AXIAN Telecom announces its commitment to fostering education and empowering African youth through its partnership with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Africa Program's initiative in Ivory Coast. The MIT-Africa Program, known for its dedication to enhancing education in the region, has developed the MIT-Africa IMO program. This initiative is an integral component of the Global Teaching Lab program (GLT), a global outreach effort by MIT. Through the programme MIT students travel to African countries to train local teams for competitions such as the International Math Olympiad and the Pan-African Math Olympiad.

In 2023, MIT-Africa partnered with Société  Mathématique de Côte d'Ivoire to launch a training program in Ivory Coast. The program's success was evidenced with an 80% increase in medal attainment among participants.

AXIAN Telecom is funding the MIT Africa IMO program in Ivory Coast, marking a first-of-its-kind partnership that will build on the program's success and recognize its good impact on Ivory Coast's youth. The 2024 MIT-Africa IMO bootcamp took place in Abidjan from 5 – 13 January.

Commenting on his experience with MIT, 17-year-old Arnold stated “Attending the IMO bootcamp was very enriching for all of us, members of the Ivory Coast Math team. Having MIT students as trainers was a unique learning experience as we were able to constantly interact, share views and experiences, exercise and learn in a very practical way. It gave us a lot of motivation for the coming competitions: we’re all pumped up!”

The Ivory Coast National team, trained through this program, is set to compete in both regional and international Maths Olympiads. AXIAN Telecom's support for this initiative aligns with its core objective of promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Science (STEMS) education among younger generations. The company aims to increase the visibility of African talent in these fields, equipping the youth with the necessary tools to succeed in an ever-evolving world and contributing to the continent's overall growth and development.

Excited about the future success of the programme, Ari Jacobovits, Managing Director at MIT-Africa Programme expressed: “Every hour of every day Africans make up a larger and larger share of the global population – and most importantly, the global youth population. To talk about the future is to talk about Africa. At the same time, the quality of our future will largely be determined by how well we address the challenges of AI, climate, and health. The foundational skill required to properly address these challenges is mathematics. It’s important to make these investments now, not only because our future depends on it, but because it’s clear that the talent is currently available and eager to make the most of these opportunities. We are grateful to AXIAN Telecom in sharing in this vision and will undoubtedly be inspired by what these brilliant young minds will do next.”

“We are thrilled to provide support to the MIT Africa IMO program in Ivory Coast and we intend on broadening the partnership to include the countries where AXIAN Telecom operates," said Stéphane Oudin, CEO at AXIAN Telecom.

"This initiative not only aligns with our CSR goals but also reinforces our commitment to nurturing young talent and promoting excellence in STEM education in Africa. We believe education changes lives and are we are honoured to be part of a transformative journey, empowering a better future for the African youth. We are excited to contribute to the success of the MIT Africa Program in Ivory Coast and beyond.”

ABOUT AXIAN TELECOM

AXIAN Telecom is a pan-African telecommunications service provider operating in nine markets through its subsidiaries and affiliates in Tanzania, Madagascar, Togo, Uganda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Senegal, Réunion, Mayotte, and the Comoros. It operates across three key business segments, providing mobile and fixed networks as well as digital infrastructure and mobile financial services. AXIAN Telecom is Africa’s 6th largest mobile operator serving around 38 million customers and is a market disruptor, having expanded through active acquisitions and heavy network investments since 2015.

We systematically ensure that our business have a sustainable and positive impact on the daily lives of millions of people.

Find more about AXIAN Telecom: www.axian-telecom.com