In order to begin the second phase of the Going Online As Leaders (GOAL) programme, Meta is extending its collaboration with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. Meta was inspired by the rich culture and talent represented by the tribal and indigenous people of India. With the help of technology that they might not otherwise have access to, GOAL 2.0 aims to digitally upskill, connect, and empower 10 lakh young people and women from the nation's tribal communities. It also serves as a bridge for the youth who are socially excluded by providing them with a wide range of opportunities.
The identified GOAL participants will get access to Meta Business Coach, a learning bot built on WhatsApp, through this initiative, giving them the chance to learn how to develop and expand their businesses utilising Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. The programme will also include Facebook Live sessions by expert trainers in nine languages on subjects including Anti Scamming education, being secure online, how to combat misinformation, and being a good digital citizen in order to equip the participants to take an active role in the digital economy.
The second phase of the GOAL initiative was launched by Hon. Minister of Tribal Affairs Sh. Arjun Munda.
Sh. Munda spoke during the event and said: “Honorable Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has always spoken about bridging the digital divide. Digitally empowering India’s tribal communities would contribute significantly to the socio-economic development of the country and an important step towards creating a flourishing community of tribal leaders. The first phase of GOAL has seen changing the lives of tribal youth through the digital mentorship program. In the second phase, we will reach out to 10 lakh women and youth entrepreneurs and will also create a platform for more than 50,000 self-help groups and 10 lakh families associated with TRIFED to take their products global.”
Sharing his views on the importance of digital empowerment for the tribal communities, Ajit Mohan, Vice President & Managing Director, Facebook India (Meta) said:
“India’s massive digital transformation can be complete when even the most vulnerable communities of our society are digitally empowered. We are deeply inspired by the stories of some of the Tribal leaders who benefitted from the first phase of GOAL that we kicked off in 2020. We recognize the wide canvas of opportunity that gets unlocked when these tribal communities have access to digital tools and technologies, and that is why we are excited to launch the next phase of this program. In collaboration with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, GOAL 2.0 will upskill and empower 10 lakh women and youth across tribal communities to harness the full potential of digital platforms and tools.”
The initiative aims to equip young people and women from tribal and indigenous communities with the leadership abilities necessary to advance community development and to fully utilise the possibilities of digital platforms. With an emphasis on tribal youth and companies run by tribal women in rural areas, the initiative also strives to actively contribute to the economy while assisting the most vulnerable communities in tribal districts.
