Airtel Ghana Inaugurates Stem Clubs In Ablekuma Central Circuit Schools To Promote Practical Learning And Application Of Stem As Part Of Its Evolve With Stem Initiative

• Airtel’s Evolve with STEM has launched clubs in three schools to aid the study of STEM;
• The launch was attended by stakeholders from the GES, Airtel Ghana and the CIMG;
• The inauguration of the STEM Clubs is the second phase of the Evolve with STEM initiative launched last year to inspire belief and transform mindset of young people towards Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

Accra, 13th June, 2016: Airtel, Ghana’s leading CSR Company for Education has in collaboration with the Ghana Education Service and the Exploratory – an initiative of the African Women Advocacy Project – activated the third phase of its Evolve with STEM initiative with the inauguration of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Clubs for three schools within the Ablekuma Central Circuit.

The Clubs will provide a practical and fun way for pupils to learn and engage with STEM outside of the classroom and provide the over 100 signed up pupils from the Holy Family Catholic, Anglican and Mataheko JT Schools the opportunity to engage in practical activities, undertake projects and learn basic computer coding and programming. Club members also have the opportunity to participate in educational tours, STEM experiential fairs and activity based learning to expand their thinking and entrench what they learn in the classrooms.

Dr. Connie Chow, founder and lead at the Exploratory said “These clubs will build on the lessons pupils take in the classroom and provide an informal and experiential environment for them to learn and grow. Club activities are hands-on and fun. Club members will be working on individual and group projects in STEM that they can showcase to their peers and parents. We [The Exploratory] are excited to be partnering Airtel Ghana on the Evolve with STEM project to impact the lives of young people. Airtel Ghana has demonstrated its commitment to education and to promoting STEM through this initiative”.

Airtel Ghana’s Managing Director, reigning CIMG Marketing Woman of the Year and the Telecom CEO of the Year, Lucy Quist said “Over the last 6 months we have spent time with more than 1,000 pupils from the Mataheko Cluster of schools and beyond to inspire belief and transform mindsets about STEM. We also invested to build capacity, sharpen the skills of our STEM teachers and empower them to shape the minds of our young people.

Today, we are launching the third phase of this initiative through the inauguration of the STEM Clubs. Through these clubs, we are providing an avenue for our children to learn by doing, to experiment, to explore and to get involved in practical, hands-on projects that will shape their minds and empower them to fully realise their potentials.

She continued “At Airtel Ghana, we believe in providing the platform for young people to fully realise their potential. This is why we continue to invest in education through our Schools Adoption programme and the Evolve with STEM initiative to shape the minds that will shape our future as a country and continent”.

She continued “I want to extend my appreciation and that of Airtel Ghana to the CIMG for their support and endorsement of this initiative, to our partners and all those who have supported us along the way specifically the Exploratory, the Rotary Club of Tema, Novan Education, Ghana Robotics Academy Foundation, the Circuit Supervisor and Head teachers of the various schools under the Ablekuma Central Circuit and to all employees of Airtel Ghana who continuously making us a true force for good”.

Mentoring session
As part of the programme, Airtel Ghana’s Director for projects, Hilary Arko-Dadzie, inspired and challenged pupils to believe in themselves and to strive for excellence in everything they do.

STEM Kit Donation
Airtel Ghana made a donation of books, STEM kits and other learning materials to the support the STEM clubs.

The STEM Fair
A STEM Fair was organized in partnership with various organisations that work to promote STEM and innovation in the country such as The Exploratory, STEM Centre, GH Scientific, Novan Education and ThreeSixtyGh.

Employees of Airtel Ghana also participated in the fair, taking pupils through experiments to bring to life what they learn in their classrooms.

Airtel Ghana is renowned for its contribution to education in Ghana having received several awards in CSR including Best CSR Company for Education at the Ghana CSR Excellence Awards 2015. Evolve with STEM has impacted the lives of over 1000 pupils and some teachers through inspirational talks, experiential exercises and capacity building for teachers.

About Bharti Airtel
Bharti Airtel Limited is a leading global telecommunications company with operations in 20 countries across Asia and Africa. Headquartered in New Delhi, India, the company ranks amongst the top 3 mobile service providers globally in terms of subscribers. In India, the company's product offerings include 2G, 3G and 4G wireless services, mobile commerce, fixed line services, high speed DSL broadband, IPTV, DTH, enterprise services including national & international long distance services to carriers. In the rest of the geographies, it offers 2G, 3G and 4G wireless services and mobile commerce. Bharti Airtel had over 353 millioncustomers across its operations at the end of January 2016. To know more please visit, www.airtel.com

About Airtel in Africa
Airtel is driven by the vision of providing affordable and innovative mobile services to all. Airtel has 17 operations in Africa: Burkina Faso, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Madagascar, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. Airtel International is a Bharti Airtel company. For more information, please visit www.airtel.com , or ‘like’ the Airtel Ghana Facebook page via www.facebook.com/airtelgh or follow us on Twitter via the handle @airtelghana.