Each year, Africa day is celebrated on May 25th to pay a tribute to the undying spirit of the great African continent as well as to recognize its diverse cultures, remarkable heritage along with the prolific progress made by the continent as a whole. To celebrate this significant day, Canon (Canon-CNA.com) takes a walk down the memory lane, reflecting and rejoicing some of its major moments of contribution and change in the African landscape.

WALK DOWN THE MEMORY LANE

“Corporate philanthropy is not just about being part of the conversation, it is about starting a conversation and as a company, we truly stand by these words. Our philosophy has always been to make real and meaningful impact in people’s lives, to ensure that we provide opportunities that bring about a wave of change and progress in the society. A leader is someone who can channel creative energy, impulse and hope through the people. We have aspired to do exactly so in the past through our various initiatives and collaborations in Africa, and really gone an extra mile to create copious local employment opportunities across the continent, thereby ensuring we are hitting directly at the grass-root level with our efforts reducing gender bias and creating employment opportunities for men and women alike. A glimpse at our management & in-country sales team across Africa proves what we stand for, a balanced team of visionary minds, regardless of any prejudice. We are a company for the people and by the people, our strength lies in empowering individuals, our employment drives across the continent have been vital in ensuring success, stability and equilibrium for Africa. As we celebrate Africa Day, I am extremely proud to look back at all our accomplishments that have set a visionary tone of collaborative contribution for the future,” remarks Somesh Adukia, Managing Director – Canon Central and North Africa.

TORCHBEARERS OF CHANGE AND INNOVATION

Being the torchbearers of change and innovation, this past year saw Canon set up myriad initiatives to promote and inspire the young talent in Africa. Through its Miraisha programme, Canon recognized and awarded ten young students from Kenya with scholarships to aid in the development of their visual storytelling skills. The elected scholars are poised to work towards a certificate in film technology, studying twelve subjects including video camera operations, screenwriting, editing, photography and film production techniques. Through this exclusive partnership with the KCA University, Canon aims to empower the African youth with creative opportunities that contribute not just on an individual level but also on the community level.

In keeping up with its endeavor to promote young talent, Canon also unveiled its ‘Student Development Programme’ for 2021 for the fifth consecutive year. An initiative designed to supplement young photographers with a real-time experience of working with an industry expert, this life-changing opportunity is presented to 250 students from across Europe, Middle East and Africa. As a result, each candidate is able to participate in a unique and bespoke educational programme designed to enhance students’ visual storytelling skills thereby advancing their careers.

ARTS, CULTURE AND HERITAGE: LEVERS FOR BUILDING THE AFRICA WE WANT

As we celebrate Africa Day, I am extremely proud to look back at all our accomplishments that have set a visionary tone of collaborative contribution for the future

Canon has paid particular attention to the 2021 theme of ‘Arts, Culture and Heritage: Levers for Building the Africa We Want’ in all of its initiatives, carving out a road-map that builds on a strong foundation of these pillars. To maintain its commitment in a changing world, not only did the brand strategize encouraging initiatives for the younger African population but it also implemented peer-to-peer business partnerships in order to provide support and inculcate a collaborative spirit. Aiming to create a win-win situation for both the company and its partners, Canon employed its ‘closer to customer’ strategy in the African continent to strengthen its distribution network as well as to provide opportunities to the local players.

As a result, this collaborative bandwagon will see Docutech and Al Mactab focus on advancing Canon’s Wide Format print solutions in Ghana and Libya respectively, while Express Automation will amplify Canon’s Professional Print services in Kenya and Digimate will boost Document Solutions and Large Format Print offerings in Morocco. Partnering with local business players has been the go-to strategy for Canon in order to streamline the supply process and facilitate growth and opportunities in the remotest of areas.

On a similar note, Canon’s annual Service Conference held earlier this year in March, witnessed its partners and distributors come together from more than 30 African countries to virtually participate in a thought-provoking session of cutting-edge business ideas and innovation. The conference presented Canon’s Service partners an opportunity to get up-to-date on the Business and Service direction of CCNA.

With the undeniable global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Canon has made sustainable efforts to improve its remote service capabilities by designing virtual conferences that encourage its partners to receive optimum training to operate and implement services such as e-Service and e-Maintenance thereby ensuring seamless and unobstructed support to its customers.

WORKING TOGETHER FOR COMMON GOOD

Canon’s corporate philosophy of Kyosei – living and working together for the common good, ensures that all elements of its universe from its business partners to employees to customers are looked after and taken care of. The flywheel of Canon’s various activities in Africa focus on delivering real value thereby creating sustainable impact through its consistent contribution towards the pursuit of keeping creativity and innovation alive.

In 2020, Canon expanded its world-renowned Ambassador Programme to over 100 leading international photographers and filmmakers, once again staying true to its commitment of nurturing creative talent without any boundaries. A first of its kind, the Canon EMEA Ambassador Programme was created to represent and support current and future generations of photographers and filmmakers by sharing their passion and technical know-how with fellow professionals, as well as enthusiastic amateurs who want to develop their skills.

The consistent drumbeat of Canon’s efforts in the African continent have proven particularly important in creating a positive impact despite various challenges faced in the past year. Coming together as a company and promoting the ‘Kyosei’ culture has manifested in a thriving environment that is symbiotic for all the stakeholders, be it a consumer or a company employee.

Adding on to this, company MD Mr. Somesh Adukia says, “At the heart of our business, lies our commitment to be change-makers, to be a company that recognizes its power and position to bring about a social change thus positively impacting the very people it serves. This is what sets us apart, our dedicated efforts in relentlessly pursuing the greater good, for one and all. As we celebrate Africa today, it is extraordinary that we also celebrate a key milestone - five years of Canon Central and North Africa. From the time we set foot on the African continent, we have walked on the path of creativity, collaboration and curiosity and we will continue to do so. Each and every day, we endeavor to work towards the development and progress of Africa and its people. We are optimistic to be spectators of tremendous growth and opportunities for Africa, we believe the future is full of possibilities.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Canon Central and North Africa (CCNA).