An exterior view of Samsung Electronics South Africa headquarters located in Johannesburg, South Africa

Samsung today launched Samsung Newsroom South Africa, a go-to source of information for consumers and the media to keep in touch with the latest technologies and innovations from Samsung.

Samsung Newsroom South Africa will feature localized content, addressing the specific needs and interests of the region. Content shared on the platform will include not only the latest updates on Samsung, but also locally relevant launches and services, as well as compelling stories, interviews and opinions from Samsung South Africa.

Samsung entered South Africa in 1994 and has been an integral part of the region ever since, channeling a relentless drive for developing innovative technology solutions to enable customers to pursue their passions. A diverse range of Samsung’s high-tech products and services are available to South African consumers. The home-grown team plays an active role in South African life by participating in various Corporate Social Initiatives [CSI], as well as delivering solutions and services that are tailored to local needs.

Newsrooms are being rolled out all over the world to better serve with regionally significant content, on top of providing consumers with all the latest news and information about Samsung.

Samsung Newsroom South Africa is the sixteenth of Samsung’s newsrooms, following the Global Newsroom and local editions in the U.S., Korea, Vietnam, Brazil, India (English and Hindi), Germany, Russia, Mexico, the U.K., Argentina, Malaysia, Italy, and Spain. Samsung Newsroom South Africa can be accessed by going to https://news.samsung.com/za/

In addition to clinching the top position on the 2016/17 Brand Africa 100 rankings, Samsung also grew its brand value by 13 percent, making it the top brand in eight different countries.

A Focus on Improving Education

As a global corporate citizen, Samsung aims to create positive change for people in communities across the world and in Africa specifically, the company’s primary Citizenship efforts have focused on education. Since 2011, Samsung has been on a mission to provide education solutions in the country, including the development of Smart Schools, eLearning Centres and Digital Libraries in rural areas across the continent, so that a greater number of children are able to access the digital technology needed to gain an education and improve their lives.

To date, Samsung has successfully established more than 10 Digital Villages, as part of a multi-solution programme that addresses the lack of education and health infrastructure in Africa.

The Samsung Solar-Powered Internet School (SPIS) is just one example of Samsung’s education-related efforts in the country. Since launching in 2011 , SPIS has helped both students and schools achieve a 100% pass rate and about thirty schools are currently in operation.

Another successful initiative, the Engineering Academy, has seen more than 1,000 qualified technicians graduate from the programme. In 2016, the Women Technical Programme in South Africa and Ghana was added to the initiative to help women enter the technology field.

“There is an African proverb that says: ‘If you want to go quickly, go alone, but if you want to go far, go together,’” said Yoo Young Kim, CEO and President of Samsung Electronics Africa. “In much the same way, our efforts in Africa have been in close partnership with various partners, NGOs and government bodies, and we look forward to continuing these shared efforts to contribute to a brighter future for Africa as well as improved global society.”

Lefa had always wanted to explore the wider world, and Samsung’s solar-powered internet school effectively placed it at her fingertips. Part of Samsung’s Smart School initiative, these schools provide educationally marginalized students with equal access to educational resources on the web.

The goal of the initiative is to bridge the IT accessibility gap and improve the quality of students’ education by collaborating with governments and appropriate organizations to provide interactive learning opportunities with digital devices. Since 2013, Samsung’s Smart Schools have supported over 200,000 students in 72 countries.

After her Smart School experience, Lefa began a successful career as a PR-marketer in Johannesburg, where she continues to brighten the days of those around her. Follow her journey as she leads another bright young mind on an eye-opening experience with the help of Samsung’s Smart Schools.