Living in a new country is not always easy. However, when it comes to the expatriate workers in Qatar, they have altogether a different story to say. The expatriates here don’t find any struggles in work, finance, communications, raising family, making friends etc, thanks to the overwhelming support of the Qatari leadership in ensuring them a comfortable life.
Qatar is known for the quality care offered to its workers as the nation keeps on implementing measures and reforms for their well being. The recent launch of the Sustainability and Development phase of the Better Connections Programme by the Prime Minister and Interior Minister, HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani, highlights Qatar’s unflinching support to its expatriate community. It provides IT facilities and tools to migrant workers to engage them in the digital era and help them improve their way of life.
The programme has already established 1,676 ICT facilities equipped with more than 16,000 computers in migrant workers’ accommodations. The various departments and officials concerned with the project worked hard to make this a reality. It is noteworthy that the programme has exceeded its target of 1,500 ICT facilities by more than 10%.
During the Sustainability and Development phase, which runs for a 3-year term, technical support will be provided to the IT facilities set up in the initial phases. In addition, 1,000 new pieces of digital content will be created and introduced through the ‘Hukoomi’ site. This content will be compiled and translated in the top five most spoken languages of migrant workers in Qatar.
The programme will provide training for up to 50,000 workers, enabling them to transfer digital knowledge to their colleagues in an on-going learning process. Additionally, brand new smart phones will be offered to the participants at affordable prices to enable them make use of technology and be part of the digital evolution in Qatar and the world.
Started as a pilot project in 2013 and officially launched in 2015, the Better Connections programme is a ground-breaking national digital inclusion initiative for migrant workers in Qatar aimed at providing them with free access to the Internet, computers, online services and training at their accommodation.
With the active support of its partners, the Better Connections programme enables migrant workers to gain an understanding of the benefits online technologies have to offer, while providing them with basic ICT training, and introduce them to social media platforms to help in keeping in touch with family and friends in their home countries.
For Qatar, protecting the rights of expatriate workers is of paramount importance. Certainly, the glory of the nation will conquer new horizons through the billions of expatriate workers who experienced the novel care of the great nation.
