Building Africa’s sustainable future through GE Kujenga

inABLE Computer Program @ St. Lucy’S Primary School for the Blind. PHOTO | GE

What you need to know:

  • The ongoing GE Kujenga programme seeks to solve Africa’s challenges by empowering people with valuable skills, equipping communities with new tools and technology to elevate their lives.
  • As a global infrastructure leader, GE has been instrumental in supporting community development projects in Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda among other countries.

General Electric (GE) launched the GE Kujenga, a citizenship development programme in May last year, at the World Economic Programme (WEP) in Lagos, Nigeria. The objective of the programme is to use technology to build a sustainable future for communities across Africa.

By picking the word “kujenga,” Swahili for “to build,” it is clear that GE’s mission is to build. Understandably then, GE Kujenga is based on three core pillars Empower, Equip and Elevate.

The ongoing GE Kujenga programme seeks to solve Africa’s challenges by empowering people with valuable skills, equipping communities with new tools and technology to elevate their lives.

The company works in partnership with governments, institutions, communities and private-sector peers to bring sustainable and transformative development to the communities in which it operates.

GE is committed to Africa’s sustainable development by making a difference through creating value for societies in ways that will empower the community.”

“GE Kujenga signifies our shared commitment to building a thriving and prosperous Africa. We aim to help create the building blocks of the future, and respond to the challenges of today. We want to ensure that GE’s contribution to Africa is one of mutual benefit, growth and prosperity,” says Jay Ireland, president and CEO of GE Africa.

As a global infrastructure leader, GE has been instrumental in supporting community development projects in Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda among other countries.

These projects range from those providing, healthcare, education, power generation and supply and other services.

CONTINUED AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

By embodying the “kujenga” principle, GE runs its business by making a difference by creating value for societies in ways that also support the company’s business strategy.

Through GE Kujenga, the global infrastructure leader will continue to empower the communities in which it operates through both its own internal training, schemes and external partnerships, with organisations
such as the African Leadership Academy. This will help to build stronger work forces across the continent.

Africa is an important region for GE’s growth and the company first started operating here over 100 years ago. In 2011, the company decided to renew its focus to meet Africa’s needs and established its regional
headquarters in Nairobi.

The headquarters is now home to over 140 employees.

GE’s footprint now consists of over 2,200 employees, with revenues of over $2.5 billion in 25 countries. GE is committed to supporting the continued and sustainable development of Africa with advanced infrastructure technologies, services and solutions in healthcare, oil and gas, transportation, healthcare and aviation.

In keeping with its commitment to place innovation at the heart of the business, GE is determined to elevate the communities in which it operates by providing host countries with the material and systems needed to widen access to healthcare and other essential services.

The company will use its global expertise and ability to innovate to bring tools, technology and training to communities to help tackle local problems, and fund research for new solutions, with a particular focus on energy.