Islamabad, 24 Dec 2020 : A strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Zalmi Foundation and Huawei Pakistan on talent development activities. This serves as a stepping stone for both organizations to further develop and expand their relationship. The ceremony was attended by Mr. Javed Afridi, the Chairman of Zalmi Foundation, Mr. Muhammad Akram, the Head Coach of Peshawar Zalmi, and Mr. Gaoweiji, the Managing Director of Huawei Enterprise Business group along with management from both sides.

The aim of this co-operation is to substantially work towards realizing the dream of “The Digital Pakistan”. Huawei and Zalmi Foundation will work together to promote innovation and develop an entrepreneurial ecosystem for the future digital economy of Pakistan.

Huawei and Zalmi Foundation are going to provide programs and activities to enhance and develop the full potential of local people as well as promote digital skills, innovation and tech entrepreneurship.

Mr. Javed Afridi, Chairman, Zalmi Foundation said, “The goal of Zalmi Foundation and Huawei’s partnership will result in the provision of 21st-century skills across communities in Pakistan. Due to advancements in technology, there is a need to rethink our approach towards education. Education needs to be more skills-based now than ever before. Zalmi Foundation is committed to preparing the youth of today for the workplace challenges of tomorrow. And, today’s partnership will play a crucial role in this.”

Addressing the ceremony, Mr. Gao stated, “The talent in Pakistan has no bounds; there are numerous individuals who are hardworking and passionate. However, due to limited exposure and opportunities, we are yet to utilize all this potential. This initiative will produce a pool of highly skilled and sought-after professionals who are not only job-ready but also capable of creating new opportunities. This as a result will not only benefit these individuals but will also contribute to the growth of the nation.”

Zalmi Foundation is a not-for-profit skills development and competence-building organization which aims to motivate, educate, and inspire future generations to be prepared and well-equipped with the challenges of tomorrow. Zalmi Foundation has a record of demonstrating sustained success in achieving its key objective and outcomes. The Foundation has already achieved appreciable, measurable, and progressively improving results in terms of a significant portion of its mandate.

Huawei continues its efforts to bring the latest ICT technology to Pakistan, by putting dramatic efforts on ICT talent enablement. Currently, there are 1,500 employees, 91% of whom are Pakistani; who not only cover local business responsibilities but also contribute towards the whole Middle East region, using leading technology design and remote deployment like 5G, Cloud etc. The company has established several programs including ICT Certification, Huawei ICT Competition and the ‘Seeds for the Future’ program.

This strategic alliance is going to be the first of the many steps taken by both companies to substantially work towards realizing the dream of “Digital Pakistan”. Huawei and Zalmi Foundation will work together to promote skills development, creativity and innovation, and develop an entrepreneurial ecosystem for the future digital economy of Pakistan.