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The Essential Digital Infrastructure and Services Network (EDISON) Alliance, a global coalition uniting leaders from the private sector, governments, academia, and civil society, revealed in its second Annual Impact Report that its partners have positively impacted the lives of 784 million people across 127 countries through 320 digital initiatives.
This represents a remarkable 73 per cent increase in lives touched since January 2023. The alliance's ambitious goal, encapsulated in the 1 Billion Lives Challenge, aims to improve the lives of 1 billion people by 2025 through affordable and accessible digital solutions in healthcare, education, and financial services. Sebastian Buckup, Member of the Executive Committee at the World Economic Forum, emphasized, "Access to digital services is crucial for reducing socioeconomic disparities. By democratizing access to digital technology, we open doors to better education, economic opportunities, and a more inclusive global economy". The Annual Impact Report showcases substantial progress, with educational initiatives benefiting 94 million individuals--a fourfold increase compared to the previous year. In addressing the global education stagnation, where 16 per cent of children and youth are out of school, this progress is pivotal. Additionally, digital financial service access reached 463 million people, a 65 per cent increase from the previous year. Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, and Nigeria have joined the EDISON Lighthouse Countries Network, aligning with Bahrain, Bangladesh, Honduras, Rwanda, Togo, and the United Arab Emirates. This network focuses on scaling national-level impact, as seen in Rwanda's partnership with Mastercard, introducing tailored digital financial services, and Bangladesh leveraging collective knowledge for enhanced digital education services. Paula Ingabire, Minister of ICT and Innovation of Rwanda, acknowledged the significant benefits, stating, "Rwanda is benefitting significantly from its participation in the EDISON Alliance Lighthouse Countries Network. Our involvement has allowed us to draw in partners to support our ambitions to become a cashless economy and ensure financial inclusion and digital skills access for our citizens. We have also been able to engage in peer-to-peer exchanges with other member countries to share best practices on how to accelerate universal digital inclusion." Hans Vestberg, Founder and Chairman of the EDISON Alliance and Chairman/CEO of Verizon, emphasized the commitment to universal digital inclusion. He stated, "No matter where you were born or where you live, everybody should have access to the digital services that are necessary to fully participate in 21st-century society. Helping all people access our shared future has been my life's work and it's what we at Verizon work to address every day." The alliance's success is further bolstered by a community of over 160 changemakers across various sectors. The report also outlines new partnerships in digital health, digital finance, and digital education, emphasizing the need to scale existing efforts on the ground. As the EDISON Alliance continues to spearhead impactful digital initiatives, its expansion and achievements signify a global commitment to leveraging technology for the betterment of lives worldwide. (ANI)
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