Improving Livelihood on Bangka Island

Samsung Smart Learning Class providing coding classes

Located east of Sumatra, Bangka Island and a neighboring island are the world’s largest producers of tin – a vital component in electronics devices including mobile phones. Despite the island’s rich natural and mineral resources, illegal and hazardous mining practices have threatened the environment, with residents of Bangka Island challenged with various health risks.

KangHyun Lee, Vice President of Samsung Electronics Indonesia, breaking ground in front of beneficiary house

In partnership with Samsung Electronics, Habitat for Humanity Indonesia will implement a three-year community revitalization program in two Bangka Island communities. In Penagan village, new homes will be built for over 100 families, and better access to clean water and proper sanitation will be provided to 200 additional families. 300 people will receive training in basic construction, water and sanitation, and financial education, and 100 people will receive job and vocational training. In the Opas Indah village, a high-tech Samsung Smart Library will be constructed for the use of students and the community, where various training courses will also regularly be held. This project is in line with the local government initiative, the Adopting Social / Underserved Village (ADES) program, to enhance the quality of life of citizens.

“As a global corporate citizen, Samsung Electronics is committed to solving social problems through our technology and innovation,” said Soojin Kim, Vice President for Global Public Affairs at Samsung Electronics. “This partnership with Habitat for Humanity will lead us to actively participate in solving community challenges in Bangka Island, triggered by tin mining, by providing affordable and clean housing as well as digital education and technical trainings opportunities.”

Ongoing Commitment

Samsung Smart Library in Rowosari Village built with Habitat for Humanity

Since 2013, Samsung Electronics has been a member of the Tin Working Group (TWG), a voluntary multi-stakeholder initiative to address responsible tin mining issues in the Bangka-Belitung region. Samsung will continue to work with Habitat for Humanity to improve housing and hygiene and provide access to digital education in the area, with the project to roll out for the next three years, with a special USD 750,000 fund mobilized by the Samsung Electronics’ Employee Donation Fund. As part of the program, Samsung is currently supporting health and safety education programs for artisanal miners in the region.

“Education is essential to all of humankind. Children, as the next generation, must be able to study and be provided all the resources possible to succeed. We appreciate Samsung’s commitment to partner with Habitat Indonesia and support low income families in Bangka Island,” said David Andre Ardhani, National Director of Habitat for Humanity Indonesia.

David Gabriel Ardhani, National Director of Habitat for Humanity Indonesia(Left), H. Fery Insani, Secretary of Bangka Regency(Centre), and KangHyun Lee, Vice President of Samsung Electronics Indonesia(right), breaking ground

Samsung Electronics and Habitat for Humanity have partnered together since 2013, supporting various projects in seven countries including Vietnam and Nepal. Earlier this year, Samsung and Habitat for Humanity completed a community development project in Rowosari village, Central Java, Indonesia which saw the construction of a Samsung Smart Library, community hall and the repair of 31 houses.

About Habitat for Humanity

Driven by the vision that everyone needs a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity began in 1976 as a grassroots effort. The Christian housing organization has since grown to become a leading global nonprofit working in more than 70 countries. In the Asia-Pacific region since 1983, Habitat for Humanity has supported more than 2.4 million people to build or improve a place they can call home. Through financial support, volunteering or adding a voice to support affordable housing, everyone can help families achieve the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build better lives for themselves. Through shelter, we empower. To learn more, donate or volunteer, visit habitat.org/asiapacific.

Samsung has been working closely with HFHI since 2013 and looks forward to continuing its efforts with HFHI to provide assistance to communities across the world. From launching Samsung Solar Powered Internet School in South Africa and Zambia, to building and renovating houses for hundreds of families all around the world, Samsung accomplished a myriad of successful projects its strong partnership with HFHI.

Part of the SamsungCare program, the ‘Building Homes and Community for Hope’ campaign seeks to improve the quality of life through better access to education and local facilities. The campaign saw the construction of a Samsung Smart Library, a community function hall and maintenance and repairs of 31 local residences. SamsungCare program also provides Rowosari citizens the opportunity for digital education, opening new doors for the community.

The community center was equipped with 18 Samsung Galaxy A tablets, internet connectivity, and a 50 inch Samsung television, along with comfortable seating for 50. The new community center facilitates easy access to digital books, internet access, or any other activity one might seek with the new tech at their disposal. The community center also offers a space for a local woman’s group to train female youth in essential skills needed to be more competitive in the workforce.

Kanghyun Lee, Vice President of Corporate Affairs at Samsung Electronics Indonesia, noted “At Samsung, success is not only measured by business achievement, but also from how well we serve the community and make a difference in people’s lives through our Corporate Citizenship programs. We hope that the people of Rowosari will take advantage of the facilities and technologies we provided and launched today, to be more productive and have happier lives.”

31 families were provided comfortable homes that meet global standards set by HFH Indonesia. Such standards ensure proper construction methods, access to adequate amounts of clean water, modern sanitation, as well as a set minimum space. Choosing the location was done through close consultation with local authorities, as well as input from local communities. Taking great pride in the development of their own community, the Rowosari Villagers were very engaged throughout the process.

Providing education to promote future independent growth and development is essential to all Samsung CSR activities. Thus, Samsung and HFHI also provided basic construction technique training, as well as digital education through the Samsung Smart Library, to ensure the changes the program brought to the community will continue moving forward.

The partnership, first established in 2013, sees Samsung provide housing support, water, sanitation and education support in countries where Habitat operates.

As part of the deep-reaching and impactful Samsung-Habitat collaboration, house construction efforts have borne fruit in Egypt and South Africa, while in Vietnam in 2014, ICT classrooms with thirty computers were built for two schools, while refurbishment was carried out at three schools and water sanitization projects completed at two more.

Meanwhile, in Zambia, the project has seen houses built, as well as an innovative Solar Powered Internet School.

Samsung and Habitat are currently constructing 50 houses in Argentina, in addition to a community center. Houses were also built in Vietnam, while in Kenya, new technology using interlocking stabilized soil blocks was put to use in the building of a school.

You can take a look at some of the places that Samsung and Habitat’s emotion-filled journey has taken its many participants to thus far in the gallery below:

Republic of South Africa

A Solar Powered Internet School

In 2013, Samsung built the Solar Powered Internet School in a village in South Africa, allowing students from neighboring towns to enjoy a tech-rich education experience.

Building Residential Homes

Samsung and Habitat built 28 houses in Pelican Park, a new settlement north of Cape Town, South Africa. Construction began in July 2013 to mark Nelson Mandela International Day, and was completed in January 2014. A group of Samsung employees participated in the five-month building program.

Vietnam  

Digital Classrooms

A group of Samsung employees went to the Vietnamese town of Phuc Thuan in 2014. They set up three digital classrooms equipped with thirty PCs with monitors and a digital display. The project was part of an effort to offer ICT education to students from three schools including Phuc Thuan High School. After construction was completed, Samsung employees continued to pay regular visits, acting as teachers for a day, educating students and performing IT maintenance.

Constructing Homes

Samsung employees paid a visit to Khe Sanh, a village in Vietnam, in August 2014. They worked with residents over a period of two days to build six homes.

A Kindergarten for the Community

When Samsung employees visited Thuy Hoa, a village in Vietnam in August, 2014, they performed a large-scale building renovation. They also fully furnished the interior, resulting in a kindergarten with a capacity of 300 children.

Zambia  

Children’s Hygiene Education Scheme

In 2014, Samsung employees travelled to Makululu, a village in Zambia, as part of a hygiene education program. The sessions saw them demonstrate to residents the way that micro-organisms work.

Homes for the Residents

Samsung employees took part in a building project in Makululu, a village in Zambia in 2014. The effort saw 13 houses constructed for village residents.

Wall-painting in a School

Samsung employees went to Nyama, a village in Zambia in 2015. They painted a vivid mural for an elementary school.

Building Schools and Homes

Samsung employees conducted a geological survey in Nyama, a village in Zambia in 2015. Construction of a school and homes for residents is slated for completion by the end of 2016.

Argentina

Home Building

Samsung volunteers built a seed house in Bueno Aires, Argentina, in 2015.

Since 2015, Samsung has been working on a construction project in Nanum Village, Gran Chaco, Argentina. The company will complete the construction of 50 new homes at the site by December 2016. In 2015, Samsung carried out a construction survey for a water collection system at the site.