Canon’s Miraisha Programme has selected 10 young storytellers from the Mathare community in Kenya to receive a scholarship at KCA University, helping them to develop skills for a sustainable livelihood.
Canon Central and North Africa (CCNA), together with Canon Miraisha, has chosen 10 young students for film and photography scholarships at the KCA University. Selected out of 200 Canon Miraisha participants taking part in the programme since 2018, the budding creatives will go on to develop their visual storytelling skills at the prestigious institution.
Canon Miraisha goes viral
CCNA has released a series of videos on social media to raise awareness of the importance of the Miraisha initiative and to celebrate the hard work and success of the scholars, which reached an incredible number of over 100,000 engagements. You can watch the full story on the @CanonCNA social channels.
One of the programme’s focal points is to provide employment opportunities to young people across Africa coming from low socio-economic background. Miraisha partnered with MindMe International Community Training Programme, based in a particularly disadvantaged community in Mathare which lacks employment prospects for young people.
The partnership empowers local young people to further develop their existing creative skills and helps them access or even create job opportunities, benefitting both their personal development and their local communities.
Future storytellers
The KCA University scholarships, which run across two 14-week semesters from May to December 2021, will enable the students to develop their visual communication skills as well as open up and prepare participants for creative and professional opportunities. This is particularly significant as currently there are young people entering into employment and entering creative professions.
The scholars will work towards a Certificate in Film Technology, studying 12 subjects including video camera operations, screenwriting, editing, photography and film production techniques. Their final project will be to produce a short film, which will allow them to showcase the development of their skills from their time involved in the programme.
The 10 students who have been granted scholarships are: Anthony Mugendi Mwaura, Cynthia Wanjiru Thige, Paul Mutisya Muindi, Brian Stephen Okwara, Saida Wangui Masudi, Maria Mumbi Muthoni, Irmale Zainabu Irmale, Mogaka Victor Gekara, Kevin Wanyoike Wanjiru, and Mercy Wangui Ndungu.
Partnerships for change
Professor Joshua G. Bagakas, Deputy Vice-Chancellor at KCA University said: “The overwhelming response to the current Miraisha campaign is a resounding vote of confidence in Canon’s training program. KCAU is especially delighted that the campaign will give 10 deserving young people the opportunity to realise their aspirations by studying film at the university. Visual storytelling is a powerful communication tool in today’s world, and we are excited to continue partnering with Canon to empower students and continue transforming lives.”
Somesh Adukia, Managing Director at Canon Central and North Africa added: “The Miraisha Programme is designed to give young people the tools and support to develop their skills and improve not only their own lives but also the lives of those in their communities. We look forward to seeing the scholars nurture their creative talents during their time at KCA University.”
These scholarships are the latest example of the direct support the Miraisha Programme offers to its participants to upskill. Across the African continent, Canon’s ‘train the trainer’ initiative, sees some participants in Miraisha programmes come back to help run future editions, it has already led to 3 local people becoming employed as Canon Miraisha Trainers. Now in its seventh year, Canon’s Miraisha Programme has educated more than 5,680 young storytellers across the continent since its launch in 2014.
[jetpack_subscription_form show_subscribers_total=”false” button_on_newline=”false” submit_button_text=”Hi, sign up so you can get the latest in breaking news, reviews, opinions, events, opportunities and community updates right in your inbox. ” custom_font_size=”16″ custom_border_radius=”0″ custom_border_weight=”1″ custom_padding=”15″ custom_spacing=”10″ submit_button_classes=”” email_field_classes=”” show_only_email_and_button=”true”]
Check out other stories making the news in the technology ecosystem in Africa and the Middle East.
TECNO mobile is introducing the TECNO Spark 7P a new addition to the Spark 7 family designed for Gen Z. The Spark 7P comes equipped with a 6.8-inch edge-to-edge display, 16MP AI Triple Camera and powered by a Helio G70 chipset.
Other features include Super Night Mode and a blazing-fast 90Hz. No release dates and prices have been announced, but the TECNO Spark 7P is expected to be available soon in retail stores.
TECNO SPARK 7P specifications
2.0GHz, Octa-core processor and dedicated 820MHz graphics 128/64GB ROM + 4GB RAM memory 5000mAh battery 16MP AI Triple main camera, 8MP front camera 6.8-inch IPS LCD edge-to-edge display Android 11
TECNO mobile brand has freshly launched the innovative Spark 7P smartphone for Gen Z. Packed with the dynamic 16MP AI Triple Camera and new Helio G70 chipset, the Spark 7P is expected to deliver the most captivating cinematic experience simulated through its 6.8-inch edge-to-edge display with an unprecedented Super Night mode. Enabled through its micro intelligence integrant which grants the rising generation access to an innovative tool, allowing them to streamline many imperative tasks, creating the most rewarding experience yet. The Spark 7P will be welcomed in the global market soon.
Stephen Ha, General Manager of TECNO Mobile, commented on the launch, “TECNO is always bearing the young generations’ demands in mind to provide them with the best of contemporary technologies in artistic designs. With popularity in over 60 markets, TECNO showcases its mastery of serving the youth-generation consumers who are “young at heart”, and inspires them to never stop pursuing excellence. TECNO SPARK 7 series are the ones that reflect our promise to the Gen-Z the most with the most advanced technologies like the BIGGER and BETTER display to bring them immersive cinema experience at the fingertips, and the ungraded 16MP AI Triple Camera for them to embrace a clearer world.”
The Spark 7P brings comprehensive updates on its exceeding visual performance. Users can enjoy the smooth, snappy, and refreshing experience with a 6.8-inch clear screen at a blazing-fast 90Hz refresh rate. The 6.8-inch edge to edge display is also equipped with ample room to navigate through multiple applications with prompt accessibility to different functions, that too within paramount time. Users also earn the privilege of experiencing the new technology of the 90Hz refresh rate at this accessible price.
Camera
Spark 7P’s ingenious 16MP AI Triple Camera is an additional compelling feature that will enable the new breed of innovational youth, to capture every minute detail of their busy lives through acute technological advances ensuring no occasion goes a miss be that day or night. The newly added AI lens enables users to take striking portraits even in the dimmest of surroundings. With its shallow depth of field, the super night mode helps capture exclusive moments most effortlessly with exemplified images, enabling the users to always see their world in the brightest of lights. The 16MP AI Triple Camera is also accompanied by Smile Snapshot, powered by the AI Portrait which incorporates facial recognition intelligence allowing the users to capture that perfect smile or a glimpsing moment in an instant. Meanwhile, Video Bokeh, natural Video Beautify and a Slow Motion shooting at 240fps provide the current, technologically savvy generation with the chance to channel their inner photographer through these intelligently adapted and enjoyable features.
An all-new 2.0GHz, Octa-core processor and dedicated 820MHz graphics unit, SPARK 7P benchmarks at twice the speed of the previous generation. Animations are smoother, Apps load quicker, and photos are sharper, helping connect with the world around Gen Z faster than ever before.
Storage & Battery
128/64GB ROM + 4GB RAM memory and 5000mAh battery enable the Spark 7P long-lasting storage and power. It promises fewer lags, fewer prompts about “Storage Almost Full” and more space for snapping as many photographs as you need. The 5000mAh battery holds the exceptional capability of retaining power on your phone for 14 days without any recharging. Gone are the days when the users have to run around the street panicking and trying to find a charging station because SPARK 7P just never goes off easily.
Other highlighted features packed the competitive smartphone including:
Bluetooth Audio Share 2.0: With the newly updated Bluetooth Audio Share 2.0, users will be able to share their music and get the party started whenever and wherever its convenient for their friends and family to join in the fun.
Dirac Stereo Sound Effect: Meticulous acoustic measurement allows users to play audios and video with acute clarity alongside providing them with a unified and much more enjoyable cinematic experience where both sound and picture are of optimal quality.
The new HiOS 7.5: the Auto Dark Theme peculiarity allows users to customize settings so as to transition from bright to dark theme once night falls. With the help from Instant Chat Bubble, users don’t need to switch between Apps. All one would do is, press the bubble to start a conversation with a friend and continue communicating with another. With App Twin, social media fans can run two social accounts simultaneously and switch between different platforms fast and smoothly.
[jetpack_subscription_form subscribe_placeholder=”Enter your email address” show_subscribers_total=”false” button_on_newline=”false” submit_button_text=”Hi, sign up so you can get the latest in breaking news, reviews, opinions, events, opportunities and community updates right in your inbox. ” custom_font_size=”16px” custom_border_radius=”0″ custom_border_weight=”1″ custom_padding=”15″ custom_spacing=”10″ submit_button_classes=”” email_field_classes=”” show_only_email_and_button=”true”]
Check out other stories making the news in the technology ecosystem in Africa and the Middle East.
More than 1000 students from 126 universities across Africa have participated in the UmojaHack Africa 2021 virtual machine learning hackathon. The hackathon organized by Zindi took place on the weekend of 27-28 March.
1150 Students from 21 African countries joined the event participating in three different machine learning challenges. They represent Algeria, Benin, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Malawi, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Data science students from 9 African countries won a total competition price of more than $10000 USD in prizes. 8500 submissions were made to solve three real-world machine learning challenges on Zindi.
A financial resilience prediction challenge, a logistics challenge for African B2B service provider Sendy, and a computational biology challenge using the DeepChain™ platform developed by InstaDeep.
The winning solutions developed by Zindi data science users will be shared with these organisations and deployed in real-world applications.
In winning second place in the Sendy Delivery Rider Response Challenge, Tony Mipawa, a data science student from the University of Dodoma, Tanzania, epitomised the spirit of Zindi and of UmojaHack. A year ago, Tony was a data science novice until he participated in Zindi’s first-ever Mentorship Programme in 2020. He has grown in leaps and bounds since then. As evidenced by his prize-winning submission in this hackathon, less than a year later.
“I’m very happy with the outcome,” Tony said at the awards ceremony. “My advice is, whenever there is an opportunity to learn, you should take it. Learning is all about passion; whenever there is an opportunity to learn, put your whole effort into it, do it well. Try to learn from anyone you meet. I would like to thank Zindi for what that mentorship programme gave me.”
Some of the leading names in the global and African tech, AI and financial sectors made UmojaHack Africa 2021 possible. These include InstaDeep, Standard Bank Group, Microsoft, DeepMind, NVIDIA, and Old Mutual. They were integral in making the event a success. By offering financial and professional development prizes, contributing their expertise and excitement to the event, and supporting UmojaHack Africa 2021 through their own channels.
“We are incredibly excited about this event spanning over 100 African universities and helping thousands of African students leverage their data science and AI skills to solve African problems,” says Chris Lwanga, Principal Director for Software Partnerships at Microsoft. “At Microsoft, we believe in empowering every organisation and person to do more.”
“Standard Bank is deeply invested in funding and implementing critical data science skills development programmes, such as Zindi’s UmojaHack Africa 2021 hackathon, to position Africa as a serious competitor in the world’s rapidly emerging data-driven sector,” says Adrian Vermooten, Chief Innovation Officer, Standard Bank Group.
“We are delighted to support UmojaHack Africa again, an incredible initiative close to our hearts. Seeing students from more than 120 universities come together to collaborate on real-world machine learning challenges is truly inspiring,” says Karim Beguir, Co-Founder and CEO of InstaDeep. “This is, in our opinion, the best way to accelerate AI growth on the continent. Hackathons like UmojaHack bring us one step closer to achieving InstaDeep’s mission: building an AI-first world that benefits everyone.”
According to Celina Lee, CEO of Zindi, “UmojaHack Africa has proven to be a game-changing event, especially when so many young people have been impacted by the global pandemic. This is a chance for students from across the continent to come together to learn, compete, and have fun. UmojaHack is about building skills, creating new machine learning applications to solve problems that really matter while forging new connections among the students as well as with industry. We are incredibly excited to see what the students come up with in just one weekend.”
[jetpack_subscription_form show_subscribers_total=”false” button_on_newline=”false” submit_button_text=”Hi, sign up so you can get the latest in breaking news, reviews, opinions, events, opportunities and community updates right in your inbox. ” custom_font_size=”16″ custom_border_radius=”0″ custom_border_weight=”1″ custom_padding=”15″ custom_spacing=”10″ submit_button_classes=”” email_field_classes=”” show_only_email_and_button=”true”]
Check out other stories making the news in the technology ecosystem in Africa and the Middle East.
It is a virtual hands-on workshop and will take place from the 3rd to the 7th of May 2021.
The company says its goals are to help participants deepen their technical knowledge and sharpen their interview skills. It will also give them an opportunity to network and interact with Microsoft female software engineers.
Business Program Manager at Microsoft Nigeria, Princess Anya says this workshop is for you if you applied for a software engineering role in a top technology organization and couldn’t get the position.
To participate in the workshop check out the eligibility requirements from the application page. Some are to have a year and above experience in programming, be a resident of Nigeria or Ghana.
Don’t forget to kindly share this with anyone in your network who might benefit from this workshop.
[jetpack_subscription_form show_subscribers_total=”false” button_on_newline=”false” submit_button_text=”Hi, sign up so you can get the latest in breaking news, reviews, opinions, events, opportunities and community updates right in your inbox. ” custom_font_size=”16″ custom_border_radius=”0″ custom_border_weight=”1″ custom_padding=”15″ custom_spacing=”10″ submit_button_classes=”” email_field_classes=”” show_only_email_and_button=”true”]
Check out other stories making the news in the technology ecosystem in Africa and the Middle East.
A Zimbabwean company, Zimbabwe Information Technology Company (ZITCO) has received Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) certification from Microsoft to produce Windows 10 devices.
The ZITCO assembled devices are named Infinity and will bear the mathematical infinity logo. The company will produce laptops, desktop computers and tablets.
It will be a Zimbabwean brand that serves the PC market in Zimbabwe mainly. With plans to produce about 150 thousand devices annually bringing them to other markets in the future.
“We .. announce the partnership with Microsoft and certification as an OEM … it assures originality and guarantees the quality of ZITCO products.
Meet the Infinity T46 Laptop, Infinity X50 Laptop, Infinity G79 Desktop computer, Infinity All-in-one PC, Mini-Laptop and Infinity Tablet from ZITCO. Watch the video below for more details on the specifications and prices of the device.
ZITCO is a collaboration by telecommunications company TelOne, Inspur and the Zimbabwe Government. To improve the supply of ICT devices to public sector workers to enhance the government’s e-government program. The government wants to lower the costs of ICT devices and make them readily available. As it embarks on an ICT skills development and knowledge transfer in Zimbabwe to boost job creation and economic growth.
The partnership with Microsoft will see it get discounted prices for Windows 10 and Office software. As a result, some of the computers given to primary and secondary school students will have OS software as low as 1$ compared to $100.
Where OEM’s like HP, Acer, Lenovo, Dell, etc. get their components is where ZITCO gets its components. This should give an element of comfort to our clients or anyone who purchases our products.
The Zimbabwean company plans to move from its initial phase of assembling devices to also manufacturing components. It will have warranty and repair services available for its devices.
Check out images from the launch event of the ZITCO assembly plant below.
[jetpack_subscription_form subscribe_placeholder=”Enter your email address” show_subscribers_total=”false” button_on_newline=”false” submit_button_text=”Hi, sign up so you can get the latest in breaking news, reviews, opinions, events, opportunities and community updates right in your inbox. ” custom_font_size=”16px” custom_border_radius=”0″ custom_border_weight=”1″ custom_padding=”15″ custom_spacing=”10″ submit_button_classes=”” email_field_classes=”” show_only_email_and_button=”true”]
Check out other stories making the news in the technology ecosystem in Africa and the Middle East.
12 teams made up of 60 university students across Kenya and Nigeria are participating in the second season of the Microsoft Africa Development Center, Game of Learners (GOL) virtual hackathon.
Over five weeks, the teams will take on the challenge of solving the education accessibility problems in Africa using technology. They will develop a solution, corresponding code and shippable product that will be judged by Microsoft and partners. Each team is led and captained by a Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador.
The students will get access to developer resources and learn new technologies to build their products. Assisted by 40 volunteers from Microsoft who will train, mentor and coach them.
Meet the 12 Microsoft Hackathon Teams
Blooming education in Africa – Team Bloom
Team Crowducate – Crowd for education
Education to all – Team Elimisha
Team Kaizen – Change for better education
Making quality education accessible to Africans – Team Blazers
Team Tulearn –
Empowering every student – Team Eagle
Team Elite – Next stop, mass education
Aim for the peak – Team Peak
Where Africans can all be sabis – Team Sabi
Phoenix –
Team Shauku –
Each member of the winning team will be awarded with one year Azure credits, one year LinkedIn Learning vouchers, digital certificate and digital badge for winning and one on one mentorship from preferred professionals.
Follow the journey of the teams on social media platforms using the hashtag #GameOfLearners.
[jetpack_subscription_form show_subscribers_total=”false” button_on_newline=”false” submit_button_text=”Hi, sign up so you can get the latest in breaking news, reviews, opinions, events, opportunities and community updates right in your inbox. ” custom_font_size=”16″ custom_border_radius=”0″ custom_border_weight=”1″ custom_padding=”15″ custom_spacing=”10″ submit_button_classes=”” email_field_classes=”” show_only_email_and_button=”true”]
Check out other stories making the news in the technology ecosystem in Africa and the Middle East.
