KICTANet, also known as the Kenya ICT Action Network, is one of ten organizations selected by the Women in the Digital Economy Fund (WiDEF) to receive funding for innovative solutions addressing the gender digital divide.
Eight of the ten awardees are women-led ventures. They will receive between $500,000 and $1.5 million to scale their solutions over the next two years.
KICTANet’s “Empowering Kenya Rural Women Through Digital Literacy” program will focus on increasing digital inclusion for marginalized women in ten rural counties by providing digital literacy training.
KICTANet’s success highlights WiDEF’s mission. A joint initiative of USAID, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Reliance Foundation, and the UPS Foundation, WiDEF is dedicated to bridging the gender gap in the digital realm.
With over $80 million invested, WiDEF supports innovative local solutions like KICTANet’s, fostering a more inclusive digital future for women worldwide.
The 10 awardees are:
- KICTANet (Kenya): KICTANet’s “Empowering Kenya Rural Women Through Digital Literacy” program aims to boost digital inclusion for marginalized women in 21 rural counties by providing digital literacy training, affordable loans for devices, and comprehensive support.
- DOT Kenya (Kenya, Ethiopia): Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT) Kenya’s “Digital Skills at Scale” initiative aims to empower 10,000 young women in Kenya, Ethiopia, and Rwanda with digital and entrepreneurial skills, addressing socioeconomic barriers and safety concerns, and fostering leadership through “Digital Champions” to drive community change.
- MESH (Kenya): MESH’s Bridging the Gender Digital Divide (BGDD) program seeks to empower female-led informal micro-businesses in Kenya by providing an online community platform for marketing, financial management, and customer engagement for young entrepreneurs.
- Smart Regional Consultants (Kenya): SMART Regional Consultants (SRC) aims to bridge Northern Kenya’s digital gender divide by enhancing economic opportunities for rural women through digital literacy programs, leveraging five existing incubation centers, and influencing policy for a more inclusive digital economy.
- El Proyecto Hambre (The Hunger Project) (Mexico, Malawi, Ghana): El Proyecto Hambre’s program “Empowering the Digitally Underserved” (EDU) works to bridge the digital divide for indigenous persons, women, and people with disabilities in Mexico, Malawi, and Ghana. The program focuses on increasing internet access and promoting participation in the digital economy.
- Ensibuuko (Tanzania, Ghana): Ensibuuko will digitize Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) in Uganda, Tanzania, and Ghana by creating 5,000 digital savings groups led by young women with aspirations to empower 125,000 members with improved financial management and opportunities through digital innovation.
- Tech Project Women (Nigeria): Tech Project Women, a feminist organization in Nigeria, seeks to enhance the personal and societal development of women and girls in peri-urban communities by improving digital skills, financial inclusion, and employability, while also addressing online harassment and gender-based violence.
- CITAD (Nigeria): Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) is tackling the gender digital divide in northern Nigeria by enhancing young people’s digital skills, expanding their access to the internet, and advocating for policies and practices that promote gender equality and inclusive civic engagement.
- DEMO (Pakistan): DEMO is addressing Pakistan’s gender digital divide by providing digital entrepreneurial training to 10,000 female university students in remote and underserved regions, aiming to empower women and ensure financial independence.
- New Sun Road (Guatemala): New Sun Road’s Digital Community Centers (DCCs) are set to empower approximately 250,000 indigenous Guatemalan women by providing electrification, internet access, and digital literacy training in both Spanish and Mayan languages to remote communities, addressing barriers of isolation, education, and representation in the digital economy.
“The digital gender gap in Kenya is estimated at 43%, while in Ethiopia, only 11% of women have digital access compared to 20% of men. With support from WiDEF, DOT is accelerating the journey towards gender equality within the digital economy. This grant will enable us to empower 10,000 young people—70% women—with the skills to thrive in the digital economy. By addressing the gender digital divide, we are shaping a future where youth, especially young women, can confidently lead in digital transformation.” said Esther Gathigi Kibugi, Country Director of DOT Kenya.