Mowasalat (Karwa) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MoTC) to confirm completion of its computer and Internet facilities at its Karwa City accommodation complex, which houses around 7,000 of its drivers and support staff.
The facilities come as part of Mowasalat’s commitment to the Better Connections Programme, an initiative of the MoTC designed to improve digital access for migrant workers and which forms part of the Ministry’s wider Digital Inclusion Strategy.
Launched in May 2014, the Better Connections Programme gives employers of migrant workers a practical framework for providing access to information and communication technology (ICT) tools. It is a phased initiative designed to enable labourers with little or no ICT skills to participate fully in Qatar’s digital society by ensuring they have access to and can benefit from ICTs and the Internet at their place of residence.
This programme is being conducted in Karwa City, where Mowasalat employees are provided with a wide range of useful resources, including computers, Internet connectivity and training.
A group of 8 ‘digital champions’ from among the employees has been selected to be responsible for training their counterparts, and the programme had been delivered to 3,995 drivers by mid-November 2016.
Khalid Nasser al-Hail, Managing Director, Mowasalat, said: “This initiative seems beneficial for both drivers and operations officers, drivers being computer literate will help operations officers in implementing new technologies, and also in boosting our drivers’ confidence.”
As Mowasalat works round the clock, he said, running the programme has posed a major challenge in scheduling the trainees and trainers. However, he explained, the optimal schedule has been prepared and is being followed to ensure the initiative and its objectives are well understood and achieved. “We will continue collaborating with the Ministry of Transport and Communications to ensure successful delivery of this programme to our employees. We will also continue updating the programme’s content and delivery tools,” he added.
Some of the employees when asked about their opinion on this initiative, commented that these training sessions provide a big help for drivers and workers in improving their computer knowledge and teaching them how to browse the Internet safely and use social networking platforms in addition to using available technology for money transfers, and connecting with their families and friends while working far from home.
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