How to Provide Eco-friendly Solution for Africa

“You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.” As Abraham Lincoln said, taking responsibility, regardless of your standing in society, is obligatory. Since technology has the power to make this world feel like a small community, we see that every action is followed by a reaction somewhere in this world. Consequently, we understand the responsibility to benefit society as a whole; hence the term ‘social responsibility.’ Living in a world that is more transparent than ever, ‘social responsibility’ takes on an even more prominent role.

▲Samsung Digital Villages initiative in South Africa (Click here to check out the Infographic)

Corporate social responsibility is a self-sustaining business model that embeds the ideology of making the world a better place to live in while balancing economic considerations and the ecosystem. For corporations, this means creating a shared value; for example, education, healthcare, employment & community, and environmental sustainability. Utilizing their resources and technologies, corporations are able to benefit a community and sustain the environment. Let’s take a look at how powerful example of corporate social responsibility by Samsung Electronics in South Africa with its Digital Villages initiative.

How to Provide Eco-friendly Solution

Samsung Digital Villages Solution in Africa harnessed one natural resource for a holistic solution to rural infrastructure problems: sunshine. The Digital Village Solution is made up of several individual solar-powered innovations, including generators, lanterns, a tele-medical center, health center, and Internet school.

Giving Power to the Community

The core of the Digital Village is solar-powered generators. They supply power to small businesses, classrooms, small businesses, government offices, remote water gates, and community facilities while not producing any emitted pollutants or noise pollution. As these generators also have low maintenance costs, the solar power production of the Villages will reduce operating costs in the area. These generators can be used for up to 25 years and the batteries only need to be replaced every 8 years.

On a smaller scale, solar powered lanterns are provided to families with children and education facilities. As this lantern provides lighting for more than 10 years, communities are guaranteed light for years to come.

Improving Healthcare with Technology

In rural areas, it can be notoriously difficult to access proper medical care and pharmaceuticals. Remote locations and shortages of professional medical personnel can leave rural populations at greater risk to diseases like malaria.

Solar powered tele-medical center, which is built on a 44-foot movable container, provides patients with quality diagnosis and assistance by nurses without deploying any doctors on-site. Cloud computing of this tele-medical center allows doctors in the city and even outside of the country to diagnose patients in rural areas.

The nurses use Samsung’s unique tele-medical application, capturing data, carrying out required medical tests, conveying important information to doctors, and collecting patient records. The center also provides education for the community on hygiene and disease prevention.

Solar-powered health center, also built on a movable container, provides medical assistance to patients, enabling doctors and nurses to move easily from one district to another. It offers a variety of specialized treatments for the eyes, ears, and teeth, as well as blood analysis, and mother and child care.

Kea’Betswe Modimoeng- Public Affairs Manager, Samsung Africa

“We are trying to put emphasis to reaching out to those people instead of only medical professionals rotating, now let us rotate solutions to the people.”

Ensuring and Enhancing Education

Solar-powered internet school improves the accessibility to education in African rural areas. In this school, children can access the internet and learn to use computers in a modern classroom full of tools. Not only do students benefit, but teachers are also able to teach students with a large touch monitor screen.

The internet access and tablets and PCs provided by Samsung, Phomolong Secondary School has increased the pass rate of university compared to last year.

Mocheke Thoka- Headmaster, Phomolong Secondary School

“The pass rate (of university) has gone up last year from 89 to 97.5% thanks to the solar powered internet access.”

Combined with strong public partnerships, Samsung Digital Village Solution has helped the rural areas develop to become a smarter, stronger community with an educated healthy workforce in Africa.