In 2022, the government of the Republic of the Congo launched a programme to transform education through technology, making distance learning a possibility for many children. Our commitment to this programme support the government's strategy and is transforming educational experiences for children. Since launching in March 2022, we’ve made a good progress: 10,000 schoolchildren have been granted access to the internet free of charge by Airtel Congo in Brazzaville, Pointe Noire and Dolisie.

We met with Sarah Douabele, a 13-year-old 8th grader at St. Exupery School in Brazzaville who told us how access to the internet and online education resources is fundamentally changing the way children learn. “Having access to internet and online resources that we can use for research and courses has made a big difference me, my classmates and my entire school. Technology is a big part of our daily school experience. We all have tablets and there’s a room just for laptops, which has really changed the way we learn. Instead of always writing in notebooks, we use our tablets to follow our teachers’ online instructions. This way, we’re learning to be more independent, a skill that’s really important for our futures.”

Mobile technology and the internet are opening up new opportunities for skill development and education in the Republic of the Congo and the rest of African continent. We’re proud to continue contributing to digital literacy in our markets – helping students achieve academic growth and learn to use digital tools effectively.