Nedbank and AMD Launch Learning Lab at Nelson R. Mandela High School
Those looking for a prime example of how the 50x15 Initiative is creating innovative, scalable digital inclusion solutions need look no further than Gugulethu, South Africa. There, working with a broad ecosystem of partners, Nedbank and 50x15 are helping foster global connectivity and building templates for digital inclusion that can be replicated in other parts of the world.
On April 2, 2007, Nedbank and AMD unveiled the computer center at the Nelson R. Mandela High School in Gugulethu, the first of five 50x15 Learning Labs the companies are planning together. One of the largest banking groups in South Africa and a company committed to corporate social investment in Africa and beyond, Nedbank decided to partner with 50x15 after taking note of the success of a 50x15 Learning Lab in Kampala, Uganda. Learning Labs are customized, measurable deployments of technology solutions used to gain insight and knowledge about how to best foster digital inclusion worldwide. Of particular note is the modularity of 50x15 Learning Labs: In order to make the computer center in Gugulethu a reality, for example, Nedbank and AMD leveraged key learnings from 50x15 achievements in other regions.
Nedbank selected Nelson R. Mandela High School as the first of several schools that will implement Learning Labs based on its strong vision and the ability to provide lasting impact to the broader Gugulethu community. “We are confident that this learning lab and the others to follow it will greatly enhance the local education system’s ability to provide students with the skills and information they need to achieve success in an increasingly competitive digital world,” said Tom Boardman, Chief Executive Officer, Nedbank South Africa. “We see this partnership as another innovative way to meet the needs of South African communities and level the playing field via technology so that those in the developing world can compete effectively with their global counterparts.”
“Nedbank was an obvious choice as our South African 50x15 partner, as both organizations are passionate about education and leveraging technology to improve people’s lives,” said Gautam Srivastava, AMD’s vice president of sales and marketing and managing director in the Middle East, Africa, and Pakistan. “The positive effects of the learning labs extend beyond the students and teachers at the schools and into the greater community by providing an incredible community resource for educational and economic development opportunities.”
Similar to previous 50x15 deployments, the Nelson R. Mandela computing center follows AMD’s proven learning lab methodology, which includes providing tools, techniques, and training to maximize educational impact. The lab features a holistic, comprehensive infrastructure comprised of compact, sealed, ultra-low power AMD-based hardware designed to cope with the unique local challenges of the environment. The systems are able to run the latest operating systems, including Windows Starter Edition, Windows XP Pro, and Linux. Additionally, this Learning Lab includes support from a broad ecosystem of partners including Microsoft ®, Cisco, Tarsus, First for Business, CompuTainer @tlantic, and Learnthings.
The successes and lessons learned in Gugulethu will be leveraged by the Nedbank-AMD 50x15 partnership in future deployments across South Africa in the coming months. In addition, to facilitate future deployments worldwide and to bring all 50x15 partners closer to achieving the 50x15 Initiative’s goal, the successes and lessons learned in Gugulethu will be documented and made available online as a 50x15 Learning Lab capsule.
Click here to read an essay written by Lucky Erasmus, a student at Nelson R. Mandela High School.