A schools-based approach to solving the digital divide The impetus for Giga stems from research on what it means for a young person to be information-poor , says Naroa Zurutuza , Giga ’ s data and technology lead . She uses a nutrition analogy : “ We have measures for how many calories a day a kid needs to be healthy , so how much access to information does a child need to have access to opportunity ?”
Giga launched in 2019 with the express goal of connecting all of the world ’ s schools to the internet by 2030 . The target date aligns with that set for the United Nations ’ Sustainable Development Goals , points out Fabian , the co-lead on Giga .
“ We have measures for how many calories a day a kid needs to be healthy , so how much access to information does a child need to have access to opportunity ?”
— Naroa Zurutuza , Giga technology lead , UNICEF
To deliver on its goal , Giga comprises four components :
1 . The mapping of school locations and determining the strength of internet access , if any
2 . Modeling to develop school connectivity plans that are best suited to local contexts
3 . Designing solutions to finance the capital and operational costs of connecting schools
4 . Supporting governments through procurement and the contract management process to ensure connectivity projects are executed effectively and schools receive quality internet
Scaling for coverage Giga and its partners have already connected over 5,600 schools in Africa , Latin America , Central Asia and the Middle East , including countries like Honduras , Kyrgyzstan and Rwanda , among others . In 2023 alone , the objective is to scale to 40 countries . “ It ’ s an ambitious goal , of course ,
Project Connect : An open-source mapping platform displaying school internet connectivity around the world .
IMAGE COURTESY OF UNICEF
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