With the rapidly increasing importance of digital skills in education, careers, and day-to-day life, children and young people need access to vital information and communications technology (ICT).
Two-thirds of school-age children worldwide lack internet provision at home* meaning access to digital learning and other online opportunities are extremely limited. By providing access to ICT equipment, skills training and an appropriate understanding of how to stay safe online, we empower children and young people to learn; access essential services and support networks; prepare for work; and ultimately to become self-reliant in a digital world.
SOS Children’s Villages UK works with like-minded funding partners and our expert colleagues around the world to create sustainable digital programmes designed around local needs. Through this we contribute to the global SOS Children’s Villages Digital Villages initiative. This currently delivers fully developed ICT access in 60 countries and is making strong progress in dozens more.
Aminata and the computer lab
From a young age at the SOS Children’s Villages community in Makeni, Sierra Leone, Aminata showed a keen interest in electronics, often exploring her mother’s mobile phone. Her curiosity was nurtured at the local SOS Children’s Villages school through computer science classes, and she expressed her ambition to become an ICT Engineer. Now in secondary school, she is committed to excelling in science, further fuelled by the discovery of Makeni’s Computer Lab.
“It is like a dream come true for me! Words cannot express how grateful and happy I am about the Lab.”
Thanks to the generosity of the Geoff Herrington Foundation, SOS Children’s Villages UK facilitated the installation of 20 computers in the Lab, which already has almost 400 regular users including children in alternative care, primary and secondary school students, SOS Children’s Villages caregivers and other care professionals. Classes are led by an expert ICT tutor and include lessons on popular software applications, using the internet safely, basic programming and access to online mentoring opportunities.
Aminata has been elected ‘Minister of Innovation, Information and Technology’ in the Children’s Assembly, a system established by the team in Makeni to encourage children’s participation in the management of their own affairs. She advises on the management of the ICT equipment, ensuring everything is handled with care and bringing any concerns to the notice of staff. Thanks to the shared vision and effort of all involved, we are delighted to see children and young people empowered to shape their own futures, one click at a time.
