An agreement was entered into between GIMS and the Telkom Foundation, whereby both parties agreed to co-operate, within the parameters of their respective corporate social investment policies and strategies, in the design, implementation and maintenance of empowerment projects.

This agreement recognises among other factors the reconstruction and development challenges facing our democracy and the creation of a sustainable business environment conducive to the achievement of the country's macro and micro economic objectives as a whole.

In line with GIMS' corporate social investment policies and social responsibility expenditure, projects that have the potential to produce commensurate community development value, and primarily within the categories of Education and Training, Community Development and Empowerment will be sponsored.

Alli Alli, Telkom Foundation executive, says, "The Telkom Foundation is committed to the transformation of disadvantaged communities through sustainable development programmes. One of the Telkom Foundation's focus areas is education and training, which is of strategic importance to South Africa. The Telkom Foundation therefore strongly supports GIMS' corporate social investment policies that have the potential to boost education and training, community development and empowerment activities."

GIMS and the Telkom Foundation have agreed to jointly participate in projects, which may be of mutual benefit to the two organisations.

This will initially manifest itself in the donation by GIMS of 10 ESRI LabKit Licences of ArcView for ArcGIS 9.0. These are 25-user labkits, in effect 250 licences, and will be deployed at 10 schools within rural KwaZulu-Natal, at the discretion of the Telkom Foundation. Further cooperation in educational projects between GIMS and the Telkom Foundation in terms of technical support and the training of respective educators will be entered into.

This initiative is especially significant given the inclusion of GIS in the Secondary Geography Syllabus in the National Curriculum Statement, to be implemented in 2006.

The rollout of the 10 ESRI ArcView Labkits will be initiated and completed during the first school term of 2005.

For more information contact Christopher Byren, GIMS, 031 303 5356, cbyren@gims.com, www.gims.com