Today marks the beginning of something bigger than a digital literacy program.<\/p>\n
It is bigger than a classroom, a lesson plan, or a set of laptops.<\/p>\n
Today marks access<\/strong>.<\/p>\n At Empact Strides<\/strong>, we believe that where a young person is born or grows up should not determine whether they have access to the opportunities of the digital world. Yet for many young people living in informal settlements, access to technology remains out of reach.<\/p>\n Thanks to the generous support of Team4Tech<\/a>, and in collaboration with SHEnergy For Change<\/a>, we have begun a journey to change that.<\/p>\n For some of the young people joining our digital literacy program, this is their first time sitting in front of a laptop<\/strong>.<\/p>\n And that matters.<\/p>\n This holiday season, our program is creating a space where young people can explore a world that may previously have felt distant or inaccessible.<\/p>\n For many participants, this is not simply another lesson. It is a discovery.<\/p>\n They are learning:<\/p>\n From the outside, some of these milestones may appear small.<\/p>\n A first keystroke.<\/p>\n A first online search.<\/p>\n A first document created.<\/p>\n A first email address.<\/p>\n But for a young person who has never had the opportunity to use a computer, these moments can represent something much bigger: confidence, curiosity and possibility<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Digital literacy is no longer a luxury or a nice-to-have skill.<\/p>\n It is increasingly becoming a foundation for education, employment, entrepreneurship and participation in society. From accessing learning resources and applying for opportunities to communicating, building businesses and preparing for future careers, the world is becoming increasingly digital.<\/p>\n Yet many young people are still being left behind\u2014not because they lack potential, but because they lack access.<\/p>\n That is what this program seeks to address.<\/p>\n Our goal is not simply to place a laptop in front of a young person.<\/p>\n It is to help create a pathway into new opportunities.<\/p>\n A pathway into education.<\/p>\n A pathway into employment.<\/p>\n A pathway into entrepreneurship.<\/p>\n A pathway into the digital economy.<\/p>\n And perhaps most importantly, a pathway toward a future they can actively participate in and help shape.<\/p>\n Because technology can only become a tool for empowerment when young people have the opportunity, skills and confidence to use it.<\/p>\n One of the most powerful things about digital literacy is that it does more than teach someone how to use technology.<\/p>\n It can change how they see themselves.<\/p>\n A young person who may have once believed that technology was only for other people can begin to see that they, too, belong in the digital world.<\/p>\n They can learn.<\/p>\n They can create.<\/p>\n They can innovate.<\/p>\n They can solve problems.<\/p>\n They can build careers and businesses.<\/p>\n They can participate in opportunities that once felt inaccessible.<\/p>\n This is why access matters.<\/p>\n When we provide young people with the tools and knowledge to engage with technology, we are not only closing a skills gap. We are helping to close an opportunity gap<\/strong>.<\/p>\n As meaningful as this moment is, we also recognise that this is only a beginning.<\/p>\n There are many more young people in underserved communities who are still waiting for the same opportunity.<\/p>\n There is still potential that remains untapped.<\/p>\n There are still young people who have the curiosity and ability to learn but lack access to devices, connectivity, training and supportive learning spaces.<\/p>\n The digital divide is not just about whether someone owns a device.<\/p>\n It is about whether they have the opportunity to participate in the world that increasingly depends on technology.<\/p>\n And that is why this work cannot be done alone.<\/p>\n The launch of this program is a reminder of what can happen when organisations come together around a shared purpose.<\/p>\n We are deeply grateful to Team4Tech<\/strong> for their support and to SHEnergy For Change<\/strong> for collaborating with us to reach and empower young people.<\/p>\n Partnerships matter because no single organisation can bridge the digital divide alone.<\/p>\n It requires organisations willing to invest in communities.<\/p>\n It requires funders who understand that access to technology can create long-term opportunities.<\/p>\n It requires educators, trainers and volunteers willing to share their knowledge.<\/p>\n And it requires communities to be at the centre of the solutions designed for them.<\/p>\n When we work together, access becomes possible.<\/p>\n Today, we celebrate the start of this journey.<\/p>\n We celebrate every young person sitting in front of a laptop for the first time.<\/p>\n Every first keystroke.<\/p>\n Every new skill.<\/p>\n Every question asked.<\/p>\n Every moment of curiosity.<\/p>\n And every possibility that begins with access.<\/p>\n But we also look ahead.<\/p>\n Because our vision is bigger than one program.<\/p>\n We envision thriving, inclusive and resilient communities where every young person and woman has the opportunity, skills and support to transform their lives<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Digital inclusion is one pathway toward that vision.<\/p>\n There is still much more to do, and we are only getting started.<\/p>\n Talking about closing the digital divide is easy.<\/p>\n Taking action is what creates change.<\/p>\n If you are an organisation, funder, technology company, educator or partner who believes in expanding digital access and opportunities for underserved communities, we would love to connect.<\/p>\n Whether through devices, funding, technical expertise, training opportunities or strategic partnerships, there is a role for everyone in building a more inclusive digital future.<\/p>\n Today’s milestone is more than the beginning of a program.<\/p>\n It marks access.<\/strong><\/p>\n And access can be the beginning of transformation.<\/p>\n Let’s connect. Let’s collaborate. Let’s build together. Reach through empactstrides@gmail.com<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Today marks the beginning of something bigger than a digital literacy program. It is bigger than a classroom, a lesson plan, or a set of laptops. Today marks access. At Empact Strides, we believe that where a young person is born or grows up should not determine whether they have access to the opportunities of<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5374,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"_angie_page":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"page_builder":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[53],"class_list":["post-5372","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-education","tag-education-digital-inclusion"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/empactstrides.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5372","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/empactstrides.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/empactstrides.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/empactstrides.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/empactstrides.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5372"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/empactstrides.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5372\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5373,"href":"https:\/\/empactstrides.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5372\/revisions\/5373"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/empactstrides.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5374"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/empactstrides.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5372"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/empactstrides.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5372"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/empactstrides.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5372"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Not Just Learning. Discovering.<\/h2>\n
\n
We Are Not Just Teaching Skills. We Are Unlocking Possibilities.<\/h2>\n
Access Can Change How a Young Person Sees Their Future<\/h2>\n
The Need Is Bigger Than What We Can Currently Reach<\/h2>\n
Partnership Makes Access Possible<\/h2>\n
This Is Only the Beginning<\/h2>\n
Let’s Build a More Inclusive Digital Future Together<\/h2>\n