4 MIN. READ

African Gifted Foundation, Xcalibur Smart Mapping and Xcalibur Foundation together to promote female leadership in STEM in Africa

African Gifted Foundation, Xcalibur Smart Mapping and Xcalibur Foundation together to promote female leadership in STEM in Africa

The pilot project is scheduled to run for one year, with the option for renewal

• Xcalibur Smart Mapping and Xcalibur Foundation kick off their first project in the female STEM field alongside African Gifted Foundation this Wednesday 14th of February.

• The primary objective of the HERoSTEM project is to contribute to the development of future female leaders in STEM through tailored mentorship and informational sessions for African Science Academy (ASA) students in Ghana, facilitating their integration into the professional world.

• The pilot project will initially last for one year, with the understanding that the programme will continue if the results are satisfactory.

• Xcalibur Smart Mapping contributes by offering mentorship and speaking sessions conducted by its employees to ASA alumni and current students of the institution starting. African Gifted Foundation (AGF), Xcalibur Smart Mapping (XSM), and Xcalibur Foundation (XF) are launching the HERoSTEM project on February 14th, aimed at promoting female leadership in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) in Africa.

The objective of this collaboration is to contribute to the development of female leaders in STEM through mentorship for students and alumni of the African Science Academy (ASA) in Ghana and guest speaking sessions tailored to their academic training, thus facilitating their integration into the professional world.

The pilot project is scheduled to run for one year, with the option for renewal. In its first stage, ASA students and alumni, selected for their high performance in various STEM areas, will receive profesional guidance from experts in different fields, including the most common technical profiles in XSM, such as geologists, geophysicists, etc.

Xcalibur Smart Mapping volunteers will be responsible for this mentoring programme providing support and necessary tools for the personal and professional development of ASA students and alumni. Additionally, the students will benefit from speaking sessions held by XSM professionals from different areas of expertise.

Following the agreement signing, Laura Blanco, XSM’s ESG Director, emphasized the project’s significance as a major step in Xcalibur’s CSR strategy, aligned with the Group’s global ESG agenda.

This initiative aims to promote gender equality and empower women by fostering their involvement and leadership in pivotal STEM domains. ‘We have great experts in our team in GIS, geophysics etc and we are excited about how our team has embraced this intercultural synergy’ added the ESG Director.

Xcalibur Foundation, will play a coordinating role between Xcalibur Smart Mapping and African Gifted Foundation, ensuring project management methodology, goal definition, project planning, monitoring, and impact measurement.

María José Toro, President of XF, emphasized the significance of the HERoSTEM programme in promoting gender equality in Africa. ‘Our main mission is to enhance the emotional and physical well-being of vulnerable communities through continuous education.

We are immensely proud to take a step further by fostering the training and development of women in the STEM field. The girls participating in this programme will represent the future of science on the African continent’.

African Gifted Foundation will be responsible for defining areas of collaboration between XSM and XF and informing them about the training curriculum and the schedule of defined activities. Yasameen Al-jboury, Executive Director of AGF, commented ‘We are excited to partner with Xcalibur Smart Mapping and Xcalibur Foundation on this transformative project.

The HERoSTEM initiative aligns perfectly with our mission to unlock the potential of Africa’s young women, empowering them to become leaders who will shape the future of STEM on the continent. Together, we will advance gender equality in STEM fields, inspiring a new generation of female scientists, technologists, engineers, and mathematicians’.

In conclusion, HERoSTEM project is an educational initiative and a movement towards creating a more inclusive, equitable, and prosperous future for all.

Related news

Contact us.

FILL THE FORM
4 MIN. READ

Xcalibur Foundation launches the first Social Sports Academy in Uganda in collaboration with Real Madrid Foundation and MTN Uganda

Xcalibur Foundation launches the first Social Sports Academy in Uganda in collaboration with Real Madrid Foundation and MTN Uganda

Xcalibur Foundation brings to Uganda Real Madrid Foundation’s unique and pioneer education in values methodology: For a Real Education: Values and Sport

The aim of this extracurricular programme is to encourage school commitment, empower gender equality, address social inclusion, develop key personal and social values, and promote healthy habits, through sport practice and football training.It is Xcalibur Foundation’s first project in Uganda, and first project worldwide. Together with MTN Uganda, they intend to expand to other areas in 2023-2024.

The project counts on the support and endorsement of the Ministry of Education and Sports of Uganda. Wednesday 29th June 2022 Kampala, Uganda: Xcalibur Foundation, in collaboration with MTN Uganda, has today launched the MTN Naguru Social Sports Academy at Naguru Katali Primary School, in the middle of the Naguru settlement of Kampala.

The project targets an initial group of 160 beneficiaries, 50% girls and 50% boys aged 5-16, in vulnerable situations. The goal of the program is to develop key personal and social values that encourage strong emotional, mental, and physical development of the participants, their families, friends, tutors, and communities.

The project, in collaboration with Real Madrid Foundation as Xcalibur Foundation’s strategic partner in Uganda, will be operated by the local NGO Youth Sport Uganda (YSU). The project has been endorsed by the Ugandan government and materialized through a collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Sports.

School teachers and community facilitators have been trained under Real Madrid Foundation’s unique and pioneer education in values methodology: for a Real Education: Values and Sport, to run sport and social activities with children and youth.

These activities will enhance the life skills of children and youth, and address issues of wellbeing, child protection, conflict management, gender equality, disability, and inclusion as well as positive child and youth development. As stated by Real Madrid Foundation’s philosophy, these objectives are focused solely on education and social cooperation, differing to those of Real Madrid Football Club.

It is worth highlighting the role of MTN Uganda within this partnership. Since the beginning of this journey, the telecommunications company has shown endless support, reflecting true passion, solidarity, and commitment towards Xcalibur Foundation’s undertaking to impart lifelong education amongst vulnerable children and youth. Their enthusiasm to become active players of this project is critical to its positive outcomes and sustainability over time.

Xcalibur Foundation is grateful to MTN for the institution’s support and that of its employees and executives, in realizing this project, said Javier Lezcano, Executive Director of Xcalibur Foundation.

As part of the 2022-2023 calendar, the project will carry out volunteering programs, internal and external events, and other social responsibility initiatives involving at MTN Uganda employees.

Speaking at the launch in Naguru, MTN Uganda’s CEO, Wim Vanhelleputte said, This is a unique project that fits with the values of our organization. We are privileged to be able to contribute to the social wellbeing and personal development of vulnerable children and youth.

Supporting an educational cause which uses sport as a tool for development is aligned with our values, goals, and objectives, first as an organization and us the people who work for this company. We hope this partnership with Xcalibur Foundation and Real Madrid Foundation is only the beginning of an exciting journey together.

For his part, Javier Lezcano, Executive Director of Xcalibur Foundation, noted the early involvement and commitment of MTN Uganda in this project, highlighting the openness and humanity of the entire team: From the time we set foot at MTN Uganda offices, we felt understood and supported, both my Wim (the Chief Executive Officer) and by the entire team.

We are forever grateful for this partnership and will keep giving our 150% to keep this programme growing.

To find out more about Xcalibur Foundation’s programmes, follow them on: Linkedin: Facebook, YouTube, www.fundacionxcalibur.org

Related news

Contact us.

FILL THE FORM
3 MIN. READ

Xcalibur Foundation and Real Madrid Foundation develop their first joint Social Sports Academy in Uganda

Xcalibur Foundation and Real Madrid Foundation develop their first joint Social Sports Academy in Uganda

As a result of the agreement signed between Xcalibur Foundation and Real Madrid Foundation, 160 vulnerable girls, boys, and youth from Kampala, aged 5-16, will benefit from education in values, sports practice, and football training.

The agreement was ratified by Enrique Sánchez, Executive Vice President of Real Madrid Foundation, and María José© Toro Sánchez, President of Xcalibur Foundation, in a ceremony attended by Álvaro Arbeloa, Real Madrid’s Ambassador.

The Foundations reach the district of Nakawa, in Kampala, targeting an initial group of 160 children and youth from Naguru Katali Primary School. The school is located in the Naguru slum, a settlement that lacks basic needs such as access to drinking water, shelter, health and education.

The project, in collaboration with the Real Madrid Foundation and MTN Uganda, will be operated by the local NGO Youth Sport Uganda (YSU). Moreover, it counts on the support of the Ugandan government, materialized through the Ministry of Education and Sports, with whom Xcalibur Foundation has signed a MoU.

School teachers and community facilitators will be trained under Real Madrid Foundation’s unique and pioneer education in values methodology: for a Real Education: Values and Sport, to run sport and social activities with children and youth.

These activities will enhance the life skills of children and youth, and address issues of wellbeing, child protection, conflict management, gender equality, disability and inclusion as well as positive child and youth development.

It is worth highlighting the role of MTN Uganda, who has been committed to support this project, not only as the Title sponsor, but also through the institutional and personal involvement of its employees and managers. From the beginning, MTN has shown its passion, solidarity, and dedication, to be a part of this project and participate in all its stages.

María José Toro Sánchez expressed her gratitude and enthusiasm for a project that will encourage school commitment and facilitate access to formal education, and promote key social values such as respect, equality, or health.

I hope that it will be the first of many projects we do together. Soon after, Arbeloa explained: With this social sports academy that combines football values learning with comprehensive educational focus, the beneficiaries themselves will become catalysts for change in their environments, and this projection into the future, forward, is the most important thing: changing lives through sport.

Related news

Contact us.

FILL THE FORM