Mobilink Scoops GSMA Global Mobile Award 2013

Mobilink has made Pakistan proud by winning GSMA Global Mobile Award at Mobile World Congress 2013 in Barcelona.

Mobilink’s SMS Based Literacy programwon in the category of “Best Mobile Education or Learning Product or Service”, beating four other services – contesting in the same category.

Rashid Khan, CEO of Mobilink, collected the award at an Award Distribution ceremony that was held yesterday in Barcelona.

Judges, while awarding Mobilink, commented that Mobilink’s SMS Based Literacy Program is an excellent and needed mobile initiative with an explicit educational ideology that opens up new learning opportunities for a disadvantaged, rural group.

Mobilink’s SMS Based Literacy Program was a joint venture of Mobilink Foundation as the technical facilitator / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as the implementation agency / Two Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), namely Dhaka Ahsania Mission Pakistan and Bunyad as project executors.

As the technical facilitator, Mobilink Foundation provided activated SIM cards / numbers for each teacher and learner to communicate. Till date, the SMS Based Literacy program has reached out to 4,000 learners who have been provided basic literacy skills by communicating with teachers through SMS based interactive lessons.

Telenor Pakistan and UBL Omni were also contesting for the Global Mobile Awards this year. Previously Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) under the chairmanship of Shahzada Alam had won the Best Government Leadership Award; then UBL Omni won 1st rank slot last year for Transparent and Efficient Cash Disbursement Service after the 2009 IDPs Crisis and the 2010 Flood Crisis.

It merits mentioning here that this was first ever nomination by Mobilink in the Global Mobile Awards. Mobilink has dedicated this award to the women of the country.