Global Alliance for Africa

Global Alliance for Africa (GAA) Mission Statement

To collaborate with local partners to bridge the digital divide in educational opportunities and in technological resources for public school students in remote rural areas and urban slums in North African and Sub-Saharan African communities. We strongly believe that ICT Education is Essential to Breaking the Cycle of Poverty.

See our proposal here and partner with us.

Organizational Profile

Increasing digital connectivity for poor, disadvantaged and under-resourced youth will foster multigenerational wealth, pivoting education as being the cornerstone that effects transformational growth, fostering a sustainable future built in equity.

In collaboration with public middle and secondary schools, universities, local agencies, community-based organizations, and various cooperatives, GAA has been at the forefront of building partnerships to design, implement and manage successful educational development and training programs in Africa.

Statement of Need

To close the digital divide in Africa, some say that stakeholders need to rethink universal access and broadband policies, promote equal access to digital technology and Increase investment.

Current Statistics

• Broadband access: In 2022, only 36% of Africa's population had broadband internet access. 
• Mobile internet availability: While 70% of Africa's population has access to mobile internet, less than 25% use it. 
• Digital gender gap: In 2020, 35% of men and 24% of women in Africa used the internet. 
• Affordability: In 2019, the average cost of one gigabyte of mobile data was 10.5% of monthly per-capita Gross National Income (GNI), which is higher than the United Nations Broadband Commission's recommended 2% target. 
• Digital literacy: Africa has a significant divide in digital skills. 
• Digital infrastructure: Africa's digital infrastructure coverage, access, and quality lag other regions. 
• Digital competitiveness: In 2021, Egypt ranked first in Africa in the digital competitiveness index, followed by the Gambia and Tanzania. 

As recently as January 2024 datareportal.com reports that more than 90% of the U.S. population has access to the Internet — whereas in rural areas throughout Morocco there is limited access, and in Kenya 40.8%, Tanzania 31.9% and Uganda 27% of the population has NO such access. Without urgent action, the situation will likely get worse as the region faces a rising demand for education due to a still-growing school-age population.

Funding Request: To offer a holistic, scalable program to bridge the inequity gap in digital access and education for 20,000 students in 50 public middle schools and secondary schools in Kenya, Morocco, Tanzania and Uganda. Through a coalition of community-based partners, GAA will lead the Digital Learning Program whose objective is to assure: A world where all can access reliable high-speed internet, devices, learning content, and digital literacy skills. By fostering equal access and proficiency in navigating the digital landscape, we empower current and future generations.

Program Description Goals:

Bridging the digital divide is not exclusive to the gap between wealthy nations and poor countries; it also encompasses the growing internal divide in developing countries between middle class families who can afford to send their children to private schools that are equipped with computer labs versus poor households whose children attend schools public schools that have minimal or no technological resources. For digital equity to be successful, technology tools must be accessible; schools, learners and families must be able to affordably access and maintain them; and learners and families must have the information and skills to adopt the technology. These three pillars—access, affordability, and adoption—must all exist and work together for communities to remain connected and fully participate as informed citizens in society and the global economy.

Proof of Concept

This request is an expansion of a current program already approved by the Ministries of Education in each of four countries in Africa, and has a proven record of success for the five year in the slums of Nairobi, Kenya; rural areas of the Atlas Mountains in southern Morocco; in and around Arusha, Tanzania; and in West Nile Region (including students from the refugee settlements), in southwest Uganda.

IMPACT Report (AS OF 6/30/2024)

·      Number of Students: more than 16,000

·      Of the total number of students that the program will reach, approximately 45% of them are female students, plus a growing percentage of students in Uganda in the program are refugees.

·      Number of Teachers: more than 220

·      Number of Countries: 4 — Kenya, Morocco, Tanzania, Uganda

·      Number of Locations: 35, including 33 public schools, two faith-based schools, one technology training center

·      Partners: Al-Alakawayn University (Morocco), Tangaza University (Kenya), Muni University (Uganda)

·      The Program Provides:

—Lenovo Laptop Computers

—Samsung A7 and Samsung A8 Tablets

—External keyboards for tablets

—Coverings for computers and tablets

—Secure storage containers for laptops and tablets

—Internet Connectivity, including routers/modems

—Teachers workshop trainings

—Textbooks

—Software applications in math, french language, history, literature and more

Rationale for the Program

Digital literacy and accessibility are widely regarded as a basic component of civic life and has enormous impact on education, economic development, social welfare, social equity as well as the increased public participation in elections and development of good governance, and access to expanding opportunities both at the local and international level.

A digital learning program for poor and vulnerable students will develop digital skills and provide them with the lifelong ability to navigate the internet. Presently, for example, university application forms are all online, which provides a distinct advantage to urban students who have computer training and access to the internet, whereas rural students are hindered from apply to university due to their lack of computer training as well as access to the internet in rural areas. This results in an even more pronounced digital divide that excludes poorer, rural students from entering higher education.

Of the total number of students that the program will reach, approximately 45% of them are female students, and a growing percentage of students in Uganda are refugees.

Total Cost of the Program: Between $26-$38 per student.