ICDL Arabia, certification authority of the ICDL certificate programme, and HSBC Bank Middle East have collaborated for the fourth consecutive year to train 114 children from Dubai and Sharjah on fundamental digital skills.

The latest edition of the ICDL Summer Camps will empower underprivileged youth with essential computer skills and cyber safety, enabling them to earn international certificates on the same.

The camp activities have already kicked off and will continue until August 27 as part of the annual regional ICDL summer camps, which were launched recently locally and regionally, with the aim to provide young people with basic skills to use the computer and learn how to safely use smart devices and social networks.

This camp is funded by HSBC Bank in a joint effort with the ICDL to reach groups with limited income, especially young people, and increase their awareness about the importance of the safe use of the internet. The collaboration between the two parties has trained 570 boys and girls to date.

The UAE Red Crescent has been one of the main parties involved in the camp in the last 3 years. This year it has once again extended its cooperation by providing the names of boys and girls to be enrolled.

For the first time, 64 boys and girls will be participating from Dubai. Moreover, the Social Services Department of the Government of Sharjah has provided excellent support for the event by opening up its computer labs to be used for training and testing the two girls and boys groups of Red Crescent Sharjah.

Jamil Ezzo, director general of ICDL Arabia, said: “ICDL camps have been very successful for the past 14 years in the region and we appeal to socially responsible companies to support such initiatives. There is a need to increase digital literacy among young people and prepare them to face all challenges and threats lurking in the cyber world. We seek, through the annual ICDL summer camps, to achieve these desired goals of supporting and promoting awareness for digital efficiency to ensure equal opportunities for young people across the region.”

Sabrin Rahman, senior manager – Corporate Sustainability at HSBC Bank Middle East, said: “Our cooperation with ICDL for the fourth year in a row comes in the context of our relentless pursuit to support all initiatives aimed at giving young people the necessary digital skills and raise awareness on e-Safety. As in every year, we aim to support the 2015 ICDL summer camps to promote the digital competence of young people and improve the competitive capabilities that they enjoy to help ensure that the next generation will have basic digital skills and knowledge.”

The funding from HSBC Bank covers the transportation to and from the homes of camp for all kids as well as food and beverages. The summer camp will conclude with the distribution of gifts to all participants and awards for outstanding performance during the graduation ceremony. Booklets containing tips for the safe use of the web will also be distributed. – TradeArabia News Service