Go Digital ASEAN has empowered over 7000 Malaysians towards digital literacy amidst the pandemic

Kuala Lumpur, 6 October 2021 – As the world slowly returns to normal, many are still reeling from the economic impact the Covid-19 pandemic has brought upon us Malaysians. With unemployment rates remaining high in certain areas of the country, the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives (MEDAC) has been taking crucial steps to upskill Malaysians through digital training programs. As the local representative of the ASEAN Coordinating Committee (ACCMSME), MEDAC has endorsed Go Digital ASEAN - an initiative that is designed to equip micro and small enterprises, and underemployed youth to learn critical digital skills and tools that will help them increase their digital literacy.

Having mobilized 150 trainers across the country since the launch of the program in 2020, over 7,000 job seekers, and entrepreneurs, including women and underemployed youth, from rural communities particularly indigenous groups and people with disabilities, have now completed the digital literacy course virtually in either Malay and English. Participants benefited from personalized modules to effectively search for jobs online, kickstart their own business, and improve visibility of their businesses online. Most recently, the initiative launched its #TalianRezeki campaign which features local celebrities like actor Dato’ Afdlin Shauki, television host Razif Hashim, celebrity chef Ili Sulaiman, and many more as guest speakers at the virtual sessions. Happening every Saturday from the 25th of September to the 9th of October, the local celebrities share insights on how they have managed to pivot their business online in the last year to provide encouragement for participants to succeed themselves.

Through a partnership with The Asia Foundation, with support from Google.org, the initiative aims to train up to 200,000 people in all 10 ASEAN countries from rural areas and underserved communities—including entrepreneurs, underemployed youth, and women. Working with local partners across Southeast Asia, the USD3.3 million grant will broaden participation in the digital economy to include groups that have the most to gain from skills, such as digital literacy and online safety awareness. In Malaysia, the Go Digital ASEAN program is implemented by the International Youth Centre (IYC) and StartupMalaysia.

A participant who has completed the Go Digital ASEAN course, Saferizal, learned a set of fundamental web and e-commerce skills that allowed him to create his own website and list his merchandise on popular e-commerce sites. He shares, “I was able to increase my sales by 80 percent from doing business online”. Open to anyone who joins the go-digital.my platform, this series of events aims to spark inspiration for those who are looking for guidance to increased economic opportunities as the country recovers from the global pandemic.

To join the upcoming sessions, visit www.go-digital.my/talianrezeki or for more information contact [email protected].

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About Go Digital ASEAN

The  Go Digital ASEAN initiative is designed to: equip micro and small enterprises and underemployed youth, particularly those in rural and isolated areas, with crucial digital skills and tools; expand economic opportunity across ASEAN Member States; and minimize the negative impact from the Covid-19 crisis.

Targeting disadvantaged communities across ASEAN, the Go Digital ASEAN initiative is designed to equip MSMEs and the emerging workforce, particularly those in rural and isolated areas, with digital skills and tools; expand economic opportunity across ASEAN countries, and minimize the negative impact from the Covid-19 crisis. The project will reach up to 200,000 underserved people and rural micro-enterprises across the region.

For media enquiries, please contact:

Qistina Kamarudin

The Asia Foundation

[email protected]

Vani Dhakshinamoorthy

Startup Malaysia

[email protected]

This content is provided by Go Digital ASEAN.

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