Microsoft launches Unlimited Potential programmes in Bangladesh

From Left, Imran Rasheed, CEO, Learn Foundation, Feroz Mahmud, Country Manager, Microsoft Bangladesh Ltd. and Saw Ken Wye, President, Southeast Asia, Microsoft Asia Pacific at the press conference conducted by Inpace Communications

In partnership with Learn foundation, Microsoft has brought UP as their community service in the country that aims to help the underserved young people and adults at here and across the globe to overcome the digital divide by imparting them with technical skills. Learn has been working on ICT training by means of expatriate non residential Bangladeshis (NRB) investments as a non-profit trust for their projects through a network of centres based in Sylhet and Sunamganj.

By itself, Learn has already trained about three thousand rural students over the last several years, providing employment opportunities to the underserved communities in remote villages in Sunamganj and Sylhet.

Microsoft has granted $50,000 USD for software and educational resources alongside a cash grant of $40000 USD for the training and operating costs including payment for the trainers and rent for the centres while the hardware support will be provided by Learn.

It is not going to be entirely free, but to create a value for their training, Learn charges a nominal training fee of Taka 150, to make the people of the rural community realise the value for their course instead of misusing their opportunity and time.

Regarding piracy in the country, Wye mentioned, "To combat piracy is a journey and that's one of the first things we want to do here. Our first responsibility is to make sure we can take care of our customers and educate them. Our whole aim in life is really to get more people to appreciate technology and its applications and we would also love to support the local software development".

"On top of that we want to make sure that people see the difference between real software and a pirated copy. With a genuine Windows you can get additional services such as updates and access to security centres. If we come up with local language version of Bangla, may be it will only be available in genuine windows", Wye stressed.

The programme will impart technology training ranging from basic computer literacy skills to use of advanced business productivity applications. Eight existing rural telephone shops and ICT training facilities will be converted to full internet enabled community technology learning centres (CTLC) with Learn providing internet over its Smart Villages wireless LAN infrastructure.

"Under the project components Microsoft UP skills would be provided to five ICT centres in villages and three Learn ICT training centres would be converted in MS UP training centres," said Imran Rasheed, CEO, Learn. "For the rural tele-shop (RTS) owners, we are encouraging them to convert into internet business. Also to mention we would provide training to these rural people under two tracks, one of which would be under Learn curriculum, which is wireless internet and cyber café management and the other would be MS UP curriculum that has its lessons planned in software segments such as computer fundamentals, internet and web designing fundamentals, e-commerce and e-learning fundamentals," he added.