CHRISTMAS is the season of giving, and with this spirit, Maxis got together with the Bidayuh community at Kampung Quop in Samarahan, Sarawak, to conduct a digital literacy workshop there.
A total of 30 volunteers from Maxis’ regional office and Kuala Lumpur were on the ground for the workshops, held at the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC)-owned Pusat Internet (PI) at Kg Quop, one of the 52 PIs run by Maxis in Sarawak.
MCMC's Chief Officer, Communications and Digital Ecosystem Sector, Datuk Mohd Ali Hanafiah Mohd Yunus; Director General of MCMC Sarawak, Roslan Mohammad; Maxis' Head of Sales and Service, Tan Lay Han were present at the event.
During the one-day event, 30 entrepreneurs who own small local businesses participated in a digital marketing workshop, where they learned how to optimise their business using social media, content creation and photography. Maxis volunteers coached participants on writing attractive captions, and shooting Insta-worthy photos and videos to market their products on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and WordPress.
An owner of a small business, Rosnah Dollah, 51, says she is delighted to have the opportunity to attend the workshop.
"Before this, I was not very Internet savvy, I only know about Facebook, Instagram and YouTube through my children, but today I have gained so much knowledge on how to promote my business on various digital platforms. I appreciate Maxis bringing this workshop to our community," she said.
Meanwhile, 60 students from Kg Quop and Kg Taiee took part in a digital literacy workshop, which teaches students how to distinguish between fake and real news, be aware of online scams, respond to cyberbullying, create secure passwords and more. The digital literacy programme aligns with Klik Dengan Bijak, MCMC’s initiative advocating positive and responsible Internet usage.
The kids are students from eKelas, Maxis’ after-school digital learning initiative that aims to improve the academic performance of students in rural communities. Its focus is on three subjects - Science, Mathematics and English - for Form 1, 2 and 3 students. eKelas offers a combination of live tutorials, group learning and interactive digital content, which is in line with the Malaysian School Syllabus. Beginning 2019, the programme will be opened to Primary 6, Form 4 and Form 5 as well. The programme is run at MCMC-owned PI under Maxis’ care, which serve as digital hubs for communities in underserved areas. eKelas is currently being delivered at 55 PIs located across 10 states, with over 6,000 students connecting through the programme.
“I am honoured and happy to be part of this celebration in conjunction with the upcoming festivities with the Kg Quop community. It is also enlightening to see local entrepreneurs and students of this community so eager to learn and benefit from digital tools, which are essential in today’s technologically-driven world, no matter where you are. I also hope that the students will make full use of the facilities at Pusat Internet Kg. Quop and leverage the Internet positively and responsibly,” said Ali.
“Christmas is about giving and there's nothing like giving and sharing knowledge with each other. It is a rewarding experience to see the local community discovering new ideas and using the Internet as a powerful tool through the workshops. This is in line our ongoing efforts to empower communities with the wonders of technology. In addition to being able to bring cheer to the local community here, we are pleased to play a small part in benefiting them with new knowledge,” said Han.
The community was later treated to a delicious Christmas lunch, with the students taking the stage to entertain everyone with a medley of Christmas carols. Before closing, the students were given school bags and stationery supplies.