A beneficiary going through the process of using the computer
The internet has become one of the most effective means of mass communication, allowing interaction between a lot of people without restrictions. With the internet, one can access almost any information, communicate with anyone in the world and learn new things to enhance their lives.
However, the gender gap with regards to access to the internet still persists despite significant progress. According to the 2020 World Wide Web Foundation report, Ghana has a 14% gender gap in ‘meaningful connectivity‘, a measure based on whether users have fast speeds, enough data, a suitable device and regular access to the internet.
The situation, the report indicates, prevents women from fully benefiting from digital technology. It further warns that exclusion of women from digital society is a threat to progress on gender equality and denies women opportunities to improve their lives.
In response to this digital divide, The Hunger Project (THP-Ghana), has provided three Community Internet Centers (CIC) for women in rural communities, under its ‘Women’s Meaningful Access Project.’
The project, being implemented in three Epicentre communities in the Eastern region, is in collaboration with high-speed WI-FI providers, BlueTown and supported by Microsoft and USAID. It is aimed at empowering women in rural communities through promoting digital inclusion.
“For this project, we are working in three Epicenters out of our 45 Epicenter communities, they are Akode in the Okere District, Supreso in Suhum Municipal and Adokwanta, in Abuakwa South Municipal,” said the project manager, Stephanie Ashely at the official opening of the CIC in Supreso and Adokwanta.
She said the CIC, targeted at women and the youth between the age of 18 to 35, is equipped with digital training manuals on women empowerment with focus on gender equality, child rights, fundamental human rights, among others which can be accessed freely.
“Apart from that we are uploading other educational content related to health, agriculture, some soft skills that community partners will need to boost their entrepreneurial skills and also help them gain employment,” she added.
She further indicated that due to the low literacy level in rural communities, the project has trained micro-operators, two each, to assist the community members who access the facility to use the computers.
“We hope and expect that the community partners will take advantage of this project to improve upon their livelihood.”
Country Manager, THP- Ghana, Samuel Afrane, said the project was informed by the digital technology evolution which has moved the world from the traditional ways of doing things.
“We found out that in this modern era there is the need to connect rural people to the internet because all along we have been able to engage with them through workshop, and running educational program but there are a lot of information that can also be accessed digitally,” he said.
He said the facility located at the Epicenters built by the THP to help create sustainable rural communities that can develop by themselves and take themselves out of poverty and hunger which is a community, will support efforts at closing the gender gap with regards to access to the internet.
“We are focusing the training on the women so that we can also close the gap or at least narrow it to the barest minimum,” he said. “THP will continue its community mobilization and education on the importance of internet accessibility and ensure their interest is developed so the project can become sustainable.”
Project Manager, NGO Projects Blue Town Ghana, Ann Selorm Fesu, said the company specializes in offering WIFI services in hard-to-reach communities.
“Anytime you go to public hotspots or places where BlueTown is located you turn on your WIFI and connect to the internet as an existing user or register as a new user with as little as one Cedi which is affordable,” she said. “It is our hope that the communities will take this opportunity to get connected to the outside world.”
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri