Microsoft partners with Real Madrid’s Marcelo Vieira to teach kids tech

2 min. read

Published on May 11, 2016

published on May 11, 2016

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Microsoft is teaming up with Real Madrid player, Marcelo Vieira, to promote the importance of digital literacy in young children in Brazil and abroad through a collaboration with the Real Madrid Foundation and Microsoft’s YouthSpark initiative.

The program will teach technology to children who attend Real Madrid Foundation schools and will be using specially designed software from Microsoft in addition to video games such as Minecraft, which is quickly developing a reputation for being a quality education tool.

“My dream is to take this project to all the world’s children, because with technology … the possibilities of any child are endless,” admits Vieira while discussing the program. So far, the program has launched in three locations in Colombia, Brazil, and in Virginia in the United States but there are plans to roll out the program to all of the foundation’s schools.

Once a school begins the program, they are given a special kit which contains a video from Vieira alongside the tech donated by Microsoft such as free access to specific activities on Office 365.

Orlando Ayala, Microsoft chairman and corporate vice president of Emerging Markets, proudly admits states that, “With technology and programs like YouthSpark, we are complementing the Real Madrid Foundation’s educational program to fight the biggest educational challenge of the 21st century: the lack of digital literacy.”

Microsoft’s YouthSpark is a program run by the company with the aim of introducing and training children in the latest technology by assisting targeted organizations with their goals. In this instance, YouthSpark is working with the Real Madrid Foundation to bring tech education to over 40,000 in 72 countries but other recent examples of their assistance range from ambitious projects like investing three million dollars in a program in Vietnam to helping an Irish girl with her resume.

Have you been inspired by a YouthSpark program? Let us know which on in the comments below.

Radu Tyrsina

Radu Tyrsina has been a Windows fan ever since he got his first PC, a Pentium III (a monster at that time). For most of the kids of his age, the Internet was an amazing way to play and communicate with others, but he was deeply impressed by the flow of information and how easily you can find anything on the web. Prior to founding Windows Report, this particular curiosity about digital content enabled him to grow a number of sites that helped hundreds of millions reach faster the answer they're looking for.