• Kao Data is supporting front-line community engagement in Harlow via not-for-profit Changing Lives, working with young people, hard to reach communities and refugees via its sporting and community engagement programs.

• As an advocate for Changing Lives, Kao Data will support vital work for young people across Harlow, the wider Essex region, and communities in Ghana through the charity’s international engagement programs.

• The partnership forms an essential component of Kao Data’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) framework and the organisations proactive commitments to support positive community action in Harlow.

London, United Kingdom, September 12^th, 2023 – Kao Data, the specialist developer and operator of high-performance data centres for enterprise, cloud, HPC and AI, has announced it is partnering with local Harlow-based charity Changing Lives Community Services – a not-for-profit and early intervention and prevention project that provides support to vulnerable children in Essex and beyond via its sporting and community engagement programs.

The partnership forms an essential component of Kao Data’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) framework, providing positive local support in the Harlow community, alongside funding and advocacy for a host of Changing Lives charity programs. They include its Children’s Free Sports Activity & Coach Education Program in Harlow, its Ghana Volunteering Coaching and Community Support Program, its Refugee Cricket Club, and its Men’s and Women’s Football teams.

Through its work with Changing Lives, Kao Data aims to provide proactive local support, funding, and advocacy, and drive a greater awareness of both the purpose and role of data centres in children’s lives, sharing how technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) are transforming the world around us. Moreover, the partnership will showcase the influential work of local hero Sir Charles Kao, who first pioneered fibre optical communication technology in the nearby Harlow Science Park, and help provide a foundational roadmap for pursuing local careers in tech.

Founded in 2018, Changing Lives is a local not-for-profit, whose objective is to create social, sporting and work experiences that instil confidence and motivation in children, providing them with both opportunities and pathways towards a positive future – primarily through sports and community engagement programs. For example, its Children’s Free Sports Activity & Coach Education Program provides a host of football, netball and cricket clubs for children aged six and over, along with dedicated mini-bus transportation for their most vulnerable members.

In 2023, Changing Lives became direct reciprocates of a theft and arson attack, and after learning of the incident, Kao Data engaged with the organisation, providing an initial sponsorship payment to help towards the replacement of one of its minibuses. Looking forward, Kao Data has pledged to increase its support for the valuable work that Changing Lives is undertaking in the local community, providing funding and advocacy on a long-term basis. Through its life-changing work the charity provides an essential lifeline to children on a local and international basis.

“At Kao Data, we’re strong advocates for the work of Changing Lives, and the values they’re championing within our local Harlow community,” said Adam Nethersole, VP, Kao Data. “We’re proud to be supporting them with both funding and advocacy to help raise awareness of their vital prevention and intervention programs, and to help provide an important support function for vulnerable children and refugees at a grass roots level.”

“The strength and support of our partners in our local community is critical to the success of our charity programs, and we’re delighted to be working with Kao Data,” said Ben Doyle, Co-Director, Changing Lives. “Having a local advocate of their standing is incredibly rewarding and will help us continue our work in Harlow and our new hub in Colchester, and through our international projects in Ghana.”

To learn more about Changing Lives Community Services, please visit the website. For further information on Kao Data’s ESG Commitments, download its latest report