This is what the trainees of “Grannies, grandpas and smartphone” asked to teach them first. Dozens of Kazakhstan pensioners created the accounts in social networks for the first time, learnt to take a selfie and created WhatsApp groups using smartphones and map-cases. Moreover, despite their age all grandparents quickly and easily adapted to the digital environment. The Digital Life Project by Kcell Company helped thousands of Kazakhstan citizens to become acquainted with the benefits of smartphones and learn to work with mobile applications.
Such a wide-scale project was conducted from June to December 2015 and was implemented by Kcell in partnership with E-event Agency. More than 150 training sessions and workshops for all social groups including students and pensioners were held in 16 cities of Kazakhstan. Representatives of Business, Culture, Education, experts and ordinary people had the opportunity to get necessary skills for working with mobile applications selecting any of the 12 topics they were trained. “Mobile Media”, “Mobile applications for Beginners”, “Mobile Security”, “Mobile Health”, “Mobile Government”, “Mobile Applications for Education”, “Mobile Applications for cultural society”, “Mobile Applications for Business” are only part of the trainings taken by more than 4 thousand of Kazakhstanis.
According to Natalya Eskova, Kcell Corporate Communications Manager “Mobile Internet is becoming very popular in Kazakhstan. We prefer sending congratulations via instant messengers and social networks even in the New Year’s Eve. The penetration of smartphones is growing rapidly. However, despite this fact, a huge number of mobile users is still using old types of mobile phones. They are seen behind “digital barrier”. Thus, the goal of the Digital Life Project is to shorten this barrier and help all who would like to be a part of this world to get a great opportunity for personal and professional development which is achievable via smartphones and mobile applications. We are happy that our Project is appreciated by its participants and hope that our trainings will help them to get a bright, saturated and interesting life”.
The Mobile Applications for Education Training was given to more than 400 students out of 19 medical universities and high schools in 16 Kazakhstan cities. They studied at online universities, found out more about applications on Math, Chemistry and Biology. Aizhan Surumbayeva, a student of Astana Medical University, interested in the application on Anatomy. She could not even imagine that there were mobile applications with such precise anatomical 3D models in Latin, Russian and English, which can be used on the smartphone.
Mobile Applications for the Ladies Training was attended by girls and their mothers. Anastasia Vova from Aktau is sharing her impressions about this training. “We were so glad to learn many new things, for example, we could save our family expenses better now using smartphone applications. I have been using the smartphone for quite a long time but anyway I found a lot of useful information. I am happy that my Mom is on the topic with me and she is fully aware about useful information as well as her phone is full of new applications now”, said Anastasya.
The Mobile Media Training for journalists and bloggers took place in 12 cities of Kazakhstan and was attended by 254 people in total. They were taught how to use their smartphones and map-cases, to mount videofiles, to make longrid and to retouch photos. “Novation is always good.. And if a journalist can create stories with a help of smartphone is even better. This is the best way to deliver emotions and increase their efficiency, and interact with the audience” – said Zaur Oralbaeva, editor in chief of Otyrar TV Channel.
It is worth noting that Digital Life was recommended to many of the participants by their friends who had already attended the courses. For example, Nina D. Pavenko specially arrived in Ust-Kamenogorsk City from Kurchatov the Mobile Government training in Ust-Kamenogorsk from her home-town Kurchatov. “Thank you for this training. I am 65 and I think this is very necessary and useful information. I will be using e-gov application from now “, – says Nina Dmitrievna.
The students of Mobile Applications For Health Course were trained to use cardiographs, to develop a calendar of health, use of calorie counters, chart medication, and even how to find affordable medications. So this course gathered 322 people in 15 cities of our country, the average age of participants was 30 years.
A special pride of the organizers of the Digital Life Project is a project called “Grannies, grandpas and smartphone”. 60 people at the age of 50 plus started using smartphone for the first time. This part of the Project was held in 6 cities – Almaty, Astana, Karaganda, Shymkent, Atyrau and Aktau. The task was to teach people at the age of 50 plus to easily use smartphones and overcome so-called “digital barriers” giving them a knowledge of all benefits of modern mobile technologies for living a life full of bright communications. Therefore, grannies and grandpas were trained many useful things such as smartphone installation, Google Play and AppStore usage, and etc. The next step was instruction on opening e-mail and social media accounts for using instant messengers and social networks. The audience of this special course was introduced with applications for health and leisure such as movies, chess, dating services, etc. A 82-year-old Sara Nurdubayeva created her account at the Odnoklassniki social network and found friends. Aktau pensioner Lina Ivanovna, who is at the same age as Sara Nurdubayeva, shot her first self-made video and even posted it on Youtube. And Nina Leonova from Karaganda is now easily communicating with his grandson through messengers and can quickly find the instructions for knitting.
Kcell plans to continue this Project in 2016 which is highly appreciated by Kazakhstan people.