Empowering to Empower: Improving Livelihoods through Crowdsourcing

The Southeast Asia region is one of the fastest growing region in the world today. With rich natural resources, Southeast Asia has evolved into highly industrialised region, inviting investors from all over the world. The riches however, are not enjoyed by all. In the ASEAN Report 2017, close to 36 million of its population are still living below the international poverty line, with 90% of these people live in Indonesia or the Philippines¹. Extreme poverty communities can also still be found in other ASEAN member countries.

Photo Credit: The Philippine Star – Extreme poor family in Philippines

Realizing that ASEAN’s greatest asset is its people, various initiatives were carried out under this sector mainly involve promoting community-driven activities and people-to-people interactions aimed at narrowing the income gap in the region. Today, it still remains relevant for ASEAN member states in their national capacity, to partner with private organizations to identify and finance poverty eradication programs in order to realise the SDGs and ASEAN Vision 2025.

Photo Credit: THC ASEAN – Empowering Communities to Close the Income Gap

Internet Society Malaysia (ISOC-MY), through the Internet Society’s 2018 Beyond the Net Medium & Large Grant programme, and in collaboration with the Malaysian Department of Women Development, Universiti Utara Malaysia and Council of Deans of ICT (Region IX), Philippines aim to train 400 women in Malaysia and the Philippines to use the MyHelper crowdsourcing application so that they can earn extra income by performing non-digital tasks. This three-pronged project provides opportunities for women to develop essential entrepreneurial skills through ICT, empowers women to start their own businesses, and use the Internet to improve their livelihoods.

Photo Credit: Technology Inquirer – ICT Training in Rural ASEAN

MyHelper is a mobile-based crowdsourcing application which allows the poor to seek and perform non-digital tasks in order to supplement their income.  Built on the Android platform, the application is free and easy-to-use. This application also is easily customizable so that it can be used in other countries where English is not the primary language.

MyHelper Mobile Apps

Under this programme, volunteers are engaged to train and support women in their development efforts. ISOC-MY believes that poverty eradication requires multi-dimensional approach which  encompasses education, health, and living standard, can only be achieved via sustainable, holistic and inclusive strategies that include the development of human capital.

Reference:

1.    “Financing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in ASEAN: Strengthening Integrated National Financing Frameworks to Deliver the 2030 Agenda”, ASEAN-China-UNDP Report, 17 November 2017, Jakarta, Indonesia.