Doha: To play more effective role in creating awareness about COVID-19 among migrant workers, Better Connections program of the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MoTC) will provide over 400 computers at self-isolation residences in labour cities.
The Better Connections program is raising awareness electronically about the coronavirus (COVID-19) for 1.5 million migrant workers through a government portal in five languages, and by text messages and informational video materials, the MoTC tweeted yesterday.
Regarding program’s future plan objectives, the tweet said that over 400 computers will be provided at self-isolation residences at labour cities.
According to the Ministry, the program has already achieved many milestones including 1,692 ICT-equipped facilities; 19,000 computers donated for the program and 5 languages for awareness via workers’ Hukoomi Portal.
Under Better Connections’ future plan objectives as many as 50,000 workers will be trained to deliver knowledge to other workers. Providing 1,000 content pages on workers’ Hukoomi Portal and providing 400+ computers at self-isolation residences at labour cities are also included in the future plans.
The Better Connections program is also contributing to nationwide efforts to raise workers’ awareness of coronavirus in multiple languages.
Under the efforts, 1.5 million workers are being educated about coronavirus online. The program is providing a continually-updated multilingual awareness webpage on workers’ Hukoomi Portal and also sending awareness-raising electronic content and multimedia materials to workers in their native languages.
Sending over a million SMSs with awareness hyperlinks to workers and providing Internet connectivity at self-isolation buildings at labour cities are part of nationwide efforts. Do’s and Don’ts posters on buildings at labour cities and adding workers native languages to Hotline 16000 are among other steps taken to raise workers’ awareness about COVID-19.
According to information from the MoTC website, the Digital Society Development department at MoTC establishes and executes programs to achieve digital inclusion and increase ICT access rates among various sectors of Qatari society. The department provides ICT tools, technologies and infrastructure to bridge the digital divide, and develops appropriate programs to encourage all members of the public to use government e-services.
Better Connections is a groundbreaking social integration initiative for migrant workers in Qatar.
The program is a public-private partnership between the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MoTC); the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labor and Social Affairs, and committed partners.
It provides access to technology and develops the skills of migrant workers in the use of ICT, in order to improve their quality of life and to integrate them into the digital community and wider society.
This program provides free access to refurbished computers and the Internet as well as training for workers in their place of accommodation so that they can become part of the information society, allowing them to communicate with friends and family in their home countries, access government online services, learn about their rights and responsibilities and return to their countries with enhanced IT skills.
The Better Connections program sets up fully functioning ICT facilities at workers’ accommodation sites equipped with refurbished donated hardware, software licenses, Internet connectivity, access to tailored training content, as well as training sessions conducted by the program’s volunteers.
