Advancing Digital Societies
Digital Inclusion
Advancing Digital Societies
Digital Inclusion
As life and work move online, it is critical that all people – regardless of socioeconomic status, gender, age, level of education and location – are able to access digital platforms and their benefits equitably. If this doesn’t occur, existing inequalities will be widened, leading to more stratified and less inclusive societies.
Cognisant of this challenge, we have made digital inclusion a key focus area of our sustainability agenda. With the overarching mission of bridging the digital divide, we are leveraging our network and technologies to enable communities at the margins of the digital arena – including lower income groups, rural communities, women and girls, individuals with disabilities, individuals with lower levels of education and seniors – to access, learn and utilise technology to the fullest.
Our wide-ranging initiatives in digital inclusion fall within four key pillars:
Inclusive Access
Connectivity
Ensuring everyone has access to broadband communication in rural areas and schools in particular
Access to Vital Services
Providing access to services for learning content and healthcare
Training for Digital Skills
Digital Skills
Providing digital skills training from beginner to advanced levels for improved employability and career advancement opportunities
Innovation and Inclusive Services
Innovation for Social Impact
Powering innovation in local ecosystems through our digital innovation funds, digital
financial services and digital services for business
Empowering Marginalised Communities
Improving the lives of women and girls as well
as People with Disabilities through technology
Safe and Responsible Use of Technology
Mitigating Harm & Responsible Use
Protecting users from digital harm while fostering responsible use of technology
Inclusive Access
Connectivity
Ensuring everyone has access to broadband communication in rural areas and schools in particular
Access to Vital Services
Providing access to services for learning content and healthcare
Training for Digital Skills
Digital Skills
Providing digital skills training from beginner to advanced levels for improved employability and career advancement opportunities
Innovation and Inclusive Services
Innovation for Social Impact
Powering innovation in local ecosystems through our digital innovation funds, digital
financial services and digital services for business
Empowering Marginalised Communities
Improving the lives of women and girls as well
as People with Disabilities through technology
Safe and Responsible Use of Technology
Mitigating Harm & Responsible Use
Protecting users from digital harm while fostering responsible use of technology
As we strive to leave no one behind the digital world, we benchmark our digital inclusion performance against the highest standards. In the Digital Inclusion Benchmark by the World Benchmarking Alliance, we ranked 22nd out of the top 200 technology and communication companies worldwide, placing us in the top quartile of digital technology companies for the third year running.
Meanwhile, in 2022, we became a member of the EDISON Alliance, an initiative of the World Economic Forum that brings together global digital leaders to meet the task of bridging the digital divide. Through our support of the alliance’s 1 Billion Lives Challenge, we have committed to improving lives through digital healthcare, digital education and financial inclusion technologies such as digital banking and microcredit. To date, we have already impacted the lives of around four million people through our commitment.
Outlook
We are committed to making a positive and lasting impact on the lives of consumers through digital inclusion, with multi-year targets in place to continuously drive meaningful improvements. Our focus is on developing products, services, projects and initiatives that empower and provide sustainable value to the communities we serve. In the years to come, we will be concentrating our efforts on three key areas: digital literacy, digital financial services and healthcare services. We will ensure that all our initiatives prioritise user safety, so that we can deliver impactful and secure solutions to those who need them most.
Our Digital Inclusion Impact
In 2022, we improved the lives of over 18.5 million people through targeted digital inclusion initiatives.
Extended connectivity to over 50,000 people in rural areas
Provided access to healthcare services to
over 1.5 million people
Provided access to educational services to over 480,000 students
Supported female health, digital literacy and entrepreneurial skills for over 860,000 women and girls
Provided training and exposure to digital skills – from basic to advanced level – to over 530,000 students, teachers and entrepreneurs
Provided digital financial services to over 13.2 million people
Empowered over 1.8 million MSMEs with digital services
Extended connectivity to over 50,000 people in rural areas
Provided access to healthcare services to
over 1.5 million people
Provided access to educational services to over 480,000 students
Supported female health, digital literacy and entrepreneurial skills for over 860,000 women and girls
Provided training and exposure to digital skills – from basic to advanced level – to over 530,000 students, teachers and entrepreneurs
Provided digital financial services to over 13.2 million people
Providing Connectivity And Access To Vital Services
As of 2022, around 2.7 billion people – largely located in developing countries – remain without access to the internet and its myriad tools and benefits.
As a digital company, we are living up to our responsibility to make a difference on this front. This begins with ensuring reliable connectivity in even the most remote of regions and extends to connecting communities to vital services in education and healthcare. Beyond being the bridge to these services, we are developing specific digital solutions that are purpose-fit to the needs of communities in our markets, maximising their ability to thrive in the digital economy.
Connectivity
Investing in network infrastructure to improve connectivity in remote regions, while collaborating with governments to drive digital literacy and adoption in these areas
Learning Content
Providing digital educational resources – such as desktops, laptops and entire digital computer labs – to schools in underserved and marginalised communities
Partnering with government entities and NGOs to provide digital courses to students
Developing and rolling out digital educational platforms, digital libraries and online tutoring services, among other innovations, to drive learning and development amongst school students
Healthcare
Providing telemedicine services to remote communities in collaboration with hospitals
Introducing mobile healthcare resources that provide customers with timely healthcare advice and access to doctor consultations
Supporting the automation and digitalisation of existing healthcare services for improved hospital reach and patient care
Providing Digital Skills Training
We empower youth, university graduates and B40 communities to acquire digital and entrepreneurial skills, driving their employability in the evolving job market.
Uplifting Education Through Nenasa
Created by Dialog in partnership with the State Ministry of Education Reforms, Open Universities and Distance Learning Promotion, Nenasa is one of Sri Lanka’s largest e-learning platforms, offering an extensive range of local syllabuses from Grade 1 to 13 via multiple channels.
In addition to the Nenasa Educational App – which contains high-quality educational materials developed by trained teachers and third-party educators, overseen by the Ministry of Education – Dialog also maintains Nenasa TV, which comprises eight channels of educational content that are accessed by over 3,000 participating schools nationwide. Access to Nenasa TV is offered free of data charges.
Dialog has also established Nenasa Smart School, which trains educators to deliver digital education and other key areas of learning. As of 2022, the initiative has trained around 3,000 teachers across Sri Lanka. Visit Nenasa here.
Driving Innovation For Social Impact
Across Asia, digital solutions hold the potential to transform livelihoods, expand socioeconomic development and empower innovation. Supporting this, we provide a range of training courses, digital services and tools, as well as funding and opportunities for businesses, assuming the crucial role of catalyst for our region’s equitable growth.
Our digital innovation funds are an important way in which we are supporting regional development. By providing financial and technical support to founders, we are empowering them to develop digital solutions to their country’s issues, create job opportunities and grow their local digital ecosystems.
Axiata Digital Innovation Fund (ADIF)
Has invested RM63.2 million since 2014, with RM43 million going to Bumiputera companies, contributing to the creation of 2,047 jobs and opportunities for 1.5 million SMEs
Dialog Innovation Fund (DADIF)
Has contributed LKR 1.5675 billion to digital companies through two funds, with a particular focus on banking software services and others such AI, IOT, Digital Healthcare, Insurance Tech, Edu-Tech, Agri-Tech and last mile delivery for e-Commerce
R-Ventures
Established in 2020 to provide funding, mentorship, grooming and support to local digital start-ups, with BDT113.6 million disbursed to date and an additional BDT25 million allocated for investment in 2022
Smart Digital Innovation Fund (SADIF)
Has disbursed USD3 million to digital companies since 2017, with a focus on the Fintech, Advertising and Media, Logistics and Delivery, EdTech and Health Tech sectors
Axiata Digital Innovation Fund (ADIF)
Has invested RM63.2 million since 2014, with RM43 million going to Bumiputera companies, contributing to the creation of 2,047 jobs and opportunities for 1.5 million SMEs
Dialog Innovation Fund (DADIF)
Has contributed LKR 1.5675 billion to digital companies through two funds, with a particular focus on banking software services and others such AI, IOT, Digital Healthcare, Insurance Tech, Edu-Tech, Agri-Tech and last mile delivery for e-Commerce
R-Ventures
Established in 2020 to provide funding, mentorship, grooming and support to local digital start-ups, with BDT113.6 million disbursed to date and an additional BDT25 million allocated for investment in 2022
Smart Digital Innovation Fund (SADIF)
Has disbursed USD3 million to digital companies since 2017, with a focus on the Fintech, Advertising and Media, Logistics and Delivery, EdTech and Health Tech sectors
Empowering Marginalised Communities
With the aim of promoting digital inclusion and accessibility for all individuals, we provide women with custom-designed programmes that enhance their digital skills and expand their presence in the online space We are also working on making our technologies accessible to users of all abilities, recognising the potential of digital technology in improving the quality of life of the differently-abled.
Elevating Women Entrepreneurs with Sisternet
Since 2015, XL Axiata has empowered women entrepreneurs to attain their dreams through Sisternet.
Sisternet provides these entrepreneurs with digital soft skills through an ongoing calendar of webinars, training courses, forums and competitions, while hosting an annual incubation programme that coaches MSMEs on how to improve their business through digital technology. Prizes worth up to IDR200 million are offered to entrepreneurs with the best business ideas and plans.
As a mark of its impact, Sisternet has been recognised with a wide range of local and international awards. Learn more about Sisternet here.
Empowering Digital Financial Inclusion
Even as people gain access to digital technology, many remain excluded from financial services due a lack of funds or credit history. As a result, these individuals and business find it difficult to expand, and existing financial inequalities are entrenched.
Through our suite of digital financial services – including e-wallets and micro-loans – as well as our digital sales and marketing channels, we provide all people and businesses with equal access to financing, insurance, digital payments and other crucial financial services, empowering them to improve their livelihoods and bring sustainable benefit to their communities.
Providing Digitally-Enabled Lending with Boost Credit
Through improved Machine Learning-powered credit scoring, Boost Credit dispersed more than RM1.4 billion in loans in 2022 alone, achieving a 90% repeat rate on loans issued in both Malaysia and Indonesia. These loans were directed towards truly underserved segments of society, empowering this neglected demographic with access to much-needed funds.
Supporting Businesses With Digital Services
By connecting businesses to data-driven insights that would otherwise be inaccessible, digital technology enables businesses to make better decisions and plan for the future with greater certainty.
Through our digital services and solutions, we support the daily activities of businesses, SMEs and individuals across a diverse range of sectors. Our tailor-made services, offered in partnership with local organisations, offer crucial information on crop health, animal husbandry, weather patterns and more, with this information particularly valuable to those in the farming and fishing industries.
Empowering Farmers Through Govi Mithuru
Govi Mithuru provides smallholder farmers with personalised agricultural advice for each stage of the farming cycle – from land preparation to post-harvest support – empowering them to secure the health of their crop and the sustainable future of their families.
To learn more, click here.
Fostering Responsible Use Of Technology
As more people and communities gain access to digital technology, it is critical that they are protected against potential harm and educated about safe and responsible digital behaviour. In addition to taking a leadership role on this issue, we collaborate with government agencies, industry partners and NGOs to combat digital dangers such as cyber attacks, cyberbullying and Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM).
Be Technology Wise (BTW)
Since 2012, Dialog has promoted mobile safety and responsible digital behaviour through BTW, contributing to addressing the uninformed, unethical or unknowing misuse of mobile phones. Furthering these efforts, they initiated a year-long campaign focused on online safety and cyberbullying in 2022, raising awareness for Safer Internet Day in partnership with GSMA and addressing the digital skills gap in Tamil and Sinhala speaking communities.
