Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS) has been in the Kenyan market since 2020, and over that period, it has done a lot of work. Before it made its Kenya presence official, we had heard that the world’s largest cloud computing service provider, was planning to set up an edge location in Kenya. Later, Safaricom signed a strategic agreement with AWS, which allowed the operator to resell AWS services. According to the carrier, the agreement aimed to accelerate Safaricom’s internal IT transformation, cut operational costs and provide it with ‘a blueprint and skilled resources to assist customers with their journey to the cloud.’
Then this year, during the staging of Connected Kenya, Amazon said it would bring its AWS Local Zone Cloud Infrastructure to the country. The AWS Local Zone is located in Nairobi and joined 16 existing AWS Local Zones across the United States and an additional 32 AWS Local Zones that were planned to launch in 26 countries around the world starting in 2022.
Today, AWS, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education today hosted over 150 educational technology experts and leading professionals at the inaugural AWS Kenya Education Conference 2022.
AWS works with governments and public institutions around the world to upskill, reskill, and prepare individuals for the cloud jobs of today and tomorrow.
During the show, AWS announced it had signed new partnerships with local training partners Computer Learning Centre (CLC), Moringa School, and Zalego Academy to train underemployed and unemployed youth for jobs in the technology sector.
That’s not all: AWS and the Ministry of ICT have collaborated to provide free foundational cloud content through Ajira Digital platform accessible to all citizens as well as in over 300 training centres across the country from early 2023.
The conference targeted decision-makers in state agencies under the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of ICT, research organizations, Edtech companies, publishers, and representatives of leading academic institutions in Kenya.
AWS cloud career training program AWS re/Start, has welcomed more than 500 unemployed youth in Kenya in less than two years, preparing them for a career in cloud computing.
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“Amazon Web Services is on a mission to accelerate the digital transformation of education collaboration with Kenya’s education community which includes government, learners, educators, administrators, and researchers. AWS is committed to improving the quality of education by providing flexible, affordable technology solutions for education,” said Mr. Robin Njiru, the Regional Public Sector Lead for West, East & Central Africa.
