Information technology impacts on our daily live in many fundamental ways. Through ICT we can prepare letters, compute our finances, manage data, communicate with others and acquire information on almost any topic. ICT skills have become essential for almost any form of employability as well as to conduct business. ICT can also play a significant role in enhancing community capacity. Yet it cannot be denied that there is no equal access to its mastery and use.

Yayasan Salam Malaysia (SALAM Malaysia) is seeking also to bridge the digital divide through three important features: firstly, focus will be on low-income communities and other disadvantaged groups, secondly, there will be focus on greater community responsibility in owning and managing the project and finally volunteers will be placed at project sites to train participants and train local as trainers. It is envisaged that though these efforts, sustainable training centers “owned and managed” by the community itself, will be established.

Objectives

1. To bridge the digital divide in marginalized and underprivileged communities;
2. To establish sustainable IT training centers in these communities
3. To act a collecting center for usable computers and to refurbish these computers to de deployed to the community
4. To build a core of ICT volunteers to train and provide technical support to these centers.

Target-groups

Through the e-initiative, ICT centers will be established in low-income communities in both urban and rural areas. Communities selected will be those with no or limited access to such opportunities to learn. In these areas awareness and training will be especially focused on the children and youths. However, adults will also be encouraged to acquire computing skills. Special focus will be on:

1- School Leavers
2- Unemployed youths
3- Housewives
4- Single mothers
5- Individuals interested in doing business