At first glance running computer literacy classes for girls may not seem like an urgent need but without equal access to technology and the internet, girls and women are not able to equally participate in our ever more digital societies.

At the end of last year, we started several new projects to bring practical skills to children and youth that will arm them with ways of earning an income (now and in the future).

We learnt from our past skills training projects, that those who have access to information through the internet do so much better at starting their own businesses after our training. That’s computer literacy classes are now a key component of the training.

On the day of the first class last December the team were overwhelmed with children turning up to see if they could also join the classes. For the sake of the students that had been selected, we had to turn them away and start a waiting list.

Holding girls back
Our current classes are mixed (boys and girls) and, maybe not surprising to anyone in the field, but we’ve found a huge gender divide in the classes.

Despite being from the same area and similar backgrounds with very few households able to afford mobile phones, girls still have less access to technology and the internet and are less familiar with how it all works.

This lack of knowledge will hold girls back and could affect every aspect of their lives, including their ability to earn an income, get a job, learn about the world around them and speak out on issues that affect them.

Giving girls the skills to be leaders
We want to arm girls with all the skills they need to be leaders. We’d love to run extra computer literacy classes just for girls. We’ve got the space but we need to raise £695. This will help us train 30 girls.

Could you spare £23 to arm a girl with skills that could change her life?

Make a donation via our facebook campaign:

Make a donation via CAF:

£50 will cover the cost of a reconditioned laptop
£21 will cost of internet for a month
£170 will cover the cost of our trainer for six months