MySkills4Afrika: Microsoft
MySkills4Afrika invites Microsoft employees from all over the world to contribute their time, talent and deep expertise to help build a successful, promising future for Africa. The majority come from Microsoft headquarters in the USA.
Launched in late 2013, participants support a wide range of individuals and organizations across the continent, ranging from start-ups, small and medium businesses to schools, universities, government agencies and individuals such as students, graduates, and job seekers. The objective of MySkills4Afrika is building world class skills and increasing innovation and affordable technology access on the African continent.
Microsoft employees with at least one year of tenure can apply to projects, and then are sponsored on 1 to 2 weeks trips where they volunteer their skills with local teams. Volunteers can also apply to virtual or mentorship-based projects.
Recognizing that skilled professionals are very busy and that local organizations have shifting demands, the MySkills4Afrika program takes a very unique approach to skills-based volunteering. Instead of applying to a set program with fixed dates, MySkills4Afrika takes a different approach and starts by finding the biggest needs in communities. Organizations first post their projects to the MySkills4Afrika site. Once approved, employees across the company can apply to the projects that match their skills and unique schedules.
As a result of the program, volunteers have directly impacted 2,000 people across 224 organizations. Projects increased volunteers’ understanding of African markets and strengthened partner relationships. Ninety-one percent of volunteers reported that MySkills4Afrika helped them identify alternative approaches to meet customer or market needs.
