KENYA: Bridging the Digital Gap for Rural Girls

Digital spaces can change lives, but Kurui says that until every woman and girl can access them, the world is missing out on important voices.

We can get our girls out to the world, one cellphone or laptop at a time.

Joy and I had worked together on menstrual hygiene awareness events in 2024. She was the kind of person I felt like I’d known forever – someone who brings joy to every encounter. 

She recently told me how she had tried to show some of the girls from the event their photos on Instagram. As much as they were excited, they barely knew what Instagram was. 

She tried to tell them about the social media platform and even showed them on her cell phone. A few of them could relate based on a bit of experience on Facebook.  But the concept of digital tools and platforms is still far-fetched for many of these rural women and girls.

The experience made me think about how many women and girls’ stories and experiences are hidden from the world. Millions of women and girls go about life, beating the odds of societal norms, scraping through difficulties to get an education, either escaping or falling prey to harmful practices like FGM and early marriages. Still, their resilience through all of it might never be seen by anyone outside their small villages.

Working with these young women and girls through their journey offers an opportunity to bring their stories to the world. But it gets difficult to capture their experiences. My conversation with Joy made me realize how posting photos from our events on Instagram or any other platform is just one step towards the goal of the world caring about the issues these young women and girls face.

I imagined how it could be if they could post themselves and put their experiences in their own words. They’d give a true picture of what they are trying to overcome and build for a better future.

They talk about this during mentorship sessions: They want to see a different world from what they’ve grown up in.

Digital spaces have changed the world; they’ve connected people from every corner of our planet and allowed them to share their stories and support one another.

Africa has not been left behind in the digital revolution, and so many lives have changed through stories, connections, and support. Education is becoming more accessible, and job opportunities are being created in digital spaces. But, there is still a significant gap in access and affordability to the tools, especially for women and girls who are often financially constrained.

There also remain the obstacles of navigating digital safety concerns for women and girls, as the spaces have been turned into weapons to shame and attack them. Most young women have raised fears of avoiding the platforms because of safety concerns.

Still, the benefits of using the internet to access the world and being visible outweigh the detriments. We need to accelerate more women and girls through training for digital skills to get the full benefits. With proper information on how to use the tools and platforms, these women and girls should get the power to be present where it matters and tell their stories.

Joy called me back a few days ago with more good news. She has been training some girls out of high school on how to use a computer and the internet. As a volunteer, she decided to use her own laptop since the girls didn’t have access to computers or smartphones. Sometimes, we just need to appreciate and start with what we have instead of waiting for more. As an adage goes: a bird at hand is better than several in the bush.

We can get our girls out to the world, one cellphone or laptop at a time.

Every Saturday, a number of girls sit with Joy to learn digital skills. I’m glad I can contribute to their monthly internet connection. From small thoughts and ideas, women and girls around the world are changing their lives and narratives. 

I ponder my journey in the digital world since I joined World Pulse 16 years ago. I came across the platform on Google while searching for opportunities to support my education.

It was a moment of despair as I’d dropped out of university due to financial constraints. But I look back at how fortunate I was to have internet access. I would go to a cyber café in my neighborhood and use any available coins to browse for opportunities.

Though I never got a scholarship online, I was introduced to many other opportunities and connections through the internet. Through World Pulse, I met friends in Kenya and even one from the US. All these connections have shaped my world and contributed to my work. I draw inspiration and ideas from such experiences and what other women do in their communities.

Let us purposefully bring our sisters who are still left behind in the digital world to the spotlight and afford them the opportunities we enjoy. “If you want to go faster, walk alone; but if you want to go further, walk with people." Our solidarity is our strength.

STORY AWARDS

This story was published as part of World Pulse's Story Awards program. We believe every woman has a story to share, and that the world will be a better place when women are heard.