Microsoft Philanthropies, which works with non-profit organisations across the world on a humanitarian mandate, nominated Shakti Foundation for the grant aiming to enable some IT skilled women to operate their own businesses across the country, said a press release on Friday.
Elaborating the provisions of the grant, Dr Humaira Islam, founder executive director of Shakti Foundation, said they would kick start a programme to support 50 IT skilled women open their small IT repair business in Digital Centers across the country by March 2017.
The 50 women will be picked up from among 3,300 women who have been trained under two previous programmes which Microsoft Bangladesh facilitated in partnership with the Access to Information (A2I) unit of Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
Sonia Bashir Kabir, managing director of Microsoft Bangladesh, said, “Our ambition is to have over 5,200 women operate their own IT businesses in 5,200 Digital Centers nationwide by June 2018.”
Dr Daiana Beitler, Philanthropies lead, Microsoft Asia, said,“Microsoft aims to empower nonprofit organizations that work with youth and women by providing them with skills training, technology and solutions, our employees’ time and financial support. We hope that the Microsoft YouthSpark grant will truly level the playing field for these communities.”
The grant is part of a three-year $75 million commitment Microsoft has made to increase access to computer education around the world.
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