From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development

On International Youth Day, 12th August 2024, we’re not just celebrating the potential of youth—we’re harnessing it. This year’s theme, “From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development,” underscores a powerful truth: the digital age holds the key to unlocking the full potential of young people, driving progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

At The Hunger Project, we believe young people are at the forefront of change. We’re committed to empowering them—especially girls—to lead their communities into a future free from hunger. This International Youth Day, we’re taking action to ensure that every young person can access the digital tools and knowledge they need to create sustainable solutions.

The Challenge: Bridging the Digital Divide

Access to the internet is more than a privilege—it’s a right. Yet, in low-income countries, nearly 90% of adolescent girls and young women are disconnected, while their male counterparts are twice as likely to be online. This gap keeps millions of girls locked out of opportunities for education, economic participation, and civic engagement. Without digital skills and access, they are cut off from the world’s most powerful tool for change.

The Solution: Empowerment Through Digital Access

We’re taking decisive action to close this gap. By connecting women and girls to digital platforms, we empower them to become change-makers, leaders, and innovators. Our programs provide:

• Digital Literacy: Equipping girls with the skills to navigate and thrive in the digital world.
• Safe Spaces: Creating environments where women and girls can confidently use technology.
• Female-Centric Tech Training: Investing in programs that prioritize women’s access and participation.
• Entrepreneurship Support: Strengthening community-level business skills and opportunities for women.

Renewable Energy Solutions: Powering Progress

Access to technology is meaningless without reliable power. In the communities we serve, unreliable electricity and poor infrastructure are major barriers. We’re committed to overcoming these challenges by:

• Installing Solar Solutions: Providing sustainable energy to power digital tools.
• Partnering with the Private Sector: Leveraging innovation to expand access.
• Collaborating with Governments: Working together to enhance connectivity in underserved areas.

Digital Baskets: Tools for Transformation

Our Digital Baskets initiative brings vital resources to marginalized communities, enabling women to engage with the world online. These baskets include:

• Basic Digital Skills: Ensuring foundational knowledge for all.
• Social Media & Cyber Safety: Protecting users in the digital landscape.
• AI & Climate Tech: Teaching adaptive farming techniques to increase resilience.

Real Stories, Real Impact

In Mexico, we support young women to access the internet and learn digital skills through the Digital Basket project to grow their businesses to drive innovation and create a sustainable market ecosystem.

In Benin, 2,500 young adults will have access to digital information platforms and sustainable agriculture advisory services to increase their agricultural yields and apply these practices/technologies by 2025. This initiative is in an effort to promote innovative and sustainable entrepreneurship among the younger generation.

In Ghana, epicentre banks now have access to online mobile banking. The bank was set up by The Hunger Project so that people can keep their money safe, borrow and save. Like the banks of all 45 epicentres in Ghana, Adonkwanta’s bank has become an independent bank for the past year: the Epicenter’s Cooperative Livelihood Improvement Society.

Kofi, project officer at The Hunger Project Ghana, trained Mathilde and her colleagues in accounting and digital skills. He was also responsible for the corporatisation of the banks and was at the forefront of online banking.

Kofi proudly shares, “I think it’s great that all the bank’s customers can now manage their money matters just at home, using their mobile phones. They don’t have to come to the bank for every operation and always know exactly how much money is in their account. We see that more people are confident that their money is safe, and more people are using the bank.”