The Turkish logo for the anti-cyberbullying project reads: “Don’t be a cyberbully! #beaware”

What is Cyberbullying?

The term cyberbullying can encompass a range of unpleasant actions that take place online, from gossip and exclusion to harassment and threats. Cyberbullying is carried out deliberately by individuals or groups and can cause serious psychological – and even physical – harm.

The collaboration between Samsung and BTK aims to heighten awareness of cyberbullying amongst the public and spearhead education initiatives for children, parents and teachers.

Raising Awareness

In the first stage of the project, a compelling film was created to show the effects of cyberbullying on young people and launch the message: “Don’t be a cyberbully!” A social media campaign followed, which encouraged large numbers of people to share the message, alongside the hashtag “#beaware”.

Cyberbullying leaflet for children (left), Cyberbullying leaflet for parents

Participants also replaced their profile pictures with a black square on their on social media accounts to draw further attention to the issue of cyberbullying. In addition, the project published two leaflets about cyberbullying, written by Dr. Emel Akca, a professor from Kocaeli University. One leaflet was designed for children, another for their parents.

Fighting Bullying Online

As part of Samsung’s Global Volunteer Festival, employees from Samsung Electronics Turkey were involved in face-to-face training sessions with over 200 local children and their parents this year, helping them to understand the effects of online behavior and social media use on young minds. Now in its second year, the initiative has thus far involved over 200 employees, and has reached more than 9,000 students and teachers.

Samsung volunteers hope to give children and parents the tools to prevent cyberbullying with face-to-face training

For the children, the training introduced the concept of cyberbullying and helped them to discuss the impact that cyberbullying has on their lives. Other key topics, such as time management and navigating the internet safely, were also explained. Samsung volunteers also took the time to sit down with the children in their own lives to explain practical methods for preventing and dealing with cyberbullying. With strong emphasis on empathy and ethical behavior online, it is hoped that children themselves will become key ambassadors for the anti-cyberbullying message.

Samsung volunteer Bilgin Baykam talks to a child about cyberbullying at home

During the parents’ seminar, the volunteers addressed important concerns, such as supervising internet access and usage, as well as introducing techniques that could help parents and families cope with cyberbullying. Parents were also encouraged to examine their own internet usage to help them guide their children in being more conscientious online.

This year, over 12,000 Samsung volunteers in more than 30 countries across the world have been involved in Samsung’s Global Volunteer Festival. The Volunteer Festival works with local community members and non-profit organizations to support a variety of projects in different regions.

Samsung Colombia volunteers present a fun and interactive lesson on technology, using puppets to explain the Internet of Things

On a bright day in October, Andres and his classmates took part in a rather different kind of lesson at his school. As part of Samsung’s Global Volunteer Festival, Samsung employees arrived to teach students about the Internet of Things (IoT). While Andres had heard of IoT technology, he was not sure what it could mean for him. He was excited to learn more.

As an industry leader, the company is aware of the importance of training tomorrow’s innovators in new skills. Using puppets to tell an engaging story, volunteers from Samsung Colombia introduced the children of San Francisco de Asís to cutting-edge technologies, including the IoT.

Throughout the lesson, the children were encouraged to ask questions, and Andres’ friend David, seated in the front row, was particularly attentive, enquiring how IoT devices could help him. He wondered what would happen if something as simple as a notebook was connected to the internet.

Curious students were encouraged to raise their hands and ask questions during the lesson

At the end of the story, the children were encouraged to reflect on what life would be like if things like a suitcase, clothes or tennis shoes were connected to the Internet and how it might make their lives even easier. They were asked what kind of objects they would connect to the IoT.

Working in groups, the children discuss their ideas about the IoT

Together, Andres and his friends imagined what it would be like if a tennis racquet was intelligent and connected to the internet. This racquet would sense their movements and measure how well they played every time they used it. It would suggest better moves, training activities, and even send a reminder to their phones whenever they miss tennis training. The racquet would also use fingerprints to sense if it was Andres or another of his friends who was using it. Additionally, a connected tennis ball could help Andres know how fast he was hitting it and follow the trajectory of the ball to monitor and improve his tennis.

In this entertaining and dynamic way, Samsung volunteers were able to teach hundreds of children of San Francisco de Asís about the new opportunities presented by IoT technology and how connected living can improve our day-to-day lives. The team was also delighted to participate in this type of social initiative and share their work with children like Andres.

A volunteer from Samsung helps these imaginative young minds design their own IoT devices

“The experience of being with children and sharing time with them makes a big difference to a normal working day. It brings great satisfaction to give back in this way. We volunteers also learn from the students: witnessing children as they naturally develop their creativity, helps you reconnect with your inner child.”, says David Setton, a volunteer of Samsung Electronics Colombia.

After the lesson, Andres was excited to tell his mother about his experience, He explained to her what the IoT is and how he and his friends had devised a new IoT product during the lesson. Andres was thrilled with the opportunities presented by this new technology. The lesson confirmed that in the future he wants to help as many people as possible with IoT technology.

This project is also a part of the annual Samsung Global Volunteer Festival held in October, a broader approach for Samsung employees to positively impact communities around them.

Technology has heralded an age in which everyone has access to education. It doesn’t matter what your nationality is, you still have the ability to learn—whether you’re a student learning something new or a teacher trying to improve the quality of the classes they teach. Technology helps to close gaps in learning and reduces intolerance as people become more exposed to other cultures. It also encourages the whole world to be more curious and open.

Inspired by this, SELA employees organized an event that would celebrate Samsung’s 2018 Global Volunteer Festival. To promote cultural harmony and inclusion among public schools, they formed an initiative called “eSTEMos Juntos” (Let’s be together!), which would teach children and youths how to incorporate STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) in their day-to-day lives.

Volunteers in action in Costa Rica (left) and Guatemala (right)

Volunteers equipped with Samsung Galaxy tablets and STEM interactive educational tools were positioned at four stations in each participating school. At each station the children would engage in fun and dynamic activities to learn about the cultural diversity of Latin America and the importance of inclusion.

SELA volunteers in Ecuador, Dominican Republic, Panama, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Costa Rica conducted educational and interactive MiniLabs, which instructed and engaged around 700 youths from public schools in disadvantaged areas.

The Panama team getting ready to start work

In one part of the program, there was a station for Rich Musical Rhythms, which gave students the opportunity to explore the musical rhythms of different regions. It also encouraged the children to compose music using a combination of traditional instruments and the digital instruments available on Samsung tablets.

Volunteers teaching music to students in Guatemala (top) and Costa Rica (bottom)

There was another station for History and Geography, which consisted of a memory game using an app designed for the activity. This allowed children to test their knowledge about the diversity of geographical sites and learn about the rich cultural pasts of different countries.

Costa Rica (left) and Panama (right) volunteers explaining an activity

The third station was set up for Traditional Games, which encouraged the children to play games from other nationalities and regions. Volunteers and students would select a traditional game from their country to play and have some fun. Then, they would explain how to play the game by creating a short video with the tablets. The idea was to share all of these games with students who were also participating in “eSTEMos Juntos” in other countries.

The final station was Electrical Circuit Creation. This station was dedicated to teaching students one of the fundamental principles of technology—how electricity works. Students learned about the seemingly magical world of electricity and how to create electrical circuits with clay and cables.

Volunteers taught children how to set up simple electrical circuits, short circuits, parallel circuits, and series circuits. They also assured the children that they could be part of the technology industry regardless of their background—all they had to do was learn.

Children creating electrical circuits in Costa Rica (left) and Nicaragua (right)

The day ended in high spirits and there was a small celebration for the children and volunteers.

The Guatemalan team celebrating with the students

This event was carried out with the support of the international non-profit organization, Plan International, which is a strategic and operational partner of Samsung’s corporate citizenship programs in SELA. It was also part of the annual Samsung Global Volunteer Festival held in October, a broader approach for Samsung employees to positively impact communities around them.

This year, the Love and Care Employee Volunteer Program, which included employees from the Samsung Myanmar Office, visited the School for the Blind (Kyimyindine) in Yangon. The school acts under the jurisdiction of the Department of Social Welfare.

The main aim of Samsung Love and Care Program is to enrich underprivileged communities across Southeast Asia and Oceania. They hope to improve their quality of life, particularly in regard to education and the environment, so every year, since the program was launched in Myanmar in 2015, Samsung Myanmar has organized activities and events to help and care for communities in Myanmar.

“We are very happy to see Samsung employees visit our school as these activities mean a lot to our kids and all of the children have been very excited to welcome the volunteers,” said Daw Khin Nyo Tun, Principal of the School for the Blind (Kyimyindine). “Even though they may not be able to see very much, the children are smart kids who can enjoy every moment to the fullest. They always like spending the day with the volunteers who understand them and can cater for their needs. The children do not like being treated like they’re different.”

The School for the Blind (Kyimyindine) provides educational and vocational subjects for kids and teenagers with visual disabilities as well as teaching students a way to lead independent lives with what they have learned. There are currently 190 students attending the school and receiving excellent help and guidance from the school principal and teachers.

“It’s my great pleasure to participate in this annual Love and Care Program because it gives us the opportunity to give something back to the community,” said YoungSeok Ham, Samsung Electronics Myanmar. We really want to make bigger, positive changes for everyone in Myanmar, so this kind of volunteer program is a special chance for all of us to earnestly contribute to the communities in this country.”

During the program, Samsung volunteers served lunch to the blind students and gave them basic medical check-ups. They observed how the kids learned braille and studied their school lessons. As part of a fun collaborative project, the volunteers also helped paint the classroom partition walls.

“I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in this annual Love and Care Program as a Samsung employee. Being able to volunteer here and engage with the blind kids was very special and very rewarding. It was also very enlightening as we came to see the importance of kindness and a good quality of life for the able or disabled … we just need to try our best to achieve our dreams,” shared Khin Wai Lwin, IM Retail MCS Operation Manager at Samsung Myanmar.

As part of this year’s activities, Samsung Myanmar donated braille sheets, stationery, rice bags, a Samsung TV and snacks worth around 8 million Kyats (5,000 USD).

“I’ve been here in Myanmar for nearly 2 years now and we know that we still need to do a lot for the communities in Myanmar. This annual Love and Care Program is one of our key CSR programs being carried out in the country. Yes, we will try to give more back to the people here,” Ham added.

The Love and Care Program has given the Samsung Myanmar employees lots of opportunities to help the local community over the last few years. Initiated in Myanmar in 2015, the Love and Care Program began by helping out at Pann Pyo Lett Monastic Education School. Then, in 2016, the program was held on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities and the program focused on assisting the Myanmar Network for Persons with Disabilities. Last year, 2017, the program took place at Aung Myay Monastic Education School in Dagon Seikkan, which is a town near Yangon. This year, in May 2018, the Samsung Myanmar employees did something a little bit different and donated their blood to the National Blood Center in the hope that they may be able to save some lives and help those in need.

This project is also a part of the annual Samsung Global Volunteer Festival held in October, a broader approach for Samsung employees to positively impact communities around them.

Reporting by Soe Thura, PR and Citizenship Manager, Samsung Electronics Myanmar, edited by the Samsung Newsroom team

On an otherwise ordinary Friday in October, Samsung employees participated in the company-wide annual Day of Service, creating something extraordinary and lasting. The day-long event covered 61 activities in New Jersey, New York City, Washington D.C., North Texas and Mountain View, California, across 50 local charity partners. Since the 2014 launch of Day of Service, U.S.-based Samsung employees have contributed nearly 128,000 hours of community service through the program. Among this year’s activities were youth education and sports, food distribution to people in need, and workforce re-entry coaching. Samsung made participation easy, and the takeaway for many employees – the joy of giving back – was nothing short of profound.

New faces at headquarters: Students from Parsippany Hills High School arrive at Samsung Electronics America, in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey for a day of career mentorship from employees, as the eighth company-wide Day of Service gets underway. The students are involved in Junior Achievement of New Jersey, a non-profit organization that helps young people develop the skills they need to succeed in today’s economy.

As part of the company-wide Day of Service, Tim Baxter, President & CEO of Samsung Electronics North America (second from left and center) and Samsung employees spend an afternoon with young people at Covenant House New Jersey, which provides food, shelter and immediate crisis care to homeless, runaway and trafficked youth between the ages of 18 and 21. “At Samsung, we are committed to supporting programs im our local communities and we are dedicated to serving our local charity partners in the communities where we live and work,” said Baxter. “Covenant House helps homeless teens re-establish themselves and seeing the hope and promise within these teens is truly inspiring.”

Samsung employees also worked with Table to Table at their weekly mobile produce market in Newark. Table to Table is a food rescue program that collects prepared and perishable food that would otherwise be wasted and delivers it to organizations that serve the hungry. Surrounded by grocery bags filled and ready to be brought home by the markets participants, Emily Force (above), the Director of Corporate Engagement and Marketing Programs at Table to Table, displays the kind of nutritious food that’s distributed. “We are so grateful to Samsung employees for coming to Newark and volunteering their time” Force says. “Samsung is a huge company that can make a big difference in people’s lives when partnering with organizations like Table to Table.”

Samsung’s Michelle Ng (left) and Sarabpreet Singh (right) feed the resident chickens at the Table to Table Newark Mobile Market, after sorting and bagging prepared and perishable food for the hungry. “Table to Table helps feed more than 700 families, and I’m proud to be just an iota of that effort,” Singh said. “Thanks to Samsung, we can get out and do what we are passionate about – give back to the communities we live and work in.”

Irwin Vogelman, of Center for Food Action, in Saddle Brook, N.J., guided another team of Samsung employees to sort and bag food headed to individuals and families in need, many of them children and seniors. Vogelman, who’s worked with Center for Food Action for 18 years, says community support is essential to the organization delivering on its mission to some 5,000 clients every month, most of them the working poor. “Samsung’s Day of Service enables us to get the food out to the community faster,” Vogelman says. “We’re not heavy with staff, so we have to depend on hundreds and hundreds of volunteers each week.”

Samsung’s Vallerie Walsh prepares to sort and bag food that’s headed to people in need, at the Center for Food Action, in her home town of Saddle Brook, N.J. “It means a lot to me to give back to my community,” Walsh says. “I’m so glad that Samsung does this every year.”

The sheer joy of learning, teaching and giving back was evident everywhere at Women Rising, a Jersey City, N.J.-based organization that helps women and their families move from crisis to self-sufficiency with domestic violence services, permanent housing, workforce development and youth and family education and services.

“People really do need help to overcome barriers that seem impossible,” said Michelle Crossan, Vice President of Strategy and Transformation at Samsung Electronics America (right). “It makes us proud to work for a company that gives us the time to help change people’s lives.”

The women behind Women Rising (clockwise from right): Rosemary Nwabueze, Director of Community Economic Development; Roseann Mazzeo, Executive Director, seated; Ilene Singh, Job Developer, and Linda Nation, Manager of the Workforce Development Training Center. As part of its many offerings, Women Rising provides help with job searching, workplace readiness and industry-specific training for a variety of industries, from hospitality to bookkeeping. “Learning about Samsung employees’ career paths is motivational and inspirational for our clients,” says Nwabueze. “With the hands-on resume and interview sessions, they’re making one-on-one connections and learning valuable skills.”

Several groups of Samsung employees also spread out across New York City to give back – some taking to the soccer field with America SCORES New York, an after-school program in under-resourced communities that combines soccer, poetry and service learning. “We spend a lot of time in the office working with tech, and it’s great to come out and make a different kind of impact,” says Samsung’s Cleveland Bonner (pictured above).

Samsung employees in Dallas, Texas joined North Texas Food Bank in their fight against hunger – sorting, boxing and bagging food for local residents in need. The North Texas Food Bank and its network of 200 partner agencies provide access to more than 190,000 meals each day for hungry children, seniors and families across 13 North Texas counties.

As education is a prominent focus for many of Samsung’s philanthropic initiatives, partners like Mi Escuelita Preschool benefited from a large group of Samsung’s Dallas employees that helped them get ready for Halloween. Mi Escuelita Preschool teaches English to children from all cultures and prepares them for academic success.

And over in Mountain View, CA, Samsung Electronics America employees worked with My New Red Shoes, to sort shoes and create custom cards for the children receiving fresh kicks. The organization provides new shoes and clothes for low-income, homeless and immigrant children in the San Francisco Bay Area.

At the end of the Day of Service, employees across Samsung’s U.S. locations expressed their feelings of a job well done and the personal satisfaction of knowing that how they serve has ripple effects throughout their communities. “I think the whole community benefits. That’s what Samsung is all about,” said Darlene Kumar at the Food Bank for New York City.

This project is also a part of the annual Samsung Global Volunteer Festival held in October, a broader approach for Samsung employees to positively impact communities around them.

Source: US Newsroom

Samsung Electronics Italy employees repaint the outside walls of Aldo Fabrizi Elementary School in Rome

Employees focused mainly on renovating the entrance of the school, repainting the entrance gate and the fences, as well as walls and benches vandalized by graffiti and writing.

Aldo Fabrizi Elementary School sports a fresh look after SAVE for Rome (right)

SAVE for Rome was organized in collaboration with Retake Rome, a “non-profit and non-partisan movement of citizens, engaged in the  fight against degradation” of metropolitan areas in and around the communities of Rome. The effort was also in-part a collaboration with the students of Aldo Fabrizi, as they volunteered to participate in the renovation by painting parts of the school. The activities students took part in gave them not only an excellent opportunity to learn to give back to the communities for a common good, but also an example of a culture of giving.

Students show enthusiasm in repainting their school

Samsung, as leader in technology, strives to provide various solutions to improve people’s lives and help them Do What You Can’t. SAVE for Rome is just one example of Samsung and its employees giving back to the community and investing in the future of the children. This project is also a part of the annual Samsung Global Volunteer Festival held in October, a broader approach for Samsung employees to positively impact communities around them.

Additional Images

Students are happy with the new stepping circles they helped paint

Fences are first sandpapered down to remove paint chips and rust

Samsung employees are happy to coat the fence with blue paint

The dark, rusty, chipped fence turns into a clean, welcoming gate

Many brushes and rollers were needed to cover all the spots

The walls outside the school were previously heavily spotted with graffiti. Samsung employees apply a base coat on the walls before helping it restore its original color

This project was part of SAVE – SAmsung Volunteer Employee initiative, which aims to provide SEI employees with an opportunity to play an active role in hands-on projects for the society they live in