Johannesburg — AN INITIATIVE to take technologies to people in underserved communities to improve their skills and raise their employment prospects has won the backing of Microsoft.

The software company will set up new community technology centres throughout the country and will also open computer refurbishment centres, where people will be trained to overhaul used computers and sell them to the community at low cost.

Microsoft is working in partnership with the Universal Service and Access Agency of SA (Usaasa), a body set up by the government to take technologies to poor and rural areas. The agency has failed to carry out its mandate successfully, with many of its existing telecommunications centres falling into disuse.

Of the 133 centres it set up, many were underused, entirely dysfunctional or had been turned into private businesses by the people running them, according to a report issued last year. Other figures showed that of SA's 27000 schools, only 7000 had internet access.

The partnership with Microsoft aims to address the problem by focusing heavily on training, so the new centres can be managed efficiently. Residents in each community will be selected as computer literacy trainers so the centres can become accredited training providers.

Usaasa chairwoman Cassandra Gabriel said most South Africans did not have the skills to use computers or the internet. "They do not know how these technologies will improve their lives. The younger generations understand that they have to be computer literate to be employable, but they cannot afford the training," she said.

Working with Microsoft would help to ensure that modern learning tools were used to help youngsters learn skills that were critical for sustainable economic growth, she said.

The agency is still finalising its plans, but expects to open 19 centres in the next financial year for R12m and 20 more the following year for R11m.