership, productivity principles and digital skills, motivated by new set of paradigms, thereby tapping into the little-understood subconscious powers individuals have but largely unutilized.

“At a time the nation is groaning under multiple negative economic and socio-political challenges, it is imperative that we begin to source new paradigms for thinking out-of-the-box solutions rather than continue to grumble and complain when it is clear that nobody can help us but ourselves” he said.

Stressing that the choice of media executives was strategic largely because of the unique position they hold as influencers in the society.

“Media executives by virtue of the high-octane living, deserve attention because unless they are able to dramatically improve their productivity with new mindset and digital tools and techniques, they stand the risk of serious burn-outs and we will all be losers if they cannot perform at optimum levels of concentration and well-being,” he noted.

For Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata Jnr, also known as ‘CFA’, it was exciting to be part of this result-oriented stimulation of new possibilities.

“It was indeed a thing of joy to be able to stimulate New Possibilities for delivering quantum results thinking in the lives of rarely acknowledged distinguished members of the society” he declared.

CFA also pointed out that the next edition of the PDTI CSR initiative will be focusing on teachers and lecturers from select institutions of learning, while the second batch of media executive session anticipated before the end of second quarter of 2015.

Some of the participants acknowledged the worthiness of the training and commended the organisers.

According to the Executive Director, Operations at DigitalSENSE Africa Media, Mrs. Nkemdilim Nweke, there is no training that is a waste and this one has just proved yet another successful belief of that theory.

Mrs. Nweke enjoined media practitioners especially in Nigeria to always embrace training as the world changes in nanoseconds, and those who capture the history in a haste must be abreast of means of catching up with the trends of things, especially by deploying and investing in technologies.

 

+Remmy Nweke (ITRealms) +Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata Jnr. CFA +PPLD Int'l Limited +Tunde Makun  +Nkemdilim Nweke
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Airtel launches Touching Lives CSR Initiative

ITRealms:

Airtel Nigeria in effort to better its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the country has introduced a scheme tagged “Touching Lives Initiative” in Lagos, reports DigitalSENSE Business News.

Chief executive officer, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya told DigitalSENSE Business News at the launch that the initiative is to enrich the CSR intervention of the mobile network operator to Nigerians through provision of succour to the under-privileged members of the society.

This initiative, he said, marks a significant milestone in the company’s history of CSR interventions in the country, noting that Airtel Touching Lives is a responsive CSR project targeted at providing timely aid to underprivileged Nigerians irrespective of their gender, background or geographical locations.

According to him, Touching Lives Initiative seeks to identify underprivileged persons with specific challenges, pains and struggles with the ultimate objective of providing the needed help to empower and enrich the lives of these individuals.

He went on to describe the programme as a timely, deliberate and responsive CSR initiative to tackle myriad of life challenges confronting most Nigerians.

“At Airtel, we’re passionate about the people we serve and the Nigerian society. Airtel Touching Lives provides a platform for the underprivileged in our society to be identified, heard and also cared for,” he said.

Stressing that it is this commitment to connect with millions of Nigerians, alleviate their suffering and bring smile to their faces that encouraged Airtel to come up with this initiative.

He insisted that the primarily objective for embarking on this initiative it’s genuine interest in the general well-being of Nigerians, especially people with special needs. Pointing out that the project is one of the vehicles by which the company complements the developmental efforts of various governments.

Also speaking on the project, Airtel’s Director of Corporate Communications and CSR, Mr. Emeka Oparah, expressed the readiness of the telecommunications operator to contribute to efforts of government, non-governmental organisations and individuals who are highly-spirited like Airtel Nigeria in humanitarian courses.

 “Touching Lives is one of the philanthropic gestures of Airtel Nigeria designed to connect and alleviate the suffering of helpless people across the country. This initiative underscores our determination to enrich lives and contribute to humanity.”

The programme allows Nigerians to nominate disadvantaged persons who are in need of care or special interventions.

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Pix: Touching Lives: L-R, Former Lagos State Commissioner for Environment, Muiz Banire; Director, Legal & Company Secretary, Airtel Nigeria, Olugbenga Rotimi; Producer, Airtel Touching Lives Programme, Patricios Spero; Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Segun Ogunsanya; Mrs Tijani Azizat, representing Dame. Abimbola Fashola, First Lady of Lagos State; Mrs. Oluranti Odutola, representing the Deputy Governor of Lagos State and Jibril Saba, HR Director, Airtel Nigeria at the unveiling of Airtel Touching Lives CSR programme held in Lagos.

Audax Solutions introduces tech-focused CSR

ITRealms:

An indigenous Information Technology training and consulting firm, Audax Solutions has introduced technology-focused Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) reports ITRealms.

Confirming this to ITRealms, the chief software evangelist, Audax, Mr. Aniedi Udo-Obong said that the Lekki-Lagos based announced this activities to run throughout the month of December 2013.

According to him, a Computer Science Education Week (CSEdWeek) which is ongoing holds worldwide from December 9th to 15th, 2013. 

He told ITRealms that CSEdWeek recommends an Hour of Code to spread awareness of Computer Science Education.

“It is a one-hour introduction to Computer Science, designed to demystify ‘code’ and show that anyone can learn the basics to be a maker, a creator, and an innovator,” he declared.

On Saturday, December 14, 2013, he said, Audax is organizing a free hour of code at the company premises, and is open to registered attendees between the ages of 6 and 106.

The following week, which is from December 16th to 19th 2013, he said, Audax Code School would be organizing a free but sponsored Christmas Boot Camp targeted at primary and secondary school students.

“We believe that teaching children programming skills is essential to developing their problem solving, creative and communication skills helping to foster an interest in technology that can result in a profitable and rewarding future career,” he said.

“It will be absolutely free for about 40 enrollees. We hope to include about 20 participants at the inaugural Code School which held in August 2013,” he declared, urging potential participants to register at the school web-page.

Additionally, he revealed to ITRealms that there would be a Google Code in 2013 would run from December 9, 2013 through January 5, 2014.

Chuks Egbuna/GEE 

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Pix: chief software evangelist, Audax, Mr. Aniedi Udo-Obong

Intel prepares NYSC members on tech entrepreneurship

L-R: Mr. Toni Oviosun,Project Manager NYSC; Mrs. Angela Okoh,

Business Development Manager NYSC; Mr. Osagie Ogunbor,

Corporate Affairs Manager Intel Corporation at the Intel-sponsored

 free Technology & Entrepreneurship Training in Lagos recently.

Committed to the development of the youth in the country, Intel West Africa has partnered the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) to train the members of the corp as its part of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

The session tagged Technology and Entrepreneurship, according to the Corporate Affairs Manager, Intel, Mr. Osagie Ogunbor, said that as part of its commitment to national building.

He also disclosed that the one-week free training is the first of several that will stretch across other states of the Federation with Lagos being the initial state in the pilot phase.

“The Training of Youth Corp Members is part of Intel’s Corporate Social Responsiveness to the educational needs of our society. The week long free training strives to equip youth corps members with necessary skills to cope in the 21^st Century workplace taking them through an intense technology-entrepreneurship scheme.” Said the Corporate Affairs Manager, Intel West Africa, Osagie Ogunbor in his opening address that flagged off training activities, last Tuesday.

Ogunbor noted that the initiative more than anything, was birthed out of the necessity to stimulate interest in entrepreneurship towards establishing businesses and ultimately reducing the increasing unemployment problem in Nigeria.

“The changing trends in the global economy are increasingly becoming knowledge-based being driven by advances in Information and Communication Technology and this has significantly raised the stakes in the labour market.” Ogunbor said.

Additionally, he noted that as graduates prepare to enter the labour market, the possession of technical knowledge on its own, would not suffice, but ownership of complementary life skills to deliver the highest possible value in any field of endeavor was the ultimate task.

Ogunbor informed ITRealms that Intel is working closely with the Youth Enterprise With Innovation In Nigeria (YOUWIN) to further encourage the growth of individual businesses as part of a solution to unemployment. Courtesy of YOUWIN,  the youth corpers being trained are entered into a business plan competition where they stand a chance of getting seed capital for businesses they may want to set up.

Mr. Ogunbor, this initiative is just one of several other technology/education based initiatives championed by Intel towards improving the quality of life of people around the world. 

Remmy Nweke
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