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The Future of Work

 

Accelerate My Business Provides Vital Digital Skills for 6000 Women Across Malaysia and Indonesia

September 29, 2022

Program Snapshot Post

Over 6,000 women across Malaysia and Indonesia have gained access to vital digital skills to grow their small businesses through the Accelerate My Business program. Designed to address the challenges women entrepreneurs face today, the ongoing curriculum includes live, instructor-led virtual training sessions, self-paced learning, engaging speaker… Read more

Women, wearing masks, work on training activities on phones 

The Asia Foundation Partners with U.S. Commerce Department to Launch Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity Upskilling Initiative

San Francisco, September 9, 2022

News Post

Private Sector Commitments Will Provide Digital Skills to Seven Million Women and Girls Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) launched the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) Upskilling Initiative. This public-private endeavor supports sustainable and inclusive economic growt… Read more

 

Digital Skills for Inclusive Growth—Reaching the Hard-to-Reach in Southeast Asia

August 31, 2022

Blog Post

Now more than ever, Asia’s smallest businesses and entrepreneurs need to be online. This project has already trained nearly a quarter million.

Screenshot of Google blog on Go Digital ASEAN 

Google President for Asia Pacific Scott Beaumont Highlights Go Digital ASEAN Initiative

June 27, 2022

Media Coverage Post

Google blog The Keyword spotlights The Asia Foundation’s Go Digital ASEAN initiative in a piece written by Google’s President for the Asia Pacific, Scott Beaumont, on the company’s continued commitment to micro, small and medium enterprises in the Asia Pacific. The Go Digital ASEAN initiative broadens digital skills participation in 10 countries fo… Read more

 

“Go Digital ASEAN” Impact Summary Report: MSMEs, Job Seekers Benefit from Digital Skills Training

June 27, 2022

News Post

The ASEAN Coordinating Committee on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (ACCMSME) and The Asia Foundation released the Go Digital ASEAN Impact Summary Report today to mark this year’s international Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day (MSME) Day. Implemented in ten ASEAN Member States in 2021 and 2022, the US$3.3M “Go Digital ASEAN” public… Read more

Group photo of women entrepreneurs standing behind their work 

Accelerate Sulu Exhibit Showcases the Craftsmanship of Women Entrepreneurs

June 8, 2022

Program Snapshot Post

On May 26-28, Women entrepreneurs from Sulu joined a three-day exhibit in Manila, Anyam-Hablun: An Exhibition of Weaving Arts of Women of Sulu, to showcase their artistic creations. The exhibit is part of Accelerate Sulu: Women’s Entrepreneurship for Peace, an initiative to improve quality of life, increase employment opportunities, and promote ove… Read more

 

Go Digital ASEAN Highlighted at U.S.- ASEAN Special Summit

May 23, 2022

Media Coverage Post

The Foundation’s Go Digital ASEAN initiative was profiled at the U.S.-ASEAN Special Summit in Washington D.C. The summit underscored the importance of U.S.-ASEAN cooperation and included the 10-country regional initiative as key to increasing opportunities for education, training, and upskilling in Southeast Asia. Private Sector Initiatives: Leadin… Read more

Man training woman 

Go Digital ASEAN Develops Specialized Curricula for ASEAN Countries

May 4, 2022

Program Snapshot Post

Implemented by The Asia Foundation, with support from Google.org, Google’s philanthropic arm, the initiative trained over 225,000 people from rural regions and underserved communities—including entrepreneurs, underemployed youth, and women. Launched in June 2020, phase one of Go Digital ASEAN focused on closing the digital gap across ASEAN and was… Read more

 

Go Digital ASEAN Featured Across Local News Outlets in Southeast Asia

May 3, 2022

Media Coverage Post

The Go Digital ASEAN initiative has been profiled in over 87 media stories across Indonesia and Thailand. Notable local outlets include Antara News, Jakarta Globe, Bangkok Biz News, and Thai Fintech. In partnership with Google.org, the Go Digital ASEAN initiative is expanding digital literacy across Southeast Asia to unlock new economic opportuniti… Read more

 

Future Skills Alliance

April 22, 2022

Publication

Economic recovery in Asia post-Covid-19 will require businesses, governments, and nonprofits to collaborate to future-proof and re-skill people for new opportunities in the digital economy. Together with rapid digitalization and changes in the job market, Covid-19 created “double disruption” for workers across the region, with women, youth, and oth… Read more

 

Asia Foundation partners with AT&T and Visa to launch “Accelerate” in Malaysia and Indonesia

February 8, 2022

News Post

The Asia Foundation is collaborating with AT&T and Visa to launch the Accelerate program, an initiative that will help 6,000 women-led micro, small and medium-sized (MSMEs) enterprises in rural and remote communities gain practical skills to sustain and grow their business. In Malaysia, this initiative is fully endorsed and supported by the Min… Read more

Screenshot of the Financial Times live panel 

Financial Times ‘Digital Divide’ Panel Features Sofia Shakil

July 27, 2021

Media Coverage Post

The Asia Foundation’s Director for Economic Programs, Sofia Shakil, spoke at a July 22nd virtual webinar, “Strategies for Addressing the Asia-Pacific Digital Divide – Increasing Connectivity to Drive Economic Recovery,” organized by Financial Times. Examining the role of digital access strategies to reduce social inequality and drive post-pandemic… Read more

 

Eyeing Post-Covid Recovery, Malaysia’s Small Businesses Go Digital

June 23, 2021

Blog Post

In the baffling post-Covid economy, where bricks-and-mortar firms stand empty and laid-off workers and small entrepreneurs struggle for a livelihood, the importance of online business skills has skyrocketed.

 

Asia Foundation’s Go Digital ASEAN Initiative Highlighted in Interview with Google.org APAC Lead

May 20, 2021

Media Coverage Post

The Asia Foundation’s Go Digital ASEAN project and its activities in Singapore and Indonesia featured on Singapore’s Money FM 89.3 in a radio interview with Google.org’s APAC lead Marija Ralic. The digital literacy initiative spans Southeast Asia and will train up to 200,000 people in marginalized communities across the region. Listen to the segmen… Read more

a woman presents a slideshow to trainees outside 

Go Digital ASEAN: Free Digital Skills Training Now Open to 25,000 Filipinos through The Asia Foundation with Support from Google.org

Manila, May 6, 2021

News Post

Aiming to close the digital gap for 200,000 micro, small and medium business owners in Southeast Asia, The Asia Foundation, Pailig Development Foundation, Clevergrit Web Services, and Yoveo Digital, with support from Google.org, Google’s philanthropic arm, have teamed up to provide digital literacy training through the Go Digital ASEAN regional ini… Read more

 

The Future of Work for Women in the Pacific Islands

March 17, 2021

Blog Post

Working women in the Pacific Islands face a trifecta of challenges from Covid-19, climate change, and disruptive technology. A new report from The Asia Foundation takes a hard look at the path to a better future.

 

For International Women’s Day, Conversations with Some Remarkable Women

March 3, 2021

Blog Post

In honor of International Women’s Day, our hosts John Rieger and Tracie Yang celebrate some of the remarkable women we’ve met in the past year on the InAsia podcast.

 

The Future of Work for Women in the Pacific Islands

February 26, 2021

Publication

The Future of Work for Women in the Pacific Islands highlights challenges and opportunities women face in the context of the pandemic, climate change, and the imperatives of technology-led change. Across the Pacific there are pronounced gender disparities in labor market participation and the types and level of work women and men perform. Pacific w… Read more

 

Virtual Event – The Economist’s Technology for Change Week Asia

Singapore, March 8-12, 2021

Events Post

The Covid-19 pandemic alone has plunged over 490 million people back into poverty, magnifying inequalities around the world. How can Asia lead the world in harnessing the power of technology for change? The Asia Foundation is pleased to support The Economist’s inaugural Technology for Change Week Asia, a virtual summit bringing together 700+ leadin… Read more

 

The Fourth Industrial Revolution and the Future of Work: Implications for Asian Development Cooperation

January 26, 2021

Publication

Advanced technologies like automation have utterly transformed economies, livelihoods, labor markets, and workplaces throughout Asia. Hundreds of millions of laborers have been lifted out of poverty as new technology applications created new jobs and industries. At the same time, millions were left behind without access to vital technologies and in… Read more

 

The Best InAsia Podcasts and Posts of 2020

January 7, 2021

Blog Post

The year of the pandemic was a long, discontented winter that the glorious sun forgot. But it was a year we dug deep into the voices and ideas of our colleagues across Asia in our new InAsia Podcast.

 

The Asia Foundation Supports APEC Policy Brief on Women, Covid-19, and the Future of Work

January 4, 2021

News Post

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies are expecting severe economic repercussions from Covid-19. According to Women, Covid-19, and the Future of Work a new policy brief prepared by the APEC Policy Support Unit with the support of The Asia Foundation, women will face disproportionate impacts caused by the pandemic. The policy brief… Read more

Singapore 

Applications Open for YSEALI Workshop on Future Workforce

December 31, 2020

News Post

The Asia Foundation is inviting applications for the 2021 YSEALI Future Workforce Workshop implemented by the Foundation with the U.S. Embassy in Singapore. The Workshop, for students, entrepreneurs, and young professionals ages 20-35 from across ASEAN will be held virtually from May 16 to May 23, 2021. The virtual workshop will include a series of… Read more

 

Google and Alphabet CEO Highlights Go Digital ASEAN at Singapore FinTech Festival

December 8, 2020

Media Coverage Post

Sundar Pichai profiles the Go Digital ASEAN initiative at the 2020 Singapore FinTech Festival. Implemented by The Asia Foundation, with support from Google.org, the 10-country regional project equips micro and small enterprises and underemployed youth, particularly those in rural and isolated areas, with crucial digital skills and tools across the… Read more

 

Tech Solutions for Youth with Disabilities in Singapore

December 4, 2020

Program Snapshot Post

With support from Google.org, Google’s philanthropic arm, The Asia Foundation partnered with Engineering Good to engage with student teams from high schools and junior colleges to create simple, user-friendly solutions for youth with disabilities to improve their employability. Mentors from Google, Engineering Good, and local community partners gui… Read more

 

Manila Bulletin Spotlights Go Digital ASEAN

October 30, 2020

Media Coverage Post

Manila Bulletin highlights Go Digital ASEAN in a featured article by Google Philippines Country Director Bernadette Nacario on the nation’s new wave of internet users. The 10-country digital literacy initiative will train up to 200,000 people in marginalized communities across the region, 60 percent of them women. The Asia Foundation’s Go Digital A… Read more

 

How to Sell an Avocado on Facebook

October 28, 2020

Blog Post

The InAsia Podcast takes a field trip to northwestern Thailand, where a small farmer far from the big city learns about online marketing and how to tell the story of her unique avocados.

 

Center for Disaster Philanthropy Supports The Asia Foundation’s Covid-19 Response Efforts in Myanmar and Nepal

October 14, 2020

News Post

The Asia Foundation has received a grant from the Center for Disaster Philanthropy’s Covid-19 Response Fund to support vulnerable communities in Myanmar and Nepal impacted by Covid-19. Across Asia, vulnerable communities such as women, youth, small- and medium-sized business (SMB) owners, and returnee migrant workers continue to be critically impac… Read more

 

Podcast: Bulldozing ASEAN’s Digital Divide

September 2, 2020

Blog Post

Southeast Asia may be mad for social media, but peek behind the smartphone mania and the skills to get a job in the new economy or take a small business online are still in short supply. As the pandemic turns up the pressure to go digital, a new project from The Asia Foundation and Google.org is about to change that.

 

The Asia Foundation and H&M Foundation Support Women Garment Workers in Bangladesh

September 1, 2020

News Post

The Asia Foundation has joined the H&M Foundation in a new partnership to coordinate immediate disaster relief for female garment workers in Bangladesh who have been impacted by Covid-19. In addition, through this partnership The Asia Foundation and the H&M Foundation are working to address the longer-term needs, welfare, and livelihoods of… Read more

 

The Future of Work: Another Storm on the Horizon for Thailand

August 19, 2020

Blog Post

Thailand has managed the pandemic with aplomb, and economic activity has begun to rebound, but like an invisible ocean tide, signs are emerging that Thailand is in the early stages of a far-reaching economic crisis.

Man training woman 

Go Digital ASEAN Impacting 4000 Youth and MSMEs in Brunei

August 4, 2020

Program Snapshot Post

Go Digital ASEAN will deliver training to 4,000 micro-entrepreneurs and underemployed youth in Brunei, including those from ethnic minorities and those with disabilities. The program addresses Brunei’s rising unemployment rate and expands economic opportunity to minimize the negative impacts of Covid-19. On July 16, The Asia Foundation held a count… Read more

 

Jobs and Small Businesses in the New Normal

July 22, 2020

Blog Post

In a still-locked-down Asia-Pacific, the world of work is becoming a world of screens. The digital economy can be a lifeline for both workers and small businesses as they struggle with Covid-19 and the future of work, but prosperity for all will require a delicate balancing act.

 

Go Digital ASEAN Launches in Brunei

July 20, 2020

Media Coverage Post

Biz Brunei, The Star, The Scoop, and Borneo Bulletin profiles the Go Digital ASEAN initiative’s national launch event in Brunei. Go Digital ASEAN is a regional initiative implemented by The Asia Foundation with the support of Google.org bringing digital integration and literacy to underserved communities including underemployed youth workers. The S… Read more

 

The Asia Foundation Supports APEC on “Covid-19, 4IR and the Future of Work” Policy Brief

July 6, 2020

News Post

Covid-19 is an unprecedented public health crisis that has led to staggering losses in economic activity and jobs. The pandemic will accelerate the adoption of automation by firms and organizations across the region, according to a new policy brief prepared by the APEC Policy Support Unit with the support of The Asia Foundation, titled Covid-19, 4I… Read more

 

Nikkei Asian Review Highlights Go Digital ASEAN

June 30, 2020

Media Coverage Post

Nikkei Asian Review features The Asia Foundation and the Go Digital ASEAN initiative in an op-ed written by President of Google Asia Pacific Scott Beaumont. Third, in places where there are intractable digital access gaps that need special attention, we should put in place more targeted programs to rebalance the scales. The Asia Foundation — with… Read more

Man training woman 

ASEAN and The Asia Foundation, with Support from Google.org, Collaborate to Equip 200,000 Micro and Small Enterprises with Digital Skills and Tools Amidst the Covid-19 Crisis

San Francisco, June 22, 2020

News Post

The ASEAN Coordinating Committee on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (ACCMSME) and The Asia Foundation have come together, to launch the Go Digital ASEAN initiative. Supported by a USD3.3m grant from Google.org, the initiative is designed to equip micro and small enterprises as well as underemployed youth, particularly those in rural and isolate… Read more

 

Thomson Reuters Spotlights Digital Gap for Women-Led Microbusinesses

May 14, 2020

Media Coverage Post

A Thomson Reuters Foundation feature article, “Digital lifeline for women running Asia’s small businesses,” examines digital access for marginalized groups across Southeast Asia, facing financial pressures long before Covid-19. Go Digital ASEAN is a new digital literacy initiative supported by Google.org, Google’s philanthropic arm, to train up to… Read more

a woman in blue uses a cell phone in her house 

Southeast Asia’s Microbusinesses Go Digital to Compete

May 13, 2020

Blog Post

Covid-19 in Southeast Asia is hitting small, mom-and-pop businesses particularly hard. As other enterprises move online to survive, can the region’s microentrepreneurs compete without digital tools? It will be a challenge.

 

The Future of Work Across ASEAN

February 27, 2020

Publication

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) presents a variety of opportunities and challenges for the ASEAN region. With support from Microsoft, The Asia Foundation led a regional research program examining the challenges confronting ASEAN policymakers in the face of 4IR transformations and provided recommendations for how stakeholders can work togethe… Read more

 

Insider Briefing: Navigating the Future of Work in the Asia-Pacific

Wednesday, November 18, 2020

Events Post

This conversation will examine how COVID-19 has hastened digitalization and technological innovation in labor markets, jeopardizing the livelihoods of many Asia-Pacific workers and increasing the need for dynamic, market-aligned upskilling and reskilling. Featuring John Karr, Senior Director, Technology Programs, The Asia Foundation Oliver Petzold,… Read more

 

Industrial Revolution 4.0 and the Future of Work: Implications for Asian Development Cooperation

December 26, 2019

Publication

Organized jointly by the Korea Development Institute School of Public Policy and Management and The Asia Foundation, the “Asian Approaches to Development Cooperation” (AADC) dialogue series brings together development experts and government officials from the Asia region and beyond to share perspectives and to facilitate mutual learning between and… Read more

 

Asia Foundation Launches “Accelerate Women’s Entrepreneurship Program” in Shanghai

Beijing, March 17, 2019

News Post

Today marks the launch of the inaugural class of The Asia Foundation’s “Accelerate Women’s Entrepreneurship: Supporting Migrant Women-Owned Businesses” program in Shanghai, China. This program is part of Moody’s Reshape Tomorrow™ initiative, an innovative global program to help owners of small and growing businesses and made possible by a gr… Read more

 

How Mobile Tech is Making Migration More Secure and Less Costly

May 9, 2018

Blog Post

For millions of Nepali workers who have gone overseas for work in recent years, smartphones have become a crucial tool for navigating the highly complex and risky process of international migration. Yet despite this widespread smartphone usage, there remain serious information gaps between those seeking to migrate and the providers of important ser… Read more