Facebook gives additional grants to Local Alike and Ooca following a training on Facebook Community Accelerator Program.

Facebook announces the list of the first communities to receive training in the project. Community Accelerator This is a six-month training program to help community leaders grow their communities through training. Giving advice And funding After accepting applications for interested candidates to join the project in March 2020

For the Facebook Community Accelerator Program 2020, the finalists of 77 communities from 6 continents were selected around the world, each with a vision for growth. And plans that make a clear difference

The selection of 13 winners from all over the Asia Pacific region It can be said that it represents diversity and is committed to helping and empowering people who may not have been given equal opportunities.

In addition, all 13 teams were trained and presented their results at Facebook’s Community Accelerator Demo Day, which was held for the first time. To request additional funding from a partner

It is selected based on the ability to actually do it. Vision for the next phase of the project And a positive impact if they received additional funding.

For 4 teams that will receive funding worth $ 25,000 or approximately 775,000 baht, including Local Alike/ Local Aroi Platform Ooca From Thailand team BEAGIVER And team ARK – Advancement for Rural Kids From the Philippines

Local Alike/ Local Aroi Founded bySomsak Bunkham In the year 2011 to develop and upgrade the potential And connect the tourism community of Thailand to the world And from the COVIC-19 situation That outbreaks in Thailand

Local Alike therefore launched Local Aroi to offer delicious dishes to Thai users. Currently, more than 300 villages in Thailand are able to operate a successful and sustainable local tourism business by themselves. He also worked with 150 villages and generated tourism income worth more than 62 million baht (US $ 2 million).

Dr. Kanpassorn Suriya Saengphet, MD. Platform start Ooca In 2016 to increase access to mental health services and to be a mediator between psychiatrists Psychologists and people who want to receive advice. By anonymously through video calls

Since its launch, Ooca has been the leader in consulting platforms. It has about 86,000 registered users and more than 8,000 people taking online advice.

After entering the training Dr. Kanpassorn “Our team has joined the Facebook Community Accelerator to learn how we can change the ideas we have. To become true to make a difference to society But what we get back more than that. Because we also get funding, knowledge and support from the network. “

Grace Clapham, Head of Alliances and Community Programs, Asia Pacific Facebook “Facebook’s mission is to give people the opportunity to create a community to connect the world. We launched the Facebook Community Accelerator program to help Facebook community leaders expand their growth to build meaningful communities and make a difference in the world.

Despite the challenges facing COVID-19, we are proud that community leaders Have worked together In order to be able to apply the knowledge gained from this project to achieve success that exceeds the goals that were initially set as well. We sincerely congratulate all participants of the project. And hope to see their further success. “

You can learn more about the Facebook Community Accelerator Program at https://www.facebook.com/community/2020communitydirectory/