• JA Africa launches $1.5M digital safety program in four African countries

• Initiative to train 250,000 children, 6,000 teachers, 8,000 caregivers by 2027

• Program uses Google tools to promote safe, responsible digital citizenship for youth
  

Junior Achievement (JA) Africa has launched a digital literacy and online safety program in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa, the regional branch of the global youth economic education organization said on Wednesday.

The $1.5 million initiative, funded by Google's philanthropic arm, Google.org, aims to train 250,000 children, 6,000 teachers, and 8,000 parents and caregivers by 2027 to better protect young people in a rapidly expanding digital environment.

"As digital connectivity becomes the foundation of modern life in Africa, our children must be equipped not only to participate, but to be protected," said Simi Nwogugu, CEO of JA Africa. "With funding from Google.org, we are helping young people turn access into opportunity, building a generation of smart, safe, and kind digital citizens."

The program is based on Google's "Be Internet Awesome" educational toolkit, which teaches digital safety, privacy, combating cyberbullying, and digital citizenship, including through the game-based platform Interland. It will be deployed through school workshops, teacher training, and community actions, including in underserved rural areas. The initiative aligns with national child protection and ICT-in-education frameworks in Ghana, Nigeria, and Kenya.

The program's launch coincides with growing exposure of minors to digital risks as connectivity on the continent increases. According to the GSMA, 18% of children aged 5 to 7 in sub-Saharan Africa already use mobile internet. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) estimates that a child goes online for the first time every half second globally, illustrating the speed at which young people are accessing the digital world.

However, in 2024, only 39 African countries had finalized a national online child protection strategy, while 32% were still developing one and 41% had not yet initiated such a process.

The project will be amplified by awareness campaigns, digital content production, and flagship events such as Safer Internet Day 2026 to reach a broader audience. It could ultimately help lay the groundwork for common online child protection standards on the continent through announced collaboration with ministries of Education, ICT, and Communications.

Samira Njoya