The Atlas Foundation, in partnership with Cognizant, has donated their first Atlas DigiBus to the Vusa Academy in Cape Town. A Bishops’ school initiative, the respected Vusa academy has made an enormous impact on the community of Langa and were the deserving recipients of the Atlas DigiBus.
Having recently arrived in SA by sea from Kenya, the Atlas DigiBus has been fully funded by the Atlas Foundation in partnership with lead sponsor and international partner, Cognizant, this is a proud collaboration and achievement for both organisations.
Each week, the Atlas DigiBus will provide at least 1,000 children in five schools from Langa with the digital and STEM skills—such as computer skills, coding and maths— needed to thrive in the modern world and to that it will offer new, local employment opportunities for extra teaching staff, bus drivers and maintenance. “Many schools in the poorest areas around the world still use blackboards in their classrooms and little or no IT facilities,” said Simon Shaw, Atlas Foundation champion and ex-British and Irish Lions and England rugby player. “The children have to learn with old textbooks, preventing them from gaining even the most basic digital literacy skills. Therefore, I came up with the idea of the DigiBus, and I am pleased that the Atlas Foundation has partnered with Cognizant to help create conditions for the next generation to thrive by expanding access to education and technology.”
The Premier of the Western Cape, Alan Winde, said: “I have long supported the important work of the Atlas Foundation, having cycled for them in previous cycle tours. Atlas is playing an invaluable role in embedding the important values of rugby including teamwork and respect among young people and ensuring that it becomes
a more inclusive and accessible sport. I also want to commend Atlas on the launch of their Atlas Digibus which will go a long way in assisting young people from disadvantaged backgrounds in honing important skills in ICT.”
Atlas acknowledges, with great thanks, the role played by the sponsors, trustees, project managers and friends of Atlas around the globe, who contributed in every way to fund raising, working and ensuring that this dream became a winning legacy all the way. Thank you Nelson Mandela for those words of inspiration of not to give
up even in the face of adversity! The Atlas Foundation is proudly one of the four appointed charities of the British &
Irish Lions Trust.
