Funding for national movement to bridge digital gap hits $7.6m, Latest Singapore News - The New Paper
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Funding for national movement to bridge digital gap hits $7.6m

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A national movement that provides resources for grassroots projects to equip Singaporeans with digital skills and help bridge the digital divide now has $7.6 million in funding.

Standard Chartered Bank and Keppel Corp have donated $1.3 million to the Digital for Life movement, adding to the $2.5 million contribution from the President's Challenge fund-raising campaign earlier.

The Government has matched the $3.8 million in total donations dollar for dollar.

Announcing this yesterday at an event at Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre, Minister for Communications and Information S. Iswaran said the Government will call for proposals in the second quarter of this year to support community-led projects and activities that promote digital inclusion, literacy and wellness.

Noting that several years' worth of digitalisation took place in a few months last year across most of society amid the pandemic, Mr Iswaran said "more than ever, digital inclusion is a matter of national priority".

"We want every member of our economy and society to be able and ready to reap the digital dividend, regardless of their starting point," he said.

The Digital for Life movement and the fund were launched last month by President Halimah Yacob, who is the movement's patron, with an initial funding of $2.5 million from the President's Challenge.

The fund, set up by the Infocomm Media Development Authority, has a three-year target of $10 million.

Non-profit organisation Engineering Good will work with partners to teach students basic computer skills and equip young people with laptop repair and troubleshooting know-how, so they can serve as information technology ambassadors in the community.

For more details on Digital for Life, including information on applying for funding support or donating to the movement, visit www.go.gov.sg/digitalforlife

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