Pakistan’s Digital Safar program, a collaboration between Jazz, Google, and Tech Valley, celebrated a major milestone in equipping young people with digital skills and online safety awareness.
Launched in 2023, the program has already benefitted over 100,000 students aged 9-14 and trained more than 1,000 teachers. By 2025, they aim to reach an additional 200,000 students and train 2,000 master trainers.
The celebration event in Islamabad saw participation from government officials and representatives from all collaborating organizations.
Digital Safar addresses the growing need for digital literacy in Pakistan. It leverages Google’s “Be Internet Awesome” program to promote responsible online behavior and “CS First” to introduce basic coding skills.
“We are committed to bridging the digital divide and ensuring online safety,” said Aamir Ibrahim, CEO of Jazz. “Digital Safar provides free internet access and devices, ensuring every student can benefit from this valuable program.”
Collaboration is seen as key to success. Umar Farooq, CEO of Tech Valley, emphasized the importance of partnerships in building a digitally literate Pakistan. Farhan S. Qureshi, Google Pakistan’s Country Director, highlighted Digital Safar’s alignment with Google’s mission of fostering critical thinkers and problem solvers alongside digital literacy and online safety.
The program offers a comprehensive curriculum encompassing coding, computational thinking, digital citizenship, and online safety. It caters to diverse educational settings and overcomes language barriers with self-paced Urdu learning videos for teachers.
Digital Safar’s success underscores the importance of equipping young people with essential skills for the digital age. The program’s expansion plans demonstrate a commitment to narrowing Pakistan’s digital skills gap and preparing a future generation of tech-savvy citizens.
