HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I Huawei has announced plans to establish a Digital Village Prototype in Uganda.
With over 207,000 employees and operations in over 170 countries and regions, the company is currently serving more than three billion people around the world.
Hover Gao, the President of Huawei Sub-Saharan Africa Region, said that the project aims to demonstrate the transformative power of digital infrastructure in rural communities.
“Huawei is committed to accelerating Uganda’s digital transformation. As a testament to this commitment, we are prepared to fully fund a pilot smart village project that leverages our cutting-edge technologies,” he said recently during his meeting with Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni.
He highlighted the benefits of the Smart Village initiative which includes Smart Classrooms, Learning Centers, Remote Diagnosis, and Smart PVs (Solar) at no cost to the Ugandan government.
He further pointed out that the initiative aligns with Uganda’s national strategy for rural development, showcasing Huawei’s dedication to supporting these areas.
In response, President Museveni expressed strong support for the project.
He stated: “Please go ahead with the project, and I will come myself to commission the smart village,” he said during discussions with a delegation from Huawei Technologies Uganda at the National Leadership Institute (NALI), Kyankwanzi.
Sooma Mukyala Fouziya, the Huawei Technologies Uganda Public Relations Manager said that Butaleja District has been identified for the pilot study of the smart village.
She emphasised the project’s potential to contribute to the Parish Development Model (PDM) by promoting digital transformation and sustainable growth through ICT.
“This Smart Classroom will provide students with better education opportunities, improve self-learning capabilities, and enhance information sharing and communication among residents,” said Ms. Fouziya.
She also noted that the initiative will establish a Remote Diagnosis System to connect village health centres with national and regional hospitals, thus improving medical conditions in rural areas.
Furthermore, she said that the project will supply Green Residential Smart PVs to ensure stable and continuous power for residents.
Ms. Fouziya also outlined Huawei’s “One Country, One Network, One Cloud, One Platform” strategy, aiming to inspire further investment and collaboration towards a smarter and more connected Uganda.
“By providing a tangible example of the benefits of a unified digital ecosystem, we hope to inspire further investment and collaboration,” she added.
“This project will serve as a blueprint for future smart village initiatives across the country, showcasing the potential of technology to transform lives and drive sustainable development, while minimising the financial burden on the government,” she added.
At the end of the meeting, the Huawei team handed over a plaque to the President as a symbol of their commitment towards the Digital Village Prototype initiative.
Founded in 1987, Huawei is a leading global provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices.
