Good News

BULLETIN 20 March

Good afternoon, here is your Good News:

# Google South Africa has launched its first-ever cloud region in Johannesburg, investing 2.5-billion-rand. The new cloud region seeks to connect South Africa to Google Cloud’s global network, boosting access to top-tier services for local businesses. This move is expected to add almost 40-billion-rand to the country’s gross domestic product and create over 40-thousand jobs by 2030. Google says it is also supporting African startups through initiatives like the Black Founders Fund and Google for Startups Accelerator, helping raise 4.7-billion-rand and creating over two-thousand-800 jobs across Africa.

# The organisation Heartlines is digitally relaunching its 2006 campaign, 8 Films, 8 Values, which comprises eight hour-long TV dramas. Each of the eight films selected explores key values such as forgiveness, compassion, and self-control, and will be available on the organisation’s website over eight weeks. The organisation’s Lehlohonolo Ramosolo says the first film that will be available on Human Rights Day tomorrow is Heartlines, which focuses on grace:

# In an attempt to address literacy challenges in South Africa, accomplished author Makwena Manamela has announced that her previously published English storybook for children titled, Tiseke, is now available in Sepedi, Tshivenda and braille. Tiseke which means, be joyful, is about a seven-year-old girl whose parents are South African and Zimbabwean. Manamela says the little girl has a desire to become a journalist, and her story allows readers to experience her journey of self-discovery and admiration to be understood and accepted:

# Four young South African innovators will compete at the Beijing Youth Science Creation Competition next week. Adam Gibbon and Christopher Collier-Reed from Pinelands High School in Cape Town, Umtata High School learner Samiya Waza, and Cady de Koker from Northern Cape High School, all impressed at the Eskom Expo International Science Fair. Eskom Expo executive director, Parthy Chetty, says the dedication, innovation, and passion for science of the four learners, have earned them this incredible opportunity to showcase their talents on an international stage.

# And finally: Finland has once again topped the World Happiness Report’s rankings for the eighth consecutive year. This year’s report ranks 147 countries by their happiness levels, based on a population’s average assessment of their quality of life from 2022 to 2024. Denmark is second, followed by Iceland, Sweden, and the Netherlands. South Africa is ranked 95th on the list. According to the report, researchers have found that the belief in the kindness of others, as well as actively caring about and sharing with others, has strong effects on happiness.

Stay tuned for more news………….