Meta – Pakistan Tech News

Meta Expands “WeThinkDigital” to Gilgit-Baltistan

Meta is expanding its digital literacy program, ‘WeThinkDigital’, to Gilgit-Baltistan in collaboration with Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA) and the Gilgit-Baltistan Department of Education. The program aims to equip the people who live in one of the most marginalised regions in the country with the necessary skills to become responsible digital citizens.

With the expansion of the WeThinkDigital program to the Gilgit-Baltistan sub region in Pakistan, Meta expects to train over 30,000 students and more than 10,000 women to help them think critically and share online thoughtfully.

Lt.Col. (R) Abaidullah Baig Senior Minister Industries, Labour & Commerce, Gilgit-Baltistan attended as the Chief Guest and said “Really appreciate Meta for supporting people of Gilgit-Baltistan with a major program of this calibre and scale.”

The WeThinkDigital program was initiated in 2021 in Pakistan and it is one of Meta’s multifaceted approaches to building a safe and informed community in the country. The program has reached 130,000 students and 3,094 teachers across 28 districts of the country providing them a collection of accessible learning modules that help people think critically and share online thoughtfully, as well as empowering them with the skills needed to be informed and safe online.

Commenting on the development, Raja Azam Khan, Minister of Education, Gilgit-Baltistan said, “Over the last few years, our region has witnessed rapid and significant progress across diverse digital fronts. As we continue to explore broader horizons for learning and development of our community, it is a pleasure to have key players like Meta assisting in our objectives to bring sustainable change across Gilgit-Baltistan.”

Through its expansion in the Gilgit-Baltistan region, the program focuses on building awareness regarding cyberbullying, potential abuse over the internet, safe internet practices, safeguarding personal interests and assisting vulnerable segments like women and children on how to navigate digital spaces.

Speaking at the launch event Yasas Vishuddhi Abeywickrama, Policy Programs Manager, South Asia at Meta said, “We care deeply about the safety of our community – and providing resources that can help people have meaningful interactions online is an important part of the work we do to help keep our community safe. We are grateful for the collaboration with the Gilgit-Baltistan Department of Education and hope this program will empower people in Gilgit-Baltistan with the necessary skills to become responsible digital citizens.”

The initiative will see Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi as a key partner in implementing the objective.

Meta Donates 125M Rupees for Flood Relief Efforts

Karachi– In response to the devastating floods in Pakistan, Meta is contributing 125 Million Rupees to UNICEF, Hands and Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA) to help communities impacted by the floods. The donation will support emergency aid, food, water, sanitation and help children get back to school in Sindh, Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

Prior to the donation when the flooding began, Safety Check was activated on Facebook as it allowed people to let friends and family know they were safe. A Crisis page was also established where people could use the Community Help feature to enable people to ask for and offer help from different communities.

“Pakistan is going through one of the worst natural disasters we have seen to date. Millions of people are affected and the entire nation is rallying to support them during this difficult time. We hope that our contributions help the communities impacted by the catastrophe and our thoughts are with these communities and families as they try to recover,” said Jordi Fornies, Director for Emerging Markets, APAC at Meta.

Additionally, Meta’s ‘Data for Good’ activated its Disaster Maps program and is providing data to regional response partners. One of those partners, CrisisReady (a collaboration between Direct Relief and Harvard University), has focused on combining data sources into situation reports being used daily by thousands of on-the-ground first responders.

“The torrential monsoon rains over the past weeks have damaged or completely washed away people’s houses, critically affecting millions of people, including children. With winter just weeks away in some parts of the country, we need urgent help to continue our relief efforts in Pakistan and support for children and their families. We express our gratitude to Meta for all the support,” said Michael J. Nyenhuis, President and CEO of UNICEF USA.

Communities across various Meta-owned platforms have raised more than a million dollars for non-profits supporting flood relief efforts. Leading NGOs across the globe have also raised substantial amounts via Facebook and Instagram.

Commenting on the development, Baela Raza Jamil, CEO, ITA, said, “We will rehabilitate schools, ensure 2nd Chance Accelerated learning programs with life skills (psychosocial support, climate change and digital literacy), and provide hygiene & health with dignity kits. This is a comprehensive and inclusive approach to #BuildingBackBetter by reaching homes, communities, schools, parents, children, and especially adolescent girls and teachers embedded within government systems for effective emergency response and preparedness.”

Meta is continuously exploring further avenues to facilitate not just families in the devastated regions but also supporting NGOs and other causes in their efforts.

Meta introduces special designed Earth Day stickers and features across their platforms to create awareness on climate change

Karachi – 22 April 2022 – This Earth Day, global social media company Meta is announcing simple, yet impactful ways that people can learn more about climate change and take action. The company is also rolling out a suite of specially designed Earth Day stickers and features across their platforms where people can express their commitment to the environment.

Climate change awareness on the rise

According to Global Climate Risk Index (GCRI) 2021, Pakistan is the 8^th most vulnerable country to the negative impacts of climate change. That is why, interest in climate change is on the rise and people are finding more ways to show up for the environment. More than 1M people in Pakistan are part of at least one Facebook groups dedicated to the discovery, protection and appreciation of the earth and our environment, and there are now more than 2500 eco-friendly businesses on Instagram.

“Every day, thousands across our platforms rally together to connect and take action on climate change, whether it is engaging in a Facebook Group, starting or purchasing from an eco-friendly business on Instagram, or practising sustainable tips from a creator. I’m heartened to see that this is no exception in Pakistan, and hope to see more conversations happen with our new stickers, features and initiatives. Earth Day is a vital reminder that all actions, both big and small, can make a difference in protecting our planet,” said Meta spokesperson.

New Earth Day sticker pack and effects on Messenger and Instagram

With rising interest, people can look forward to more ways to connect on climate issues. Meta has partnered with renowned illustrators to release custom stickers on Messenger and Instagram starting this week. An Earth-friendly version of Ellen DeGeneres’ mobile game, Heads Up!, will come to video calling on Messenger and Instagram. Users can also create their own word effects and 3D Avatar stickers to show off their support for climate action.

Meta’s commitment to the environment

Meta’s global operations are now 100% supported by renewable energy, and has set an ambitious goal of achieving net zero emissions across its value chain and be water positive by 2030.

The company is furthering its commitment to the environment through several new initiatives. It is continuing its work in tackling climate misinformation through its $1 million Climate Misinformation grant program, as well as expanding their annual Climate Change Opinion Survey – conducted in partnership with the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication – to share information about public views on climate change across more than 180 countries.

Meta, NIBAF collaborate to up-skill women entrepreneurs

Islamabad/ Karachi–: Meta is collaborating with the National Institute of Banking and Finance (NIBAF), a subsidiary of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to train and up-skill Pakistani women entrepreneurs in order to foster sustainability and resilience of women-led businesses in the country.

The program is being implemented under the ‘Business Resilience through Financial Education (BRFE)’ component of Meta’s flagship women empowerment program ‘SheMeansBusiness’. SheMeansBusiness was introduced in Pakistan in May 2020 in partnership with the SBP and USAID to bolster financial inclusion and resiliency of women-led businesses, particularly during the Covid-19 induced economic slowdown.

Under the arrangement, Meta, in collaboration with National Institute of Banking & Finance (NIBAF), will be hosting a series of online training sessions to up-skill 3,000 women entrepreneurs who are part of NIBAF’s National Financial Literacy Program for Youth (NFLP-Y). The primary aim of the program is to strengthen women’s business financial understanding and help them grow their businesses for enhancing their socioeconomic standing and role in the society. NFLP-Y program focuses on managing personal finances and has a wide reach within Pakistan.

“Financial empowerment is one of the key drivers of women empowerment. NIBAF is excited to collaborate with META to strengthen the financial literacy and digital skills of Pakistani women. We hope that this partnership will help our women craft their own entrepreneurship journeys”, says Riaz Nazarali Chunara, Managing Director NIBAF.

“We are excited to collaborate with NIBAF to foster financial education and training for Pakistan women entrepreneurs”, Beth Ann Lim, Director, APAC Policy Programs and Government Outreach – Meta said. “Financial education is crucial for sustainability and resilience of small and medium enterprises, especially when combined with digital skills. Over the last 2 years we’ve found that entrepreneurs that have adopted digital tools have been more resilient, financial education would further enable them to adapt and grow their businesses. I hope this arrangement goes on to make a significant difference for women led businesses in the country.”

The Meta-NIBAF partnership aims to build on the two organizations’ shared experience in upskilling and enabling up and coming entrepreneurs for improved business prospects. While Meta has been leveraging its social media platforms and digital expertise for human development and economic recovery post Covid-19, NIBAF also boasts extensive capabilities and expertise in designing, and delivering a range of training programs, workshops, and seminars in subjects relevant to economics, banking, finance, and management for capacity building of commercial bankers, micro and rural finance providers, management professionals and entrepreneurs in the country. Its National Financial Literacy Program for Youth (NFLP-Y) educates the Pakistani youth and school-going children on money management skills.