The Mandela Institute for Development Studies (MINDS) has launched a digital platform to drive continent-wide discussions towards a vision of a prosperous Africa.
The MINDS Digital Platform was built by volunteers as an online database and portal accessible to all members of the MINDS community including alumni, scholars and participants of the African Youth Network Movement (AYNM).
“Today’s launch would not have been possible without the support of volunteers from the Absa technology team who donated their time to assist with the design and development of the platform,” says Carine Seke, Acting Programme Director at MINDS.
“COVID-19 forced many around the world to rethink their daily lives – from work to school to entertainment – and its imperative to digitally transform to be able to operate effectively. It became evident with the outbreak of the pandemic that we had to fast-track the digital transformation of the Institute to better enable us to deliver on our mandate,” Seke says.
The MINDS Digital Platform will bring the MINDS community closer towards the shared vision of a prosperous Africa. Part of the wider mandate of MINDS is to address the several systemic and societal development challenges pervasive in Africa today.
“The Digital Platform will strengthen the Institute’s advocacy work to ensure that equitable and sustainable development is achieved through policies and practices that are driven by Africa’s rich cultural heritage, values, knowledge systems, and institutions,” adds Seke.
“Absa firmly believes in being an active force for good in the communities in which we operate. In line with this, several colleagues in the technology team volunteered their time to support MINDS in building the digital platform,” says Verushca Hunter, Head of Technology Corporate Functions at Absa Group.
“The newly launched platform will allow MINDS to digitally convene a variety of young African minds, lead conversations and bring fresh thinking and innovative solutions to critical societal challenges currently affecting our continent’s youth. The launch is aligned with our efforts to play our role in putting the basic building blocks in place to ensure that young African leaders have the opportunity to reimagine their futures and bring their possibility to life,” says Hunter.
Features of the MINDS Digital Platform include:
- Exclusive Registration Portal for MINDS Events
- Exclusive Application Portal for MINDS Scholarships
- Access to the pan-African MINDS Online Community
- News and Updates from the MINDS Community
The Digital Platform supports MINDS’ mission to build informative forums, platforms, and continental communities to shape policy and practice on governance, economic development, as well as strengthening African institutions.
MINDS is committed to building African societies that are democratic, economically prosperous, socially inclusive.
The MINDS Digital Platform launches on the 28th of October 2020.
Carine Seke
Acting Programme Director/Programme Manager
Mandela Institute for Development Studies (MINDS)
M +27 11 325 0501
Email info@minds-africa.org
OR
Liezl Squier
Manager: Media Relations
Absa Group Marketing and Corporate Relations
M +27 82 375 3554
Email liezl.squier@absa.africa
About MINDS
The Mandela Institute for Development Studies (MINDS) is a pan-African think tank founded in 2010. Emerging from an observation that the progress of development across the continent has ignored pertinent social, institutional and economic outcomes, compared to other parts of the world.
MINDS has a mandate to address the several systemic and societal development challenges pervasive in Africa today. The Institute believes that equitable and sustainable development can only be achieved if policies and practices are driven by the cultural heritage, values, knowledge systems and institutions of the people of this continent.
For further information about MINDS, please visit our website www.minds-africa.org
About Absa Group Limited
Absa Group Limited (‘Absa Group’) is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and is one of Africa’s largest diversified financial services groups.
Absa Group offers an integrated set of products and services across personal and business banking, corporate and investment banking, wealth and investment management and insurance.
Absa Group has a presence in 12 countries in Africa.
The Group’s registered head office is in Johannesburg, South Africa, and it owns majority stakes in banks in Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa (Absa Bank), Tanzania (Absa Bank Tanzania and National Bank of Commerce), Uganda and Zambia. The Group also has representative offices in Namibia and Nigeria, as well as insurance operations in Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia, and an International Representative Office in London and New York.
For further information about Absa, please visit our website www.absa.africa
