Five organisations in Singapore have joined the national Digital for Life (DfL) movement. The movement aims to strengthen the community to help Singapore citizens use digital as a lifelong tool, and to enrich their lives through digital platforms. The movement was launched by President Halimah Yacob last month.
Engineering Good, Google, Keppel Corporation, Standard Chartered Bank and TriGen were commended for impacting the community positively at the Infocomm Media Development Authority’s (IMDA) annual Partners’ Appreciation event.
Minister for Communications and Information Mr S Iswaran announced that the DfL fund has received an additional $1.3m in donations at the event and will be calling for proposals in 2nd quarter of 2021 to support community-led projects and activities that promote digital inclusion, literacy and wellness.
Mr Lew Chuen Hong, Chief Executive, IMDA, said, “We have experienced an outpouring of support from many like-minded organisations and individuals in the past month since the launch of Digital for Life movement. Many are stepping up to offer resources, donations, and ideas, to help our fellow Singaporeans. We are encouraged by this strong start, the collective efforts of our community to bring every Singaporean along on our digital journey. We invite more to come forward and be part of this meaningful cause, to ensure no one is left behind – this is what the Digital for Life movement is all about.”
Organisations in Singapore championing the cause of Digital for Life
Three organisations – Engineering Good, Google and TriGen are expanding their efforts to equip children, youths and seniors with digital access skills and know-how.
TriGen (a ground-up non-profit organization started by a group of healthcare professionals to serve vulnerable seniors in the community) has worked with SGH to co-create Project Wire Up during the pandemic, with a target to reach out and equip 200 vulnerable seniors, many of whom live alone, with digital devices and skills by June 2021.
They have also collaborated with like-minded community partners like NTUC Health, Montfort Care, Radin Mas Community Centre to reach out to these seniors.
In the next phase of the project, TriGen hopes to work with more partners and Senior Activity Centres to empower seniors with digital skills to better connect socially and help them access essential services like telemedicine consultations.
Google worked with the Media Literacy Council to encourage primary school students to use the internet safely, through a free game called Interland, as part of the ‘Be Internet Awesome’ curriculum, in 2020.
Google is also in talks with the National University of Singapore to have their student volunteers bring the Interland curriculum to disadvantaged children and youths.
Non-profit organisation Engineering Good will partner 3Pumpkins and Project D.I.P to empower students with basic computer skills and equip youths with laptop repair and troubleshooting skills to enable them to serve as IT ambassadors for their community.
$1.3 million in donations to Digital For Life Fund
The DfL fund was set up by the IMDA in February with $2.5 million seed funding by the President’s Challenge.
Since then, it has received an additional $1.3 million in donations from Standard Chartered Bank and Keppel Corporation, bringing the fund to $3.8 million as of March 2021.
The Fund aims to support community-led projects and activities promoting digital inclusion, literacy and wellness, as well as to provide last mile assistance for needy beneficiaries under IMDA’s digital access schemes.
