American Tower expands digital education

American Tower, a global leader in digital communications infrastructure, has announced an expanded partnership with ProFuturo, a digital education initiative supported by the Telefónica Foundation and "la Caixa" Foundation, to enhance digital inclusion in Nigeria

Following a successful launch in Kenya, the programme aims to continue transforming education for children in Africa by leveraging technology to bridge the educational gap.

This collaboration is designed to benefit underserved communities through various social programs that improve quality of life and promote equal access to the digital world. With the expansion into Nigeria, the initiative is expected to impact nearly 30,000 children in vulnerable communities across Nigeria, Kenya, and parts of Latin America, providing them with quality digital education through innovative projects.

Additionally, the initiative will offer training to over 1,000 teachers, equipping them to deliver this education effectively. The project promises to create a significant international network of educators committed to teaching, learning, and sharing knowledge, ultimately fostering better education worldwide.

Magdalena Brier, managing director of ProFuturo, points out that this agreement highlights the enormous potential of these types of alliances in favor of digital inclusion and how they contribute to strengthening the positive impact of educational projects on the ground, such as what ProFuturo has been developing since 2016. She said, "In this way, education with technology has enormous potential to help reduce the educational gap, thanks to its reach and capacity for inclusion, bringing high-quality content to the most difficult environments, which would be very difficult to access in any other way."

American Tower’s Digital Communities are digitally connected, technology-enabled spaces that offer digital literacy and youth education, financial literacy and adult vocational training, or health care services.

Following the principles established by the United Nations Global Compact and the Sustainable Development Goals, American Tower and ProFuturo share the same vision: Access to quality education in complex environments is essential to reduce poverty and inequality in the region. Through this strategic collaboration, it is expected to encourage and promote an increase in knowledge, while promoting innovative practices and strengthening educational digital transformation in the coming years.

Suzette Victor, director, Sustainability, ATC Africa, stated, “In Africa, closing the digital divide is crucial to ensuring that no one is left behind and our partnership with ProFuturo will strengthen our resolve to reach individuals in underserved communities with the transformative power of technology in education. The expansion of this partnership to Nigeria will not only address immediate educational needs but will also lay the groundwork for a future where every child has the opportunity to succeed, regardless of their circumstances.”