American Tower Company, Airtel Uganda enter deal to boost education access through digital communities

Hoima – Airtel Uganda has announced a partnership with telecom tower infrastructure company ATC Uganda to promote access to education through Digital Community Centers in Uganda.

Under this collaboration, Airtel and ATC will jointly establish 8 Digital Communities across the country as part of its “Access to Education” project. This partnership will see different public libraries across the country equipped with computers and connected to the internet to promote free access to pivotal learning platforms, particularly in underserved communities.

The vision of this partnership is to harness the power of connectivity to drive social development, financial literacy, and career skilling in Uganda’s unserved and underserved communities. Both entities aim to fortify the technological infrastructure, increasing the accessibility and quality of education for everyone, irrespective of their socio-economic backgrounds.

“Imagine a world where every child in even the remotest part of Uganda can access the wealth of knowledge available on the internet. Imagine them discovering new ideas, learning skills that could transform their futures, and even finding opportunities they’d never dreamed of. That’s the world we aim to build.” said Airtel Uganda’s CTO, Rajesh Agrawal.

ATC Uganda Chief Executive Officer, Dorothy Kabagambe Ssemanda says this partnership with Airtel Uganda is a monumental step forward in our mission to empower and uplift communities through technology. “We are happy to join forces and combine our resources, expertise, and passion for creating lasting impact,” she said.

She said by the end of 2025, more Digital Communities will be set up across the country due to alignment with the partners like Airtel Uganda. These centers won’t just be buildings with computers; they will be hubs where digital literacy grows, where financial dreams take flight, and where career aspirations are nurtured.

Among the various initiatives under this partnership, Airtel Uganda will provide free internet connectivity to ATC’s Digital Communities. With the recent roll out of the 5G network in at least 50 sites across Uganda now, Airtel gives a glimpse into the future of digital inclusivity through education, where remote areas of Uganda will access the same quality of education as the urban counterparts.  ATC Uganda will continue to ensure that the Digital Communities are fully equipped with computers offering current digital literacy programs and trainers.

With 12 Digital Communities in operation, ATC Uganda has provided spaces with uninterrupted power supply and broadband connection from nearby Tower sites in the East, West and Central regions of Uganda to offer free education with no discrimination in Community literacy levels; age and occupation. Whereas the initial goal was to give back to the Communities in which ATC builds its towers, by empowering the people with Computer skills, the need to bridge the digital divide has increased. It is for this reason that collaborations such as this with Airtel Uganda are forged to collectively enhance Digital Inclusion through Education.