Technology opens an around-the-clock classroom for girls

A girl who lives far from school or cannot attend face-to-face programs can now use a phone to continue learning outside regular classroom hours in Tanzania. The One Girl Plus Digital Platform aims to remove those barriers by offering knowledge, life skills, counseling and age-appropriate information wherever its users are.

Msichana Initiative coordinates the platform, which was launched after the organization listened to girls describe what they needed. Executive Director Consolata Chikoti said their desire to learn did not end when a scheduled session finished. “We listened to the girls. They taught us that their desire to learn does not end when our session ends,” she said.

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We listened to the girls. They taught us that their desire to learn does not end when our session ends.

The platform uses an AI chatbot to create a friendly space where girls can ask questions and receive information to support their learning and personal development. It also offers digital games, life-skills lessons and Kiswahili content tailored to users’ ages.

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One of the things that distinguishes this system from ordinary learning programs is the use of AI through a chatbot built into the platform.

The system builds on the three pillars of the One Girl Plus program, known as K3: self-awareness, confidence and goal-setting. Chikoti said the technology could help girls keep learning, ask questions and build confidence regardless of where they live.

Felister Mapunda, representing Tanzania’s Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, said investment in technology for girls would help prepare a generation for a society increasingly dependent on technology and information. She said digital skills should not be treated as a luxury, but as a basic requirement for girls seeking to participate fully in a digital society.

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Digital skills should not be considered a luxury, but a basic necessity for girls who want to participate fully in the opportunities of a digital society.