By: Rose Aba Akafo
The Orange Foundation Sierra Leone has donated digital learning equipment to Rural Education Community Primary School in York, Western Area Rural District, as part of its commitment to expanding access to digital education across the country.
The donation is aimed at providing pupils with the opportunity to explore digital learning, develop essential technological skills, and reach their full potential in an increasingly digital world.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony, the Director of Orange Foundation, Annie Wonnie Katta, said the initiative is designed to ensure that every child has access to digital education regardless of their location.
She noted that the foundation is committed to equipping schools with digital learning resources that will enable pupils to explore new learning opportunities and prepare them for the future.
Welcoming guests, the Head Teacher of Rural Education Community Primary School, Madam Christiana Macarthy, expressed appreciation to Orange Foundation for the intervention, describing it as a major contribution to improving teaching and learning in the school.
York Headman, Mr. Julrick Pratt, thanked Orange Sierra Leone for its continued support to the community, noting that the company’s contributions extend beyond education to the health sector.
“It is very, very timely, this particular donation Orange has brought to our children,” he said.
He added that the community had long needed such support and assured the company that both teachers and pupils would handle the equipment with care.
The Chairman of the Community Teachers Association (CTA), Mr. Samuel Frewy, also expressed gratitude to Orange Sierra Leone for selecting the school as a beneficiary, saying the donation would greatly enhance the learning experience of the pupils.
Chief Executive Officer of Orange Sierra Leone, Madam Aicha Toure, described education as one of the most important investments any nation can make.
She said every child deserves the opportunity to learn, explore, dream bigger, and reach their full potential. According to her, Orange Digital School kits are currently benefiting more than 30,000 pupils across six districts in Sierra Leone, while over 500,000 pupils worldwide are using the digital kits in countries where Orange operates.
She thanked teachers for their continued dedication and expressed hope that the digital learning equipment would strengthen classroom instruction and help prepare the next generation for the digital future.
“Investing in education means investing in the future of the country,” Madam Toure said.
Delivering the keynote address, the Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education said that since assuming office, he has travelled to several communities across the country to engage citizens and better understand the challenges affecting education.
He observed that although York falls within the Western Area, it remains one of the area’s most underdeveloped communities. He commended Orange Sierra Leone for its continued support to the district, noting that this was not the company’s first intervention in the community.
“We believe that our kids must be educated and be educated properly,” the Minister said.
Addressing the pupils directly, he encouraged them to embrace the opportunities provided by technology, reminding them that they are growing up in an exciting era where digital education can unlock endless possibilities.
The donation forms part of Orange Foundation Sierra Leone’s ongoing efforts to promote digital inclusion and improve access to quality education for children across the country.
