20 Jan 2025

Orange Digital Botswana has recently made a generous donation of two laptops to the Lead Girls organisation, furthering their mission of empowering women through technology.

When giving her welcome remarks during the handover ceremony Kgosi Catherine Matlhare of Old Disana ward in Maun said that the donation was a significant step towards bridging the digital divide and providing essential resources to support the educational and professional development of young women in Botswana.

“We are grateful to the Orange Botswana Foundation for their continued support to our community, I am proud to be part of initiatives that prioritise gender equality and uplift our community,” she said.

For her part Ms Vehae Tjiriange, coordinator of Queen Esther and Lead Girl Program shared that the Lead Girl Digital Centre is a joint initiative between Queen Esther and Love Botswana Outreach Mission that empowers young girls by fostering digital literacy and nurturing leadership skills.

“The centre has extended its outreach by training chiefs and Village Development Committees, ensuring that communities are equipped to support girls in reaching their full potential,” said Ms Tjiriange.

Ms Tjiriange further expressed her gratitude to Orange Botswana for their generous donations and unwavering support and commitment to women empowerment, stating that the laptops will enable the organisation to enhance their digital literacy initiatives and provide access to online resources for their members.

In a motivating statement, a dedicated cyclist Ms Meryem Belkihel who champions women empowerment through her cycling endeavours shared her support for the initiative.

Ms Belkihel stated that by cycling across countries she aims to raise awareness on global warming and simultaneously encourage women to take up lead roles.

“Every kilometre I cycle generates about 1 400mb of data to communities in remote areas which will create a positive change in communities and powering the use of technology in these communities,” she said.

Meanwhile, because many girls in rural areas continue to face barriers such as limited access to technology and leadership platforms, initiatives like the Lead Girl Digital Centre are vital to closing these gaps and ensuring that no girl is left behind. ENDS