STEM

How Rihanna and LeBron James give back during Black History Month — and beyond

She’s one of the bestselling performers in music, headlining this year’s Super Bowl halftime show. He’s one of the world’s most successful and influential athletes on the verge of breaking an all-time record.

February is a busy month for Rihanna and LeBron James, who are not only history-making superstars in their respective fields, but also dedicated philanthropists with their own innovative non-profits.

With 14 number-one singles, best original song Oscar nominee Rihanna continues to be one of the recording industry’s most popular entertainers, according to Billboard. In 2015, she became the first artist to reach 100 million digital sales and received the 2017 Harvard Humanitarian of the Year award. Rihanna officially reached billionaire status in 2021, becoming the wealthiest woman in music largely due to her Fenty Beauty cosmetics line.

Born and raised in Barbados, Rihanna founded the Clara Lionel Foundation in honor of her grandparents in 2012. CLF champions environmental and social justice projects in the United States and Caribbean, which the non-profit notes is among the most disaster-prone areas in the world and has been especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

Its climate resilience programs proactively develop emergency preparedness solutions, like upgrading infrastructure and keeping health care accessible during crises.

“CLF’s goal is for the Caribbean to become the world’s first climate-resilient zone by helping communities prepare for and withstand natural disasters,” says Christine Platt, Director of Communications at CLF.

The non-profit says its models can be scaled and replicated in other regions of the world, and its latest initiative, With/Stand, reflects a commitment to global teamwork. CLF has funded programs in more than 35 countries and all 50 states, spanning climate justice, natural disaster response, covid pandemic relief, education, and racial equity.

“CLF prides itself on focusing its support of climate justice initiatives led by Black, Indigenous, people of color, with 100% of our current Caribbean partners being BIPOC-led. And that’s because we understand that environmental justice is intricately interconnected with racial injustice,” Platt says.

During Black History Month, the non-profit is running a campaign to honor climate justice trailblazers like Colonel Charles Young, the first Black Superintendent of the National Park Service. But their work continues year-round.

“At CLF, we are always celebrating, highlighting, supporting, and amplifying the work of Black environmentalists,” Platt adds, “both domestically and in the Caribbean.”

James was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2004, the same year he founded The LeBron James Family Foundation. Since then, the education-focused non-profit has served more than 1,600 public school students and their families in James’ hometown of Akron, Ohio.

The LJFF launched its marquee I PROMISE program in 2011 identifying and supporting third graders at risk of falling behind in school. In 2018, the LJFF opened its I PROMISE School for grades three through eight with a longer school day, STEM-focused curriculum, and family-focused culture. Its “new model for urban, public education” extends beyond the classroom with its on-site Family Resource Center offering services and programming such as medical care, legal aid, financial literacy classes, and a food pantry.

Students in the program can earn four-year scholarships to the University of Akron, home to LJFF’s I PROMISE Institute, or Kent State University. Two-year scholarships are also available to Stark State College, an opportunity also open to program parents and guardians. Today, the LJFF says nearly a hundred students from the original class are attending college and the foundation has helped 25 I PROMISE parents earn their GEDs.

Beyond academics, the LJFF is expanding into housing. In 2020, the foundation opened the I PROMISE Village by Graduate Hotels within walking distance of the school, offering rent-free transitional lodging and resources for 15 students and their families in immediate need of safe, stable shelter. A few blocks from campus, when longer-term I PROMISE Housing opens by early next year, 50 new, affordable multi-bedroom apartments will be available to program families.

Community is also central to LJFF’s mission. I PROMISE families meet every month to share a meal and conversation. Soon they’ll have a new venue: House Three Thirty, a multi-use community space and resource center, scheduled to open to the public next month.

One annual highlight happens every August when James hosts a field trip and “family reunion” at Cedar Point to kick off the new school year.

An LJFF spokesperson says, “The Foundation’s hands-on work and resources are ‘always on,’ activating 365 days a year and continuously finding unique ways to connect with our students and families year-round.”

Credit: https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/02/us/iyw-rihanna-lebron-james-charity-black-history-month/index.html

M3gan, la muñeca asesina, ya es un icono de terror camp en ciernes

Cuando se trata de películas de terror, soy un gato asustadizo. Vi The Strangers y revisaba las cerraduras de la puerta de mi casa varias veces por noche. Vi El Proyecto de la Bruja de Blair, y eso fue solo un clavo en el ataúd cuando se trata de acampar, una actividad sobre la que ya era escéptico. Poltergeist: no, absolutamente no. Esas cosas no respetan fronteras.

Así que imagina mi sorpresa cuando, por mi propia voluntad, me encontré profundamente obsesionado con M3gan, una película de Blumhouse-James Wan sobre una linda muñeca que asesina personas. Desde el lanzamiento del tráiler inicial en octubre, no he querido nada más que ver a esta hermosa animadora animatrónica de chica mala matar cosas, causar estragos y aterrorizar a Allison Williams. Y aunque las mujeres glamorosas que bailan y son capaces de cometer un homicidio apelan directamente a mis gustos homosexuales (¡me encanta Chicago!), no podía entender por qué necesitaba desesperadamente ver esta película.

Yo tampoco estaba solo. En todo Internet había videos hechos por fanáticos de M3gan bailando, así como declaraciones, de personas que ni siquiera habían visto la película, de que M3gan vendría por las coronas de sus compañeros muñecos asesinos Chucky y Annabelle. Gran parte de ese amor provenía de gente queer que ya (irónicamente y sin ironía) ungían a M3gan como un ícono queer, no muy diferente de la forma en que lo habíamos hecho con Ma's Ma, o la madre en Barbarian, o Babadook, o Pearl de X. , o Ghostface de Scream.

Para ayudar a descifrar la obsesión, hablé con Joe Vallese, profesor de la Universidad de Nueva York y editor de It Came From the Closet, una colección de ensayos críticos sobre la intersección de lo queer y las películas de terror. Hablamos sobre dónde encaja M3gan en la larga historia de las muñecas asesinas en la pantalla, por qué a las personas LGBTQ les encanta el género (pista: porque subvierte la vida real) y cómo el horror puede brindar a las personas queer un escape que quizás no encuentren en ningún otro lugar.

No puedo explicarlo por completo, pero como un hombre flagrantemente homosexual, siento que esta película ha desencadenado algún tipo de sinapsis en los cerebros homosexuales. Como nosotros [gay people] debe ver esta película con esta muñeca asesina. Me preocupa porque estoy en esta burbuja homosexual que podría estar imaginando cosas, y solo quiero saber si estás viendo lo mismo.

Creo que tan pronto como vi ese tráiler y vi ese baile, pensé: "Oh, sé lo que va a pasar aquí". Sabes, estaba muy claro para mí que iba a ser una especie de iconografía gay instantánea.

Independientemente de lo que la película realmente contenga narrativamente, ella iba a ser un meme. Como, su baile estará en TikTok. Es una especie de situación de tiempo y lugar para que un tráiler como ese y un baile como ese se enciendan de la manera que lo han hecho.

Se siente como si estuviéramos asignando contexto y significado a lo visual incluso antes de que sepamos qué es, y eso es lo que los hombres homosexuales y queer de nuestra generación siempre han hecho: que la homosexualidad y la rareza son una especie de acto de reivindicación y recontextualizando

¿Es esa parte de la razón por la que crees que M3gan ha resonado entre las personas queer y los hombres homosexuales en particular?

Creo que viene de lo que nos dicen que no es para nosotros. Para los hombres queer, cuando eran niños, eso probablemente significaba ser femenino, cualquier cosa femenina. Obviamente, eso es increíblemente cierto con las muñecas. Así que tiene sentido que la sensibilidad de los hombres homosexuales o queer esté gravitando hacia esta hermosa muñeca asesina al estilo de Amanda Seyfried.

Con suerte, la Generación Z está viendo que esto sucede menos dentro de sus familias, pero cuando éramos niños, nos dijeron que no puedes jugar con Barbie, pero puedes tener GI Joe. Por ejemplo, puedes jugar con la muñeca si es destructiva, pero no si es hermosa.

M3gan es hermoso y malvado, por lo que hay una subversión a la que algunos hombres homosexuales podrían estar respondiendo cuando ven algo así. Estamos viendo la historia de esta muñeca contada con esta lente en particular. Y si la película es buena o mala, no sé si importa tanto cuando se trata de la reacción.

Definitivamente me colé en la habitación de mi hermana para "tomar prestadas" sus Barbies. Cuando lo hice, sentí que estaba haciendo algo malo. Supongo que colarse en la habitación de alguien es malo. Pero la idea de “jugar con muñecas bonitas = malo” probablemente se deriva de lo que “se supone” que les gusta a los niños y cómo se “supone” que deben comportarse.

Así que... supongo que hay algo tortuoso y atractivo en una muñeca asesina que mata a machetazos a la gente con una cuchilla gigante para cortar papel.

También vemos a la muñeca M3gan en el tráiler ponerse a cuatro patas y correr como un animal para atacar a alguien. No creo que haya ningún subtexto. Creo que es solo texto. Es una yuxtaposición obvia.

Diré que no creo que M3gan hubiera podido gatear o correr sin que Chucky caminara. Chucky es definitivamente como una perversión de [the toy] My Buddy, principalmente porque se parecen. My Buddy era un niño pequeño que vestía overoles y era un muñeco que los niños podían tener, porque no era demasiado femenino. Y luego obtienes al muñeco Chucky que es poseído por este, ya sabes, asesino en serie cruel y malhablado.

M3gan se atreve a hacer una pregunta importante: ¿Qué pasa si son las vibraciones del niño las que están apagadas?Universal Pictures

Y el creador de Chucky es un hombre raro. No sé si has visto la serie de televisión...

¡No lo he hecho! Pero he oído que es raro y jennifer tilly está en él, y algo acerca de que Chucky es el padre de un niño no binario?

Bueno, el personaje principal es queer. Es un espectáculo increíblemente extraño, lo cual tiene sentido porque es la única dirección que podría haber tomado después de la presentación de Tiffany. [voiced by Tilly], la novia de Chucky. Y tienen un hijo andrógino y realmente se inclinaron por esto. Básicamente tienen una familia de muñecas asesinas queer, y han ido por ese camino, lo que, ya sabes, tal vez le quita algo de miedo al original.

Cuando se trata de "sacar el fantasma", creo que si miras la forma en que las películas de terror de los últimos tiempos... Bárbaro, Maligno, Mamá, Annabellee incluso el babadook Ha habido este acto de ungirlos como películas queer y esos monstruos como íconos queer. Y cuando estos villanos se convierten en íconos queer, se vuelve menos aterrador y quizás más divertido.

No creo que sea una coincidencia que haya una larga historia de personas queer que son llamadas monstruos y luego personas queer gravitan hacia estos "monstruos".

Bueno, cuando se trata de tropos de personajes en películas de terror, siempre nos quedamos con la última chica y el villano. Y la última chica ha estado envuelta en una especie de heteronormatividad durante tanto tiempo, ¿no? Ella es cis, heterosexual, muy modesta, muy sana. El villano suele ser diametralmente opuesto. Entonces, cuando muchos de nosotros miramos eso, pensamos, no podemos ser Nancy, entonces somos Freddie. No podemos ser Laurie, entonces somos Michael. Puede ser difícil para alguien ser un cabeza de alfiler o un cenobita.

Nos estamos separando de eso ahora, pero creo que el binario final de chica/villano dictó el papel que quedó para las personas queer. Y también los villanos son más interesantes. Ya sabes, si los villanos no fueran interesantes, no habría franquicias, no habría múltiples películas, no habría estos intentos de historias de fondo y reinicios. ¡Como las películas de Scream!

Él Gritar películas realmente trate de romper esos binarios. Creo que en la primera película tenemos personajes que hablan de lo sexista que es asumir que el asesino es un hombre. Si miras la charla en internet, hay una broma pero quizás no es una broma que Ghostface (el asesino) sea inherentemente queer.

Cuando se trata de Ghostface, aunque hay alguien debajo de esa máscara, siempre está envuelto en esta túnica muy ondulante y fluida. Aunque pueden ser torpes, Ghostface básicamente se desliza y baila. Es muy, ¿cuál es la palabra...

¿Extravagante?

Sí. Es súper extravagante. No pensamos en ello tan a menudo, pero está ahí. Y luego, no importa quién esté debajo, siempre se ven enormes con el disfraz. Al igual que la revelación de Emma Roberts (Scream 4), es muy divertido porque, de manera realista, probablemente sea un asesino de 5 pies, pero no importa porque cualquiera que esté debajo de la bata siempre será más grande que la vida, intimidante y fabuloso.

Bueno, todo el asunto Gritar es que cualquiera puede estar debajo. Eso es un poco extraño e inclusivo a su manera.

Y luego, por supuesto, en la primera película son estos dos tipos torpes, tal vez homosexuales el uno para el otro, los asesinos, ¿verdad?

No, como chicos completamente homosexuales el uno para el otro.

Debido a que Scream fue creado por un hombre gay y porque creo que Wes Craven era una persona muy astuta e inclusiva, Craven entendió que había algo extraño en lo que hace el horror y entendió la subversión.

Cuando se trata de la idea de que cualquiera puede ser Ghostface, creo que gran parte de la diversión en esas películas proviene de pensar simultáneamente en lo que haríamos para escapar y también en lo que haríamos si fuéramos Ghostface. ¿Cómo acecharía a mi presa?

¿Cómo serían mis llamadas de Ghostface? ¿Podría ser tan perra como Ghostface?

Quiero preguntarte sobre este tipo de triangulación de la que seguimos hablando. Como si hubiera una conexión entre el horror, lo queer y lo camp. Y siento que el umbral entre lo que hace que el terror sea aterrador o cursi es una sensibilidad queer. Me preguntaba si te sentías de la misma manera.

Siento que, más que cualquier otro género, en el horror tienes que encontrar nuevas formas de sorprender y subvertir las expectativas.

Cuando el horror se cruza con el campamento, creo que a menudo es un intento serio de sorprender a las personas y darles una imagen que nunca antes habían visto, lo cual es realmente difícil de hacer bien. Sabes, al principio dije que la cultura queer se trata en parte de recuperación y recontextualización. Pero creo que también existe este elemento de mostrarnos algo que no hemos visto. Creo que es por eso que la frontera es muy borrosa y no siempre tiene éxito.

Pero más que cualquier género, creo que el terror tiene la capacidad de ser muy, muy bueno y muy malo, pero luego tan malo que vuelve a ser realmente bueno.

Bueno, quiero decir, todos al final de Bárbaro está profundamente comprometida y apoyando a la mujer que habita en el subsuelo de 8 pies para vivir, que no es lo que probablemente nos imaginamos haciendo al comienzo de la película.

Bueno, ya sabes, esa mujer de 8 pies que vive en un subterráneo no preguntó por lo que es. ¿Ella no pidió nacer en esta jodida vida incestuosa? Si lo presionas demasiado, se desmorona porque nada de eso tiene sentido. Pero a vista de pájaro, esa mujer no pidió esta vida y no debería tener que morir.

M3gan apoya a la mujer en STEM Allison Williams.Universal Pictures

El escapismo de las películas de terror: siento que puede ser empoderador. Si no eres queer, no necesariamente entenderías qué es lo emocionante de un monstruo o un villano, y tal vez sea una de las cosas que ni siquiera es totalmente explicable. Pero la gente queer ha pasado tanto tiempo teniendo que dar explicaciones que creo que este es un lugar donde está bien si no lo hacemos.

Realmente no es tan diferente a amar a nuestra pequeña muñeca asesina M3gan, ¿verdad? Ella no pidió nacer en este mundo. Ella no pidió esta vida.

Tendré mucha curiosidad si amas a tu muñeca asesina M3gan cuando la veas. Me pregunto si es como una gran farsa, y si la película va a apestar, y si va a ser totalmente olvidable.

Pero al hablar contigo, incluso si apesta, casi no importa. Todavía vamos a tener nuestra propia interpretación de M3gan y esto fue algo que amamos, y lo amaremos irónicamente o sin ironía.

Sí, ¡todavía habrá ofrecido algo memorable! Y estoy a favor de entradas extrañas y más extrañas en el horror, y no hay suficiente horror de muñecas por ahí.

Annabelle?

No sé si Annabelle es la película de muñecas favorita de alguien, ¿sabes? Es todo muy obvio. En la primera película de Annabelle, se ve aterradora y quieren tirarla con la basura pero no pueden. Si Annabelle es la mejor película de muñecas asesinas, necesitamos a M3gan o a alguien que destrone a Annabelle. Danos un nuevo tipo de muñeca a la que asustarnos.

Sí, daré $ 120 / año

Sí, daré $ 120 / año

Aceptamos tarjeta de crédito, Apple Pay y Google Pay. También puedes contribuir a través de

Credit: https://www.vox.com/culture/2023/1/5/23539569/megan-m3gan-movie-doll-robots-murder-gay

The US policy of “talent uncoupling” is counterproductive.

- In recent years, some China hawks in Washington obsessed with the Cold War mentality have been provoking confrontation in the field of science and technology through their ideologically biased "talent uncoupling" policy against China.

Experts have been warning that such dangerous moves, which have been hampering bilateral science and technology cooperation to a large extent, will only harm the United States itself in due course.

A MORE ATTRACTIVE CHINA

According to data from the Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), more than 1,400 US-trained Chinese scientists left their US academic or business affiliation for a Chinese one in 2021, an increase of 22% over the previous year.

According to the Global Talent Competitiveness Index 2022, released by INSEAD in collaboration with the Portulans Institute and the Human Capital Leadership Institute in November, China continues to climb the rankings, coming in at 36th this year.

Wang Huiyao, president of the Center for China and Globalization, said China has witnessed a steady increase in the arrival of Chinese-descent scientists from abroad, and their return will make further contributions to innovation and entrepreneurship, breakthroughs technology and the people of China. -Diplomacy of people.

More than 80 percent of all Chinese students have returned to China after finishing their education abroad since 2012, according to China's Ministry of Education.

WE IN THE ECLIPSE

As a magnet for international talent, the United States is being eclipsed as a result of its unscrupulous suppression of Chinese academics.

In an AASF report, Xie Yu, a member of the US National Academy of Sciences and a professor at Princeton University, and other scholars from Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology surveyed 1,304 scientists from US-based Chinese ethnicity and found that they displayed a strong sense of restlessness and fear on all five psychological indicators.

A total of 35 percent of respondents do not feel welcome in the United States and 72 percent do not feel safe as an academic researcher, while 42 percent are afraid of doing research. Furthermore, a remarkable 86 per cent perceive that it is more difficult to recruit the best international students now than it was five years ago.

Additionally, a staggering 61 percent have thought about leaving the United States.

These repercussions stem primarily from the "China Initiative" launched by the US Department of Justice in 2018, which has consistently stigmatized scientists of Chinese descent under the guise of "national security" and through the distorted lens of racism. Earlier this year, the initiative was finally canceled amid strong criticism and opposition.

“In the past, there have been complaints that while they contributed a lot of the hard work, they generally failed to achieve leadership positions or commensurate recognition, reaching a 'bamboo ceiling.' Under the China Initiative, most Chinese-American scientists are now feeling the chilling effect of potential federal investigations and prosecutions and have new reason to be pessimistic about their careers in the United States," the report said.

DIMINISHED SCIENTIFIC COOPERATION

Cultural and people-to-people exchanges have brought tangible benefits to both peoples. According to the AASF report, 17 percent of all 2020 US science or engineering doctoral degrees were awarded to foreign students from China, with some choosing to stay in the United States to work. Along with native Chinese Americans, Chinese immigrants have become a large and visible demographic in the field of science and technology in the United States.

Chinese students and researchers can boost US competitiveness in at least three ways: through their contributions to US university revenue, to US science and innovation, and to security US national, according to a report on the background, policy and impact of the US-China relationship. "Decoupling" of STEM Talent published by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory.

Unfortunately, Washington's politics, riddled with ideological bias and Cold War mentality, have greatly hampered people-to-people exchanges between China and the United States and are therefore widely opposed.

Former US ambassador to China Max Baucus said Washington's anti-China rhetoric reminded him of the McCarthy era.

"Scientific progress is based on collaboration, on recruiting the best possible talent for important scientific problems and on making these findings known around the world. So establishing science as a competition with talented scientists in other countries and harboring secrets that They should not be disclosed." widely shared goes against the fundamental values ​​of the scientific community," H. Holden Thorp, editor-in-chief of Science magazines, wrote in an editorial titled "China's Initiative Must End" in February.

US campuses see fewer international students. During the 2020-21 academic year, 329,272 graduate students studied in the United States, down 12.1% from the previous year, while the number of international scholars in the United States (specifically, postdocs and visiting researchers) plummeted 31%, from 123,508 to 85,528, reported Nature magazine, citing data from the Institute for International Education.

Under the current situation, it is more necessary than ever for China and the United States to strengthen dialogue and exchanges in scientific and technological circles, especially among academic communities and civil societies, so that scientific cooperation can resume course and progress. Scientists have the right to choose their cooperation partners, said Liang Zheng, deputy director of the China Institute of Science and Technology Policy at Tsinghua University. ■

(Xinhua)

ADB approves $70m loan to Cambodia for education reforms

The Manila-based Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a US$70 million loan to Cambodia.

The loan is to support the government's efforts to deepen reforms in upper secondary science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education across the country, the lender said in a statement on Monday.

The Science and Technology in Upper Secondary Education Project will help Cambodia develop high-quality human resources.

This is especially in the STEM field, as the country aspires to transform its economy into a technology-driven and knowledge-based economy, according to the statement.

“Given the significant STEM skills gap, the project will help strengthen the traditional STEM education of the Cambodian education system.

"To keep up with the growing demand for highly-skilled labor," said Lynnette Perez, ADB's senior education specialist for Southeast Asia.

“This will be critical for Cambodia to integrate 21st century skills, knowledge and competencies into its STEM education.

"This will improve students' proficiency in critical thinking, problem solving, creativity and collaboration, all of which are necessary for a knowledge-based economy," he added.

The project will set standards for quality education for all upper secondary schools, improve facilities and provide essential educational technology and STEM equipment in Cambodia, according to the statement.

Among the project's plans will be the upgrading of facilities at 14 network senior secondary schools and 103 general senior secondary schools.

These are classrooms each in two science classrooms and a library with equipment, teaching materials, books, furniture and the necessary educational technological resources, he said. (Xinhua/)

Edited /That E. Eniola Williams

Source Credit: NAN

GetBundi STEM and Digital Skills Centre gets IMSG’s approval

The Government of Imo has approved an operating license for GetBundi, an educational technology platform.

Getbundi conducts science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) studies online and also operates a digital skills acquisition center.

The approval was contained in a letter from the Commissioner of Education dated October 31, 2022 and signed. I. Okereke, Deputy Director, STTE.

It was titled: “Approval to Operate a Private Digital Skills Acquisition Center.”

He referred to the team's application letter dated August 22, 2022 and endorsed their quest to operate an online study team and skills acquisition center leading to exam taking.

The approval is effective as of December 1, 2022.

The Nigerian News Agency reports that GetBundi is designed to facilitate access to high-quality education for young Africans.

According to its founder, Mr. Osita Oparaugo, GetBundi will be dedicated to STEM learning with a special focus on the six years of post-primary school.

The team will also offer Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Skills Acquisition programs aimed at everyone.

“We focus on STEM and English language educational courses for junior high school 1-3 and senior high school 1-3.

“Our digital skills program under STI is aimed at young people and entrepreneurs across Africa,” he said.

Oparaugo said that the exclusive product aims to revolutionize secondary education and skills acquisition through technology.

He explained that the GetBundi programs were designed to help young Africans overcome challenges with STEM subjects.

“We have already created 1,008 hours of audiovisual content covering six years of high school work using the West African curriculum.

“It can be used as an aid for teachers, to support students in school as continuous learning, and as a study guide for students outside of school.

“It can also be used to prepare those sitting for competitive exams such as WAEC, NECO or University and College Matriculation Examinations organized by JAMB,” he said.

Oparaugo said he was already talking to the African Union and ECOWAS.

“I want the two intergovernmental organizations to take advantage of this initiative to promote science and technology courses on the African continent.

“It is the best way to move towards creating a generation that will take Africa to the next level through technology.

“This is a very good initiative; I want African governments to recognize it and push for it,” Oparaugo said.

Commenting on the approval, Oparaugo, the edtech expert, reaffirmed GetBundi's commitment to its vision of upskilling, through STEM and the digital skills hub, more than 10 million Africans.

“Our main vision is to create an inclusive sustainable development driven by technology.

“We have a vision to upskill 10 million Africans in 10 years, 2023-2032. We have labeled this plan as 'The GetBundi VISION 2032,' Oparaugo said.

He said the center would start with six years of roughly 1,008-hour high school STEM courses and 312 hours of digital skills courses that can make incumbents instantly employable in the 21st century and beyond.

The founder of GetBundi said that the digital skills would cover courses such as Coding, Graphics, Cinematography, Video Editing, Digital Marketing, Cyber ​​Security, among others.

He revealed that GetBundi had some of the digital skills courses delivered in Pidgin English, which would be "a game changer."

“One of our goals with GetBundi is to enable our students to gain knowledge, skills and behaviors that will help them transform their lives and improve job prospects and productivity in employment.

“Jobs will disappear, new jobs will be created, and most will be in the digital space. Our goal is to upskill and re-skill Nigerians/Africans with 21st century skills that will make them immediately employable,” she said.

On the STEM courses, Oparaugo said they were based on the West African school curriculum for secondary schools and could be used as an aid to teachers, to support continuous learning for students in school, and as a guide to study for students outside of school. .

GetBundi launched in Lagos, the commercial capital of Nigeria, in June 2022 and has since continued to gain acceptance across the country and beyond.

Dedicated versions of the web and mobile app will open on December 1, 2022. PR/ETS=======

Source Credit: NAN

My 2nd term ‘ll focus on delivery of sustainable development- Makinde

Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State says he is seeking re-election for a second term in office to ensure a sustainable development of the state.

Makinde said his desire to run again followed an accelerated development of the state by his administration in the last three and half years.

The governor made this assertions during a live interview session on a Radio programme, Political Circuit, saying that his performance as the state governor within the period, had justified his re-election bid.

According to him, I deserved to be elected again by the people of the state, with the achievements recorded by my administration across the four service point areas of education, security, health and economic expansion through agribusiness and infrastructure.

“If re-elected in 2023, I will go on to deliver ‘Omituntun 2.0’, which centres on delivering sustainable development to the people.

“When I was campaigning for election in 2018, I brought out a roadmap and promised the people that it was meant for accelerated development of Oyo State.

“Now, based on what we have experienced, we have brought another roadmap.

But this time round, it is for sustainable development 2023-2027,” Makinde said.

He said that his administration had been able to deliver infrastructure that targeted economic expansion programme as this government’s idea of infrastructure development has seen over 500 kilometres of roads, either completed or being constructed.

“In line with my administration’s determination to boost the economy of the state, this government embarked on an effort to link all five zones of the state with quality road infrastructure.

“All these zones have their uniqueness and what they are bringing to the table for the overall development of the state.

“So far, we have succeeded in linking Ibadan to Iseyin.

We are linking Ogbomoso to Iseyin and we are linking Oke-Ogun to Igbo-Ora to Eruwa; we are also linking Eruwa to Ibadan,” Makinde said.

The governor said that, when his performance was placed side by side with the records of the previous administrations, his government had performed well.

He said that his government’s infrastructure initiatives included the 65-kilometres Moniya-Iseyin Road, while “works are ongoing on Ogbomoso-Iseyin, Oyo-Iseyin, Beere-Ona-Ara, Ajia-Airport Road with spur to Amuloko, Bembo-Apata Roads and the dualisation of the Ibadan Airport Road, among others”.

Makinde further explained that his administration had worked assiduously to expand the economy of the state by equipping the Ibadan Airport with the building of a 500,000-litre Aviation Storage and Dispensing Facility.

The governor said that the administration had been able to improve the economy of the state through agribusiness.

He said, through several policy initiatives and encouragement of a business environment that is agribusiness-friendly, the state had been able to attract massive investments.

These, Makinde said, included the designation of the state as one of the Agro-Processing Zones by the African Development Bank (ADB) and the building of the second largest Sorbitol Plant in the world by Psaltery Ltd. He also said that part of his administration’s success stories in the agriculture sector wa the fact that the state had the lowest food inflation in the country for last year.

According to him, my government has distributed improved seedlings to 10,000 farmers in the state.

“You must have also heard about youths we sent to Nasarawa State to learn about modern ways of doing agriculture.

We have also collaborated with IITA on the STEM Programme.

“In terms of physical development, we have converted the Fasola Farm Settlement to a Farm Estate.

Eruwa Farm Settlement is on the line as well.

“You see, gone are the days when the government will own businesses, but we can create an enabling environment.

“By November 2019, what we did was to link the Oke-Ogun Area to Ibadan.

We have fresh produce there and people can easily move from the production area onward to city centres.

“We are also fixing Oyo-Iseyin Road. Though, it is a Federal road, because it hit at the heart of our agriculture, we are fixing it.

“How else can you provide an enabling environment other than creating such infrastructure?

,” he said.

On environment and waste management system, Makinde said the government has continued to search for a sustainable solution to the age-long problems associated with the environment.

“We have not scored 100 per cent concerning waste management.

It is an issue that has been with us, we will do the needful, but it requires time.

“For us, if this administration tells you something is solved, it means it is solved.

We have the template.

We are mobilising.

“We have employed 300 environmental officers that will engage the people so that they can have the right mindset.

“The people need to change their attitude and when we meet in the middle, our problems will be less,” he said.

Makinde promised that his government would find a lasting solution to the menace of street beggars by moving them permanently to one of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camps in the state.


NewsSourceCredit: NAN

Samsung is part of the 30-year anniversary commemoration: #SAKoreaRelations Strategic alliances for continued investment and innovation

South Africa and the Republic of Korea are marking the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties and Samsung (http://www.Samsung.com/africa_en) has been part of the government's discussions on continued bilateral relations between the two countries and other agreements.

of strategic association.

.

These strategic partner engagements are a continuation of initial discussions in August that Samsung's global CEO, Mr. Jong-Hee Han, had during his recent visit to South Africa, where he met with the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Competition.

, Mr. Ebrahim Patel, as well as the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr. Naledi Pandor.

Mr. Han's visit focused on the company's long-standing partnership, its long-term vision and ongoing collaboration with the South African government, and potential future opportunities for growth and further investment.

Also, as part of Mr. Han's discussions with the South African government on the August visit, it was South Korea's bid for the 2030 Busan World Expo with both ministers with a view to garnering local support for the bid.

Importantly, the World Expos focus on creating a better future for all mankind, and thus perfectly fit Samsung's vision of improving mankind through technology and innovation.

Samsung believes that the World Expo to be held in Busan during the 2030 edition would be the perfect platform to share its technological advances and how it sees technology as the main catalyst for an ecological and green future in line with the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.

United Nations.

.

The Embassy of the Republic of Korea in South Africa, the Korea-Africa Foundation (KAF) and the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) recently organized a seminar to commemorate the milestone of 30 years of diplomatic relations and trade agreements between the Republic of Korea and South Africa.

In this seminar, Ambassador Ntombizodwa M Lallie, Deputy Director General of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa (DIRCO) delivered words of congratulations where she recognized and emphasized the importance of honoring the obligations assumed -referring to the recent meeting between the Samsung Global CEO, DIRCO and DTIC Ministers on Samsung's commitment and ambitions to contribute to South Africa's economic transformation and prosperity.

On October 12, 2022, Minister Pandor paid a courtesy visit to Samsung's headquarters in South Korea during her official visit to South Korea to commemorate the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

She this time met with the chairman of Samsung Electronics, Mr. Rhee In-yong, and they held further talks in an effort to further strengthen the existing strategic partnership.

Samsung has recognized the importance of the long-standing relationship and the critical role that Minister Pandor, who was previously Minister of Education and more importantly Minister of Science and Technology, has played in strengthening the strategic partnership between the company and the South.

African government.

The Minister's background and experience in these key government departments align perfectly with Samsung's agenda around Education and Technology.

Samsung has a number of skills-based, entrepreneurial and empowerment projects in the ICT sector in which it operates.

Inspired by the transformative power of economic investment that took South Korea from one of the poorest countries in the world to one of the most successful.

economies, Samsung South Africa has reaffirmed its commitment to continue making incredible strides in its long-term vision for the country.

This is reflected in the company's continued investment in the country coupled with its Tier 1 - BBBEE Rating for four (4) consecutive years, which is in line with Samsung's dedication to remain an active contributor to the future of the South African economy.

and a strong supporter of economic transformation.

Importantly, Samsung has reaffirmed its commitment to continue building on the multi-billion dollar Equity Equivalent Investment Program (EEIP), which is already celebrating more than three years of sustained success.

Launched in May 2019 in partnership with the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) and sector support from the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT), this program is expected to have a measurable impact on job creation with a projected contribution of over 1 billion rands to the overall South African economy.

Samsung's 10-year plan aims to address key development issues linked to the National Development Plan and the overall transformation of the economy.

Samsung's EEIP program is aligned with DTIC's Black Industrialization program through e-waste recycling and benefication, which has seen an investment in two black women-owned entities that now operate in the full e-waste value chain.

It also has a strong focus on business development and capacity building in ICT through the development of scarce skills.

Additionally, Samsung is developing 4IR skills in partnership with several higher education institutions in South Africa.

Young South Africans are gaining craft and electronic skills through the Samsung Engineering Academy program, as well as coding, software development, IOT and artificial intelligence skills through the Samsung Innovation Campus program.

Additionally, students in grades 10 and 11 will be encouraged to solve social problems in their communities through Samsung's Solve for Tomorrow STEM competition, which is being piloted in 51 schools across the country.

Ultimately, as part of a global community, these ongoing collaborations and empowering initiatives are designed to make a difference for all people.

Samsung is proud to support Busan's bid for World Expo 2030.

Aggressive metering of customers will address estimated billings- EKEDC

Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC), says it has begun aggressive metering under the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) and National Mass Metering Programme (NMMP) Scheme to bridge the metering gap within its operational network.

Mr Godwin Idemudia, General Manager, Media Communications, EKEDC, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos on Friday.

Idemudia said that the scheme had enabled the company to have higher metered population than post-paid.

He said the company had ensured that distribution transformers were metered, to allow a robust calculation for customers on estimated billing, pending metering of all customers.

According to him, NMMP is currently suspended as Phase 1 is yet to commence.

Idemudia said that the disco was currently working on the MAP Scheme, where customers could get meters within 10 working days of payment confirmation.

“All is to eliminate estimated billing and bridge the metering gap.

The more customers that participate in the scheme, the earlier our chances of metering all customers.

“As at the start of the NMMP Phase 0, an initiative of the Federal Government, where meters were provided to customers for free, the goal of the initiative was to meter our entire population within five years (2025),” he said.

On energy theft and other offences, Idemudia said that about 160 people were either been convicted or pending conviction since the inception of power sector privatisation.

He said the company had over 365,255 prepaid customers, 173,663 post-paid customers and 7.65 billion key customer group.

Idemudia said, “We have purchased tools and equipment to aid the speedy restoration of faults in areas with underground cables.

“In addition to that, we are working on replacing the cables, but are pacing ourselves as it is a huge CAPEX investment.

The EKEDC spokesman said that the company was actively exploring possible partnerships with several entities to improve power supply via embedded generation.

He added that a substantial amount of these engagements were at advanced stages and shall be executed in due time.

According to Idemudia, the company is gender sensitivity and inclusivity remains a priority for the company.

“Our managing director, a large number of our top management team and line-workers are female.

“Our culture of female empowerment in the work place cuts across our organisation.

“We are also heavily involved in female empowerment through CSR programmes where we promote STEM, affiliations with agencies such as USAID and women in energy.


NewsSourceCredit: NAN

How Huawei is building a 1 million strong talent ecosystem

Revealing the skills gap Driving the need for this investment is the accelerating pace of digital transformation around the world, a trend that contrasts with the World Bank's talent gap forecast of 10 million people by 2027 More than 170 countries have announced digital strategies (https:/ /bit.ly/3CSIndP), and digital transformation is seen as the key to improving GDP and productivity.

It is a key focus for industries including ICT, finance, manufacturing and agriculture.

The talent shortage is most pronounced in Asia, but it is also an international concern for the ICT community, governments, employers and workers.

According to the International Labor Organization (https://bit.ly/3sbJDnJ), "a lack of skilled labor will limit future growth and job creation in the sector, but with the right policies, the digital economy could have significant impact."

contribution to the promotion of decent work and inclusive economic growth at global, regional and national levels.” Adding to the problem is a gap in the education of ICT professionals that means their skills do not meet industry standards.

This has resulted in a lack of talent to fill roles and put pressure on the existing workforce.A Gartner report (https://gtnr.it/3DpCmal) further explains that IT executives see shortages as "the barrier of adoption for 64% of emerging technologies, compared to just 4% in 2020.

The lack of availability of talent was cited much more often than other barriers this year, such as the cost of implementation (29%) or security risk (7%)."

Huawei at the forefront of building the talent ecosystem At the forefront of digital transformation, Huawei understands that delivery standards are only as good as the talent it executes, and that l The number of personnel required is voluminous.

The world's leading ICT company also knows the importance of nurturing talent.

They have been doing this since they launched their ICT Academy in 2013.

The Huawei ICT Academy program now trains more than 150,000 students annually in collaboration with around 2,000 universities and colleges in more than 100 countries.

Huawei also partners with leading institutions such as Tsinghua University in China and Institut Teknologi Bandung in Indonesia to equip students and faculty alike with knowledge and skills that are relevant to industry needs.

From the innovation training camp to massive open online courses (MOOCs) and the Huawei Talent platform (including webinars and exams), various offerings have been developed during the collaboration between academia and industry.

Coursework and hands-on training prepare students with current state qualifications in disciplines such as routing and switching, storage, cloud, WLAN, cloud computing, and big data, as well as next-generation technologies including IoT, big data, and Cloud Computing.

Huawei's strategy is based on a holistic vision that addresses the skills shortage, the education gap, and the needs of ICT professionals.

It's a three-pronged approach that Huawei calls the Three Trees model of talent development, comprising three key areas: Education More than 2,000 Huawei ICT academies have been established, and more than 17,000 students have obtained Huawei certifications.

Partnerships with colleges and universities, education authorities and international education organizations are designed to: provide leading ICT, course systems and engineering practices improve the quality of teaching of ICT disciplines cultivate a culture of innovation among workers.

Huawei's end-to-end talent development solution for industry has been built hand in hand with industry and government agencies to facilitate people's career development and promote digital transformation.

Graduates emerge industry-ready, equipped with hard and soft skills in: leadership and management business connectivity cloud computing application development digital transformation for business Public Despite advances during COVID-19, the digital divide remains a source overall social inequality.

According to UNICEF, 87% of young people in rich countries have internet coverage (https://bit.ly/3z0r3CN) compared to 6% in low-income countries.

As part of its mission to close this gap and promote sustainable social development, Huawei offers a talent development system through 120 authorized learning partners.

Every year, 85,000 trainees obtain Huawei certification to help improve the public's skills in digital technology.

More than 17,000 have entered the global labor market as Huawei Certified ICT Expert (HCIE) since the beginning of the certification system.

UNESCO is just one success story in the ICT talent ecosystem.

"UNESCO is committed to making digital technology a tool for progress in all its fields of competence," says Firmin Edouard Matoko, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Priority Africa and External Relations.

"Through its partnerships with industry leaders like Huawei, the organization is working to link educational institutions with private partners."

Competitions and Educational Opportunities Launched in 2015, Huawei's annual ICT competitions are an integral part of the talent cultivation lifecycle, providing aspiring ICT professionals with exposure to industry best practices and trends.

ICT Academy students who complete their training and internships are eligible to participate in ICT competitions where the brightest minds compete to create innovative digital products and applications.

Huawei also offers its Seeds for the Future program to STEM students, who come to the company's headquarters in China to study cutting-edge ICT technology in a cross-cultural environment.

Emmanuel Lucas Chaula, an ICT professional in his homeland of Tanzania and a part-time instructor at the Huawei ICT Academy, is a beneficiary of Huawei's mission to foster a hotbed of talent.

Four years ago, as a student, he participated in the Huawei ICT competition.

He attended trainings and learned about new technologies.

He won first prize in the Southern Africa region and later Outstanding Performance in the world final.

After the competition, Emanuel joined Huawei's free Train the Trainer program.

He now teaches others about Huawei technologies and helps students acquire the ICT skills to be successful.

Huawei will continue to build this ecosystem of ICT talent with the goal of training more than 1 million ICT professionals and experts by 2024 (https://bit.ly/3ShICoF), working with governments, industry organizations, and universities to develop a overall future.

ready workforce that creates new value for the industry.

To learn more about the ICT talent ecosystem, click here (https://bit.ly/3TwwfWA).