Sterling Bank Plc has commended Audax Solutions, pioneers of the Audax Code School, an initiative to teach Nigerian children programming skills for the web, for its selection alongside 41 other organizations spread across 19 countries, as a recipient of the 2014 Google RISE Awards. The Google RISE Awards is an annual global award to recognize excellence in computer science education particularly for children between the ages of 7 and 18.
Audax Solutions and Sterling Bank recently organized the Computer Science Education Week (CSEdWeek) Hour of Code and a free Boot Camp for kids and adults to spread awareness of the need for computer science education among the youth.
Speaking on the Award, Emeka Onyenwe, the Business Manager of Audax Solutions stated that part of the cash grant from the Award will be used to further expand the company’s weekend and holiday activities which involves children from under-served neighborhoods and public schools in Lagos State, a priority goal of the organization. “We also plan to offer at least 30 full scholarships for our Easter and Summer Code School in 2014, including training on basic computer skills and the Internet”, he added.
Sterling Bank in a letter to Audax Solutions congratulated the company for the feat achieved; stating that the Bank remains committed to the Code School initiative and other similar projects by like-minded institutions who continue to advance the development of human capital especially among the youth in the country.
“We are particularly delighted that the world is taking note of efforts to enhance technological advancement in this part of the world”, the bank added.
Shina Atilola, the Bank’s Group Head, Strategy and Communications, Shina Atilola, stated that it was particularly delighted to have been part of the Computer Science Education Week Hour of Code in Nigeria, organized for the children by Audax last December as the official banker.
Atilola noted that the children who took part in the programme “raised our hope that we still have a crop of children with potential to be among the best in the world in the area of information technology if given the right exposure and encouragement.