PT XL Axiata Tbk : XL Axiata Donates Laptops to Islamic Boarding Schools in Central Java to Support Digital Village

Yogyakarta, April 14, 2022.PT XL Axiata Tbk (XL Axiata) Management initiatively donates laptops to be distributed to Islamic boarding schools in Klaten, Central Java. Donations are made to manifest the enhancement of digitalization, including increasing digital literacy, among rural communities. The selected Islamic boarding school which is receiving the donation is expected to become a pioneer of digitalization on that village. In addition this program to carry out social actions in the Holy Month of Ramadan, XL Axiata also distributed dozens of food packages to the Ma'Arif Islamic Boarding School, NU Ta'limul Qur'an Trucuk Klaten, Central Java. Director & Chief Strategic Transformation Officer of XL Axiata, Yessie D. Yosetya together with Chief Human Capital Officer of XL Axiata, M. Hira Kurnia symbolically handed over a laptop donation in Yogyakarta, Wednesday (13/4).

XL Axiata's Central Region Group Head, Bambang Parikesit, said, "XL Axiata's 4G data network infrastructure continues to expand throughout Indonesia, some of which also reach rural areas. Along with this, we hope to be able to participate in encouraging the increase in digital literacy of rural communities, including also supporting digitalization among Islamic boarding schools. Currently, XL Axiata is targeting Islamic boarding schools to accept programs to increase digital literacy so that they can become drivers of the digital economy in rural areas."

According to Bambang, Islamic boarding schools and the rural communities need to adapt to the increasingly massive digitalization in various fields, including in the economic and social sectors, as well as in the area of public services. Digital literacy that continues to increase will be very beneficial for rural communities. It can hopefully increase productivity, as well as access to public services, such as education, health, social services. Donations of laptops and XL Axiata internet access facilities were distributed to various rural communities as part of XL Axiata's commitment in preparing rural communities to be ready in entering digital era.

The receiver of donation was the IT Ma'Arif NU Ta'limul Qur'an Islamic Boarding School. It has been established since 1989, is located in Sudimoro, Puluhan Village, Trucuk District, Klaten Regency, Central Java. There are at least around 80 students who study in this Islamic boarding school managed by the Ta'limul Qur'an Foundation. One of the empowerment of the villages community held by this pesantren is Semaan Qur'an which involves residents around the lodge and regularly conducts Islamic studies with the guardians of students alongside local residents.

In addition to laptops, XL Axiata also provides routers and free internet access facilities of 20GB every month for one year to recipients of donations. In fact, they will also receive several trainings of digital skills, those are how to use social media for product promotion, photography, and create effective digital content, as the continuation of Digitalization program. Last year, XL Axiata collaborated with Benihbaik.com in distributing the donations.

Nationally, XL Axiata has also distributed donations of more than 50 laptop units to dozens of Islamic boarding schools in Central Java, West Java, East Java, South Sumatra, Gorontalo, to West Nusa Tenggara. It does not stop here, after Ramadan, laptop donations to Islamic boarding schools will be continued to other Islamic boarding schools which are also spread across the islands of Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, West Nusa Tenggara, to Sulawesi.

The improvement digital literacy program that XL Axiata has conducted for rural communities includes the implementation of the Nusantara Sea application for fishing towards communities in various provinces. In addition, through the Sisternet program, various trainings on the use of digital technology have been carried out to increase the productivity of rural communities at USO network locations and fisherman villages. Digital literacy is also given to women that are managing UMKM. Meanwhile, through the Quota Donation Movement, XL Axiata facilitates internet and data access for rural communities that need support to increase productivity.

Food Package Donation

To coincide with the Safari Ramadan activity by the management and employees of XL Axiata, around 500 food packages were distributed to Islamic boarding schools in several cities in Indonesia. Especially in Klaten, Central Java, 65 packages were distributed. The distribution of food packages is one of the way to enhance the relationship between XL Axiata and society located in Central Java, DIY, and West Java in general.

"After all, we have been part of the DIY and Central Java communities since about 20 years ago. For this reason, we need to maintain the relationship, both in the form of providing the best telecommunications and data services, as well as through social programs like this. We hope that we will continue to support DIY to Central Java through various opportunities according to our of ​​expertise field, including the increasing of digital literacy for people to remote rural areas."

Currently, throughout DIY and Central Java, XL Axiata is operating network infrastructure manifested of more than 20 thousand BTS, including more than 9 thousand 4G BTS, to accommodate the services for around 6.8 million customers. Especially for the Special Region of Yogyakarta, XL Axiata operates more than 2,900 BTS, including more than 1,300 4G BTS.