STORY: Huawei rewards Kenyan students for winning digital contest
SHOOTING TIME: March 15, 2024
DATELINE: March 17, 2024
LENGTH: 0:00:55
LOCATION: Nairobi
CATEGORY: TECHNOLOGY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the awarding ceremony
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): EZEKIEL MACHOGU, Cabinet secretary for Ministry of Education, Kenya
3. various of the awarding ceremony
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): LUIS KINYUA, Top student in the competition

STORYLINE:

Chinese technology giant Huawei rewarded 18 Kenyan students on Friday after they emerged as winners of the Huawei ICT Competition 2023-2024.

The Huawei ICT Competition, initiated in 2015, comprises contests in the fields of cloud computing, networking, and innovation as part of a cooperative effort to enrich Kenya's ICT (information and communications technology) talent pool through the transfer of the latest knowledge in the technology sector.
   
Ezekiel Machogu, cabinet secretary for the Ministry of Education, said the competition recognizes some of the best ICT talents in the country by rewarding the winners.

"This is a noble initiative that brings the latest curriculum and knowledge to our students and also gives them opportunities to gain more international exposure and internships," Machogu said during a ceremony in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi, attended by top government officials.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): EZEKIEL MACHOGU, Cabinet secretary for Ministry of Education, Kenya
"We will work with our universities and other key industry stakeholders to ensure that our students receive proper teaching and training, enabling them to be efficient in this marketplace."

He commended Huawei for initiating the digital competition, which this year attracted 5,800 Kenyans from more than 40 universities across the country.
   
Gavin Gao, chief executive officer of Huawei Kenya, said the ICT competition will enable young people to build their digital skills and promote innovation.
   
"We all need to continue this important work to ensure that we create value from the digital superhighway, paving the path for youth around the country to have a brighter future," Gao added.
   
Luis Kinyua, the top student in the competition, thanked the Huawei instructors and university lecturers for making the competition possible, saying the competition helped the students embrace the important field of ICT and served as a stepping stone for students interested in becoming network and cloud experts, as Huawei has updated its course materials with the latest trends in technology.

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): LUIS KINYUA, Top student in the competition
"I appreciate them for taking me through this journey, since day one they have been there, all the instructors, all the lecturers, and also Huawei itself."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Nairobi.
(XHTV)