African startups, Gidi Mobile, Siyavula secure $2.5m grants from Google

· To provide 400,000 free access for learning

Google has announced a $50million in Googleorg non-profit grants to help people prepare for the changing nature of work, out of which $20m will be apportioned to Africa.

It announced during the Google for Nigeria event in Lagos, that the initial grants of $2.5m to the non-profit arms of African startups, Gidi Mobile and Siyavula, is to provide free access to learning for 400,000 low-income students in Nigeria and South Africa.

Gidi Mobile Ltd is a mobile technology enterprise, which created Gidimo, Africa’s first mobile learning and personal advancement platform, while the Startup is on a mission to inspire and enable Africans to achieve their personal advancement goals.

Also, Siyavula is a startup that enables educators create, share, and adapt freely accessible and openly-licensed Open Education Resources (OERs) which are aligned to the South African school Mathematics and Science curricula. Siyavula material can be adapted to ensure cultural relevance or refreshed without incurring costs, unlike the vast majority of material which is under a traditional, restrictive copyright license. , Siyavula in addition to the online, printable resources publishes a range of free Mathematics and Science textbooks.

Sundar Pichai, Chief Executive Officer of Google, said in Lagos, “Our charitable arm, Google.org, is committing $20 million over the next five years to non-profits that are working to improve lives across Africa.

“We’re giving $2.5m in initial grants to the nonprofit arms of African startups Gidi Mobile and Siyavula to provide free access to learning for 400,000 low-income students in South Africa and Nigeria. The grantees will also develop new digital learning materials that will be free for anyone to use.”

He said,”We also want to invite nonprofits from across the continent to share their ideas for how they could impact their community and beyond. So we’re launching a Google.org Impact Challenge in Africa in 2018 to award $5 million in grants.”

Pichai disclosed that any eligible nonprofit in Africa can apply, and anyone will be able to help select the best ideas by voting online.