Technology & IT | Monday 22 April, 2019 2:00 am |

Canon has partnered with Nafham, a free online crowdsourced educational platform, to create an innovative photography and film making online course, ‘Hekayet Sora.’ The e-learning course, which falls under the Canon Academy’s umbrella, will offer Nafham students in Saudi Arabia aged between 11-18 practical training for photography and film making through a series of instructional videos.

 

Nafham’s crowdsourced videos are five to 20 minutes in length and are revised by experts and professionals. The videos are explained through concepts usually taken in class using a variety of simple and engaging methods, making it easier for students to understand and apply them. In addition, these videos are categorised by grade, subject, term and academic schedule to make the curriculum easier for students to navigate and get the lessons they want to review immediately online.

 

According to Pearson Middle East, a provider of teaching and learning services in the region, recently revealed that the Middle East’s online education market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 9.8 per cent during the forecast period of 2017-2023. The largest share of the online education and e-learning market will be held by Saudi Arabia, which is expected to garner $237.1 million by 2023.

 

Mai Youssef, Corporate Communications & Marketing Services Director, ‎Canon Middle East and Central and North Africa, said: “Our partnership with Nafham is an opportunity to support youth explore and gain the latest knowledge in the art of photography and film making. Our objectives with this campaign is to equip the next generation of creative talent with new practical training methods and understanding of the latest technologies and innovations. The campaign will ultimately create additional growth opportunities for them and continue to support the evolution of the larger industry. Through this partnership, we are also supporting the objectives of Vision 2030 by implementing an initiative that focuses on quality e-learning to promote aspirations of a knowledge-based economy in the Kingdom.”

 

The ‘Hekayet Sora’ online course will be delivered by photographers Hossam Atef and Mohamed Khairi. The programme, which will be structured in four modules, is aimed at helping students begin their first step towards developing their imaging skills through several video lectures, electronic tests and practical projects. With the right knowledge, training and talent, the students can be inspired to perhaps start a career in the industry.

 

The partnership, which commenced on 18 April 2019, will also include a competition where the first fifteen students who achieve the highest scores will get a chance to win a Selphy printer. The top three performers will also win an EOS M50 camera.

 

“Nafham is committed to maximizing Arab youth potential through enhancing their learning experience starting from school studies to career development needs. We’re proud to partner for the second year with Canon, the leader in imaging solutions, which translates our commitment to support young talented future photographers and guide them through “Hekayet Sora” an online photography course, which will polish school students’ skills and help them take their first steps towards shaping their own future,” said Mostafa Farhat, CEO & Co-Founder of Nafham.

 

The partnership with Nafham is part of Canon’s Young People Programme (YPP), which seeks to contribute towards the achievement of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) by giving young people a voice through harnessing the power of positive visual storytelling to drive positive change.

 

The programme uses the SDGs as a framework to give young people the opportunity to talk about the global issues that affect their futures and by providing the right tools and coaching, it aims to bring participants’ stories to life. Canon Europe, which includes Europe, Middle East and Africa regions, has been delivering visual storytelling workshops for young people to date in 23 countries and has run events reaching more than 3,000 students.

 

Through Canon’s corporate philosophy of `Kyosei,’ meaning ‘living and working together for the common good,’ the company continues to maintain its strong growth and prosperity in the region with new business initiatives while also promoting its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities. The YPP platform is testament of the meaningful change Canon is championing across the region.