Happy International Literacy Day! The theme for the 2021 International Literacy Day is “Literacy for a human-centred recovery: Narrowing the digital divide.” We stand in solidarity with every person or organization striving to ensure global literacy, especially digital literacy towards narrowing the digital divide.

At Tech4Dev, we are committed to the literacy of young people, adults and other vulnerable groups like women, Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) etc. Over the years, we have implemented digital literacy programs, from basic to intermediate levels, targeted at these different groups of people. We believe that digital literacy empowerment will go a long way to narrowing the digital divide and creating a level playing field for everyone to contribute towards a sustainable world.

First conceived in 1965, the International Literacy Day (ILD) has been celebrated around the world to emphasize the benefits that literacy will bring as a key element in fostering better livelihoods. Understanding literacy requires a sense of safety, critical thinking, support systems, capacity building as tools that impact the greater good of our society. Together, we must encourage others to stay up-to-date with digital resources through skills and knowledge; and also leverage work with other industries to eradicate challenges associated with illiteracy.

On the occasion of the 2021 International Literacy Day, the UNESCO Director General, Audrey Azoulay, says “as we celebrate International Literacy Day, UNESCO would like to invite all actors around the world, in the field of education and beyond, to mobilize for the literacy of young people, adults [vulnerable communities] and women. So that they, too, can have the right to dream and be free."

Tech4Dev’s flagship program, the Women Techsters initiative, responds actively to this call by equipping women with digital skills, building their literacy capacities as they develop their knowledge of digital resources. These ensure humans are at the central point of recovery; responsive to new demands at an unprecedented scale.

Today’s International Literacy celebration is significant as we are equally excited about the announcement by the Nigerian Federal Government of the implementation of the new national policy on Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). We believe the policy will penetrate local communities, boost digital identities and footprints and strengthen literacy as a key enabler towards narrowing the digital divide.