BT, one of the world’s leading providers of communications services and solutions, has collaborated with HOPE Foundation in India, an NGO aimed atempowering children and other vulnerable individuals, to fund programmes which create hope for underprivileged children through digital technology.

BT will be supporting the project for the coming two years and help the project meet its infrastructure and operational needs. A digital learning centre will be established in a school to teach students various facets of information technology through a customized curriculum. Through audio and video methods and by leveraging the internet, children will experience first hand the world of digital learning. By encouraging children to discover new concepts, applications and tools, the project aims to enhance learning and help the students take up digital technology as a career.

Using technology to impart learning, BT and HOPE expect to empower 500 children and young people per year through digital literacy. Not only will this initiative help build their confidence, but it will also help them develop future skills that can help increase their future employability.

BT and HOPE Foundation have a particular interest in helping underprivileged girls as many of them have no access to education opportunities.

Ian Correa, CEO of HOPE Foundation said, “We are excited to be working with BT on this great initiative. One of the biggest reasons for poverty is due to lack of education, not only inIndia, but around the world. BT demonstrates its commitment to education and helping others in need, joining and supporting us in these community programmes. We look forward to a brighter future for youth acrossIndia thanks to BT’s contributions.”

BT employees will actively be involved in this initiative, taking time to volunteer to help out with this project, and BT executives plan to visit the project in India. Besides helping children, this new initiative strives to engage the parents of the children in the digital learning centre through job creation.

Sudhir Narang, Managing Director, BT India said, “With BT’s digital technology, we hope to share our knowledge with youth in India, aiding them with tools to help lift them out of poverty and connect them for a better future. Digital technology is a quickly expanding field and with HOPE Foundation in this new CSR initiative, we will have a great opportunity to inspire young minds, promote the importance of education, and help them develop employable skills.”