For many women and girls in Zambia's rural and peri-urban communities, access to information and communication technologies (ICTs) remains limited. Yet the same technologies that power today's economies are among the most powerful tools for gender equality — they enable women to learn, work, and lead.
Through our ICT training programmes, ZARD works to close this digital divide. From basic computer literacy to mobile money, social media for advocacy, and online safety, our curriculum is designed to be practical, accessible, and immediately useful in women's daily lives.
We have learned that the technology is rarely the hardest part. Trust is. Building confidence, providing safe learning spaces, and ensuring follow-up mentorship are what make training stick. We continue to refine our approach with every cohort we serve.
As we look ahead, our focus is on partnerships — with telecoms, libraries, and local government — that can scale these efforts far beyond what any single NGO can reach alone.