The initiative “Data for All” shows the multiplicative contributions of Digital for Life (DFL) Private Public-People partners and will benefit about 30,000 children, youths, and seniors from low-income families, as well as persons with disabilities and their caregivers.
The effort, which is part of the DFL movement, seeks to mobilise the community to pledge their support and supply individuals from vulnerable sectors with more than $3 million worth of mobile data lines. It was made feasible by the collaboration of seven public organisations, social service agencies, and community partners with the telecommunications industry.
Lim Teck Kiat, Senior Director of Social Policy and Services Group, Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) said that through the united efforts of corporations, community organisations, the government, and individuals, they will be able to provide citizens with a higher quality of life facilitated by technology.
“The free mobile and data plans for the families will help enhance digital connectivity for them-a one-step forward to uplifting their lives and building a caring community,” Kiat said. He added that the MSF is delighted to partner with IMDA and other private sectors in the Data for All initiative in support of the Digital for Life movement.
Some telecommunications companies have pledged to raise awareness of the Data for All campaign and encourage their consumers to join them by pledging their support or donating their unused data. Each telecommunications company has also pledged to provide 10,000 mobile data lines, which will support a total of 30,000 beneficiaries.
The Digital for Life initiative aims to inspire Singaporeans to adopt digital as a lifetime ambition and to enrich their lives. It builds on the momentum of the various community efforts witnessed during COVID-19 and engages additional community partners and resources to help all Singaporeans feel enthusiastic, empowered, and enhanced by digital technologies.
To aid in the development of a digitally inclusive society, the Digital for Life movement has been developed to promote: Digital Technology and Inclusion, which will emphasise strengthening digital resilience and excite many parts of society about how new digital technology can improve their daily life; and Digital Literacy and Wellness – which will focus on fostering healthy digital habits as society enters the digital domain, including cyber safety, media literacy, and limiting the dangers of online harms.
Since the introduction of the Digital First Movement which was backed by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), the Singapore Digital Office (SDO) has been walking the ground to support individuals who might require a bit more hands-on aid, so that they can benefit from going digital.
On top of the 47 community hubs that are already in place, the SDO has announced late last year that it will be setting up more than 200 roving community counters across the entire island to bring its services closer to seniors. This was done to broaden its reach to a greater number of seniors.
Contributions from businesses and individuals in the community are funnelled through the DFL Fund and all of the money that is donated will be used to assist Singaporeans in embracing digital for life, particularly in the areas of digital wellness and widespread adoption of technology and digital inclusion. The last-mile support that is provided for recipients in need as part of IMDA’s digital access programmes is also funded through donations.
