Each girl has power to be an angel, lets her fly

The project commits to advance ICT for adolescent and girls with disabilities in Bakerganj, a majorly rural area near Barisal, Bangladesh, for a mix of factors. 1) here, 60% per cent of girls with disabilities aged 5-17 years are not in education. 2) it is found that 70% of women have married before the age of 18 and generally low literacy levels for both genders although the women are largely affected at 64%, and other retrogressive practices that affect women. 2) Research shows that a majority of women in Bangladesh (80%) live in rural areas and therefore rural Bakerganj serves as an ideal project area for the SRC; 3) While digital literacy advancement is very crucial in realizing other outcomes apart from employment creation, self-awareness for young girls is equally important and especially while maneuvering the presumed “male careers.” There is a high rate of sexual reproductive health challenges facing young girls in Bakerganj, including early marriages, early pregnancies, and nutrition a manifestation that life-skills training will be an imperative blend for the SRC project. 

The findings come from the recently-published National Survey on Persons with Disabilities (NSPD) 2021, conducted by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) with technical support from UNICEF. The survey reveals that among children with disabilities (aged 5-17 years), only 65 per cent are enrolled in primary school and only 35 per cent are enrolled in secondary school. In total, 60 per cent of children with disabilities aged 5-17 years are not in education. In this context, ICT education is long way to dream for them.

On the other hand, due to social constraints and stereotyping, women are particularly excluded from ICT related careers, one of the male dominated sector. Additionally, the few women who pursue such careers remains unemployed or underpaid compared to their male counterparts. A quick analysis of the ICT penetration in Bangladesh proves that a majority of ICT resources are based in urban Bangladesh leading to a big digital divide against rural Bangladesh, where a majority of women lives. While factors such as ICT infrastructures, is the main hindrance to participation of all gender in information technology in rural Bangladesh, girls are especially the most affected exacerbated by factors such as low literacy levels affecting their participation directly, lack of resources as a result of high poverty levels, and even where technological facilities such as cyber café are available, they are out of reach for the girls both culturally and physically. 

 Digital Angel Wings is a youth-led organization and over 65% of the project team are youth between ages 24-30 years. The team will actively be engaged in running the resource center to deliver digital literacy, entrepreneurship and life skills outcomes. 

The project aims to train out of school adolescent girls and the girls with disabilities age 15-21 on digital literacy incorporating entrepreneurship and life skills sessions. While the project will make efforts to link the program graduates to private sector employers for possibility of the girls getting internships and entry level jobs, the project aims to transition a majority into self-employment opportunities including web development, graphic design, photography and videography, online work and freelancing jobs. The project will realize more women transitioning from school to jobs in ICT and related sectors, while changing the attitude of the communities about girls in male dominated fields.
On the other hand, the project will create young leaders and champions in the community. The youth will be expected to be ambassadors of Girls digital literacy advancement in their local communities and will be expected to initiate their own social enterprise projects incorporating ICT aspects by the end of the internship period, besides delivering digital literacy training to the out of school adolescent girls and the girls with disabilities. Youth attached in the Resource center as well as general community beneficiaries will be mentored to create social businesses leveraging on the existing digital divide and opportunities around ICT.

Employability and Job creation; The funds will increase the confidence of rural adolescent and the girls with disabilities in using digital literacy to earn a living either directly or indirectly. We aim to record a 50% increase in the number of girls, especially the girls with disabilities using digital literacy to create employment for themselves. The employment will be in form of web design and development, Cyber Cafés , content development, digital marketing, photography and videography, editing, freelancing, among others. Youth attached to the resource center will initiate their own social businesses. We also aim to see the girls using ICT as an aiding tool for their livelihoods activities, either through accessing and sharing information about their livelihoods activities, marketing on social platforms and official communications through emails. 

ii. The funds will record a 30% increase the number of girls pursuing higher education on ICT related courses and increase the number of female role models in rural Bangladesh.
iii. The Funds will bridge the gender gaps in regards to ICT uptake disparities and acknowledge the role of women in applying digital literacy.
 iv. Through the social enterprises that will incorporate an ICT aspect by the ToTs by the end of their internships, the funds will create a generation of young female leaders and communities actively advancing digital literacy in their rural communities. 

Digital Angel Wings will transform the center into a community center managed by the community but under the coordination of Digital Angel Wings. The community will be required to support the girls to finance them to undertake the courses at a low cost to cater for the utilities. Alumni Youth Champions who will be sourced from the community will continue being mentors in the resource centre and more likely replicate similar models in other locations in Patuakhali District of Barishal to serve more girls.
Furthermore, Digital Angel Wings will mobilize more funds to add more computers and digital literacy equipment, and consequently reach more girls in the community.

Because I like to give digital wings for 500 girls.

daily guidelines, Followup, Meetings and field visits.