As part of its Microsoft Philanthropies division and its ‘Modern Non-profit’ campaign, Microsoft has announced that it will be making its cloud; Microsoft Azure available for eligible non-profit and non-governmental organisations, This offer adds to the existing comprehensive suite of Microsoft cloud services that are available to non-profits to empower their missions.
Microsoft Azure’s cloud services help organisations accelerate innovation with integrated intelligence that powers insights and decision-making, supports a broad selection of operating systems, and provides industry-leading security.
This forms part of Microsoft’s ‘Public Cloud for Good’ initiative. In January 2016Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, announced that the company will donate $1 billion in cloud computing resources over the next three years to 70,000 non-profits and NGOs worldwide.
Microsoft is on a mission to empower every person and organisation on the planet to achieve more by investing in technology, employees and partnerships, to drive greater inclusion and empowerment of people who do not have access to technology and the opportunities it enables.
The cloud suite available to non-profits already includes Office 365, Power BI, Dynamics CRM, and Enterprise Mobility. These solutions improve NGOs’ agility and flexibility while helping them to optimise operations and increase impact.
"We are committed to helping non-profit groups to use cloud computing to solve basic human challenges. One of our ambitions for Microsoft Philanthropies is to partner with these groups and ensure that cloud computing is accessible to a greater number of people and meets the widest range of societal needs," said Brad Smith, President and Chief Legal Officer of Microsoft.
Through this campaign, NGOs can access Microsoft data centres around the world, as well as its computing and storage power, to develop and run their applications and to manage relationships with donors, volunteers and beneficiaries. They can also manage all of their devices, applications and data on a cross-platform basis.
With Azure coming online for non-profits, Microsoft now offers the most comprehensive and industry-leading donations programme, providing cloud services that empower non-profit organisations to digitally transform their business, and transform the world.
"At Qatar Charity, we aim to fight global poverty through innovative solutions focusing on Education and empowerment,” Said Salman Kaladari, Executive director for local development, Qatar Charity. “Availing Microsoft cloud services for free allows charities to understand the secrets contained in the data in such a way as to create new opportunities and improve the services that we offer. We do understand the importance of offering such advanced technologies to allow NGOs manage their day-to-day campaigns and move from outputs to outcomes. At Qatar Charity, we had seen the impact of adopting such technologies. It helped us to work more productively and efficiently; allowing us to carry out more humanitarian and development programs across the region".
“Measuring the success by figures Qatar charity managed to jump from around 20,000 thousand orphans sponsored in 2012 to more than 100K as for today. Donations also raised from 250 million Qatari riyals in 2012 to over a billion in 2016. "That is why we are joining hand with Microsoft to showcase the impact of technology on every aspect of NGO operations, which we will be delivered through a public event next March" Salman added.
Smith also highlighted the importance of making sure that the wave of innovation being unleashed by cloud computing benefits everyone. Recognizing that the rapid pace of change creates concerns and even challenges for some individuals and communities, he highlighted the importance of ensuring that the cloud is put in service of the public good. He acknowledged the need for tech companies, the community and governments across the Arab world to work together to achieve this. As a contribution to this important debate in the region, Microsoft announced it has released a manifesto called “ACloud for Global Good” that details 78 public policy recommendations in 15 categories to help make cloud technologies more trusted, responsible and inclusive.
More on “A Cloud for Global Good” can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/cloudforgood
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