Promoting digital transformation in ethnic minority areas.

(GLO) - Digital transformation at the grassroots level is becoming a part of daily life through very specific actions such as installing an application, creating a public service account, scanning QR codes for payment, selling goods online, or searching for information on smartphones…

In some localities where ethnic minorities constitute the majority of the population, the current requirement is that digital transformation must be people-oriented, easy to understand, easy to implement, and suitable to the realities of each area.

Persistently provide hands-on guidance.

Lo Pang commune currently has 20 villages with 4,144 households/18,778 inhabitants, of which ethnic minorities account for 83.6%. The dispersed population across many villages further highlights the role of community digital technology teams – a force that directly "goes door to door" to support people in familiarizing themselves with technology.

Mr. Gưnh (from Dơ Nâu village, Lơ Pang commune) said that in the past, he was very hesitant to use a smartphone, and every time he needed to do paperwork, he had to ask his children or grandchildren for help. Since being guided on activating his level 2 electronic identity card (VNeID), he has learned to use it to carry out some administrative procedures.

“At first, I had difficulty because I wasn't familiar with the procedures, didn't know how to fill in the information, and sometimes even forgot my password. Each time that happened, I had to ask the staff for guidance. After being patiently shown a few times, I now know how to do it,” Mr. Gưnh shared.

Similarly, Ms. Yuệ (from Dơ Nâu village) said that in the past, many women in the village only used their phones for making and receiving calls. Now, many women know how to use their phones to pay electricity bills and buy and sell goods online. "With specific guidance, many women in the village gradually overcome their hesitation and become more confident in using smartphones," Ms. Yuệ said.

Ms. Yuệ (from Dơ Nâu village, Lơ Pang commune) guides people on how to access the internet on their smartphones to find information. Photo: VT

Mr. Sap - Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Lo Pang commune, Secretary of the Youth Union of Lo Pang commune, and Head of the Community Digital Technology Team of Lo Pang commune - believes that the biggest challenge currently is supporting the elderly - those who still have limited digital skills.

Therefore, in addition to assigning permanent members to the Commune Public Administrative Service Center to assist people in carrying out procedures, other members go directly to community centers in villages to guide people in activating VNeID level 2, integrating documents into VNeID, and disseminating knowledge about cybersecurity.

Monthly, the group also holds support sessions for other issues. In particular, in the upcoming plan, the group will assist farmers in bringing their products to e-commerce platforms, providing guidance on livestreaming sales, etc.

The community digital technology team of Lo Pang commune assisted in activating level 2 electronic identity verification accounts for residents of Do Nau village. Photo: VT

In Ia Phi commune, where ethnic minorities account for over 64.4% of the population, or Dak Doa commune, where ethnic minorities account for over 38%, bringing digital technology closer to the people also faces obstacles due to limited access to information.

However, through the direct support of local authorities and community digital technology groups, many people have gradually changed their habits and boldly accessed digital platforms to serve their daily lives.

Removing the "barriers"

In many remote villages, a significant number of people are still hesitant to use digital applications. Some only use their phones for calls, even with internet access; others are afraid of being scammed and therefore dare not use them.

One of the biggest obstacles to digital transformation at the grassroots level today lies not in the equipment or software, but in changing people's perceptions and habits regarding technology use.

Therefore, to popularize digital skills in ethnic minority areas, members of community digital technology teams must go down to the villages and provide direct, step-by-step guidance, from installing applications and creating accounts to scanning QR codes and recognizing online scams.

Residents check their records for administrative procedures at the Dak Doa Commune Public Administrative Service Center. Photo: VT

Ms. Mai Thi Nhu Ngoc - Vice Chairwoman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Dak Doa commune, Secretary of the Youth Union of Dak Doa commune, and Head of the Community Digital Technology Team of Dak Doa commune - said: Young people from ethnic minority groups currently have quite good access to technology and are becoming a core force directly participating with the Community Digital Technology Team to support people in using online public services, cashless payments, or bringing agricultural products to e-commerce platforms.

"However, the biggest challenge currently remains the limited digital infrastructure in many villages and hamlets, lacking free internet access points for residents. In addition, many elderly people are not yet familiar with using smartphones, so accessing digital platforms requires more time and regular guidance," Ms. Ngoc shared.

According to Mr. Nguyen Canh Ba, Deputy Director of the Public Administrative Service Center of Lo Pang commune, in an area with a large ethnic minority population, the community digital technology team is becoming an important "bridge" between the people and the digital government.

The teams directly guide citizens in creating public service accounts, using smartphones, and carrying out administrative procedures right at the center. This not only helps reduce the pressure on the center in receiving and processing applications but also saves citizens time and travel costs when performing administrative procedures, creating a foundation for digital transformation to become truly effective.

Currently, all 135/135 commune and ward People's Committees in the province have established community digital technology teams with 2,557 members. This is the core force directly implementing digital transformation tasks at the grassroots level across all three pillars: digital government, digital economy , and digital society.

From supporting the use of online public services, electronic identification, and cashless payments to popularizing digital skills, supporting e-commerce development, and raising awareness about identifying and preventing technology-related fraud, these organizations are gradually helping people in ethnic minority areas to participate in the digital transformation process.

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/thuc-day-chuyen-doi-so-vung-dong-bao-dan-toc-thieu-so-post588274.html