Microsoft Sri Lanka, along with the National NGO Secretariat which operates under the Ministry of Defence, is offering a wide range of free Microsoft software including Office 2010, Microsoft Server Products such as Exchange, SharePoint, Windows Server, and an upgrade to genuine Windows 7 operating system to all registered NGOs.
The company says it initiated the campaign as part of its Gamata IT program to provide genuine Microsoft software to registered NGOs who are actively involved in empowering Sri Lankan communities.
“We are committed to improve IT knowledge and provide IT accessibility across the nation through many far reaching programs we have carried out through the past years,” said Sriyan de Silva Wijeyeratne, Country Manager of Microsoft Sri Lanka, in a statement.
He noted that some of these programs such as Gamata IT and Software for the 21st Century have been groundbreaking where Microsoft gave away its latest and most innovative software free to rural community groups and university students. “This program which offers genuine software free of charge to registered NGOs is the latest in the Gamata IT initiative, through which we make IT and its numerous benefits accessible to more and more people each year. That aim is one of the main reasons that we embark on through endeavours such as this where we take IT to rural areas or supply software and tools to those who work with rural communities.”
The program offers latest software and application upgrades such as Office 2010, the latest productivity suite. Office 2010 with its enhanced user-friendly features delivers productivity enhancements any organization seeks that enable them to save time ad money in their da-to-day operational work. Also on offer is the latest Server products range from Microsoft that includes products such as SharePoint which is the most sought after collaboration technology that is ideal for an NGO type of scenario where they need to communicate and collaborate with multiple stakeholders and be up-to-date across geographical and physical boundaries, the statement added.
Windows 7 also comes with the Language Interface Packs in Sinhala and Tamil, enabling the computer to be used in a more familiar local language.
A key advantage of this program is that by using genuine Microsoft software, NGOs now have the opportunity to deploy latest and world class technology to run their day-to-day operations making them more productive and efficient which gives them the leverage to focus their attention on their core activities, it said.
This programme is an extension of the Microsoft Gamata IT campaign to provide IT access to the most rural villages of the country. The Gamata IT campaign has already reached many provinces in the country empowering students, youth and larger rural village communities so that they can become active participants of the knowledge economy. Additionally, under the Software for the 21st Century programme all state universities are provided with the latest cutting-edge Microsoft software absolutely free of charge, exposing their students and faculty to the best of world-class technology.
Microsoft invited all NGOs registered with the National Secretariat for Non-Governmental Organizations to register for the program and avail themselves to the latest software and tools available. |
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