KUALA LUMPUR – Forest Interactive’s #SapotLokal and #DukungBisnisKecil corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives this Ramadan champion communities in the Klang Valley and the northern coast area of Jakarta, in the lead up to Eid al-Fitr.
The negative impact on mom-and-pop businesses, small business owners, and underserved communities due to government-imposed restrictions this year pushed the developer of scalable mobile platforms to spearhead both CSR undertakings in the countries where its headquarters and second largest global office is located, Malaysia and Indonesia.
The largest joint effort yet of Forest Interactive and its talents began from the first day of Ramadan to the very last weekend, right before the Malaysian government announced a countrywide Movement Control Order.
The CSR initiatives, backed by Forest Interactive Foundation, include:
1. A buy-local, give-back campaign, titled #SapotLokal, where Forest Interactive sought out mom-and-pop shops (kedai-kedai runcit) around the Kampung Datuk Keramat area in Kuala Lumpur right before the city saw restrictions from the Movement Control Order on May 7, 2021. RM20,000 was allocated to purchase daily necessities from these shops, for five orphanages in the Gombak, Setapak, and Ampang areas, as well as to provide furnishings and facilitate household repairs for the orphanages throughout the Islamic month of Syawal.
2. Similar to #SapotLokal, the #DukungBisnisKecil campaign saw Forest Interactive Indonesia seeking out mom-and-pop shops (warung-warung) to purchase daily necessities worth approximately RM7,500, for more than 90 families in the fishing village of Cilincing in North Jakarta, distributed on May 6, 2021. This project is also a continuation of Forest Interactive Indonesia’s #Internet4Education initiative last year, when the company helped provide internet access to facilitate at-home learning for the students in the same village.
3. An internal fundraising campaign, titled #IftarRamadan4Syria, kicked off the Ramadan spirit of giving among Forest Interactive talents all over the world. Through generous donations and funds raised from selling donated pre-loved items, Forest Interactive successfully raised RM1,535. Funds were donated to Cinta Syria Malaysia (CSM) to provide iftar meal packages and Raya clothing to Syrian refugees in Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan from April 28 to May 12, 2021.
“We believe in doing well by doing good. In these tumultuous times, with orders for businesses to roll down their shutters and pack up their stalls, many around us are struggling to make ends meet,” said Johary Mustapha, Founder & CEO of Forest Interactive. “Our business may be digital-first, but giving back to the community offline and putting in the efforts on-ground are just as important to us – if not more.”
“As a member of the United Nations Global Compact, it is part of our commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that with every stride we take, we are upholding and building towards equity and inclusion in our surrounding communities,” said Sheena Pimentel, Head of Corporate PR at Forest Interactive. “What truly makes these initiatives special is how they support different communities — independent contractors, skilled tradesmen, local orphanages – and help with their livelihoods during this time.”
Phase 1: Supporting local shops by buying their goods
Phase 2: Supporting orphanages by donating the goods
Phase 3: Supporting independent contractors and skilled tradesmen in the locality by hiring them for plumbing, electrical, and carpentry work for the same orphanages, helping with fixtures and home improvement
“These orphanages provide a safe home for children, and some also care for single mothers,” continued Sheena. “To be able to improve the space where the children create memories, mold their childhood and prepare them for adulthood is a rewarding experience for our volunteers and the local businesses we partnered with.”
The #SapotLokal beneficiaries are children and residents of Rumah Perlindungan Al Nasuha, Pertubuhan Pendidikan Anak-Anak Yatim Selangor, Rumah Penyayang Nur Iman, Persatuan Kebajikan Rumah Perlindungan Teratak Nur Insan Kuala Lumpur Dan Selangor (NURI), and Rumah Kasih Nurul Hasanah.
Through these Ramadan CSR initiatives, Forest Interactive and the Foundation have met SDGs 1, 2, 3, and 10: No Poverty, Zero Hunger, Good Health and Well-Being, as well as Reduced Inequalities.
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About Forest Interactive (as of May 2021)
Forest Interactive develops scalable mobile platforms that enable mobile operators and content providers to build enriched customer experiences with highly-customizable and easy-to-use platforms. With over a decade of industry experience, Forest Interactive has expanded to include a workforce of 28 nationalities in 17 regional offices and 35 operating countries, providing innovative and comprehensive solutions to over 90 mobile operators and over 120 content partners with the capacity to reach 1.4 billion subscribers worldwide.
For more information, please visit forest-interactive.com.
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Media Contacts:
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