Microsoft’s reach extends to almost every corner of the globe. FOSI’s newly-published Microsoft Global Family Online Safety Footprint 2013 highlights countries in which Microsoft is undertaking or has undertaken activity related to online safety, ICT and digital literacy, all of which appear on the relevant country page on GRID. The data was generated as a result of ongoing research by the editorial team into country-level initiatives.
In this blog post (the first of a series) we provide an overview of two of the company’s major Corporate and Social Responsibility (CSR) projects and highlight some examples of these.
Microsoft Partners in Learning (PiL)
Partners in Learning is a global program in which Microsoft works with governments and policy-makers to encourage the use of ICT as a learning tool. The program covers many areas, but its Partners in Learning Schools Program encourages and seeks out innovation in teaching, enabling teachers and students to share content and experiences with others around the world. Schools can be chosen to be Pathfinder Schools where they demonstrate strong leadership and innovation in teaching. An excellent example of this can be found on Uganda’s page on GRID, where information can be found about the e-learning platform created and hosted by Gayaza High School, which was selected to be a Pathfinder School against intense competition.
Innovation in lesson teaching is celebrated, as in the case of Thai teacher, Pongpanote Pongpan-ngam, a computer teacher at Chitralada School. He won an Educator’s Choice award at the Worldwide Innovative Teachers Forum. To learn about how Pongpanote Pongpan-ngam uses an innovative method to encourage children to learn almost unconsciously, in enjoyable lessons, go to Thailand’s country page on GRID.
Microsoft YouthSpark
Microsoft’s YouthSpark initiative aims to empower youth through working in partnership with governments, NGOs and industry. Grants are provided following an application process and usually comprise free software, although cash grants are sometimes given. Estonia’s Smartlab is a YouthSpark-supported project which won an award in 2009 for the country’s best CSR program. Smartlab teaches children about technology and science in fun, extra-curricular sessions. A small project was funded for $500: the brainchild of Give For Youth, a Microsoft YouthSpark program in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The project funded nine students who had been displaced and for whom financial and other constraints could have ended their education. Books and equipment were purchased for the students and other equipment was donated to benefit the wider school community.
Currently, GRID has identified 134 countries where Microsoft is undertaking work or providing support to online safety or digital literacy-related projects and programs – over and above the Trustworthy Computing website and other sites which provide information on a broad range of topics to parents, children and communities around the world. New projects start frequently and annual application cycles for support guarantee that more initiatives to keep families safe, educated and able to participate in the digital economy will be added to GRID over the coming months.
FOSI GRID Blog 
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