Young women in Pakistan need to learn how to use computers and the internet if they want to compete economically in our globalized world. Yet, while most of the population in Pakistan accesses computers through internet cafes, women and men using the same internet cafes is frowned upon in conservative areas of Pakistan. Thus, Active Citizen Sumaya set-up an internet cafe in her community exclusively for low-income women where low-cost or free basic computer courses are taught everyday.
Internet cafes in the more conservative areas of Pakistan cater exclusively to the male population. Even in cities and larger towns, women frequenting internet cafes is considered a rare occurrence. Consequently access to computers and the internet is limited for women living in these areas.
Sumaya Ibrahim hosts an internet cafe and teaches computer literacy classes at the Amozgah Centre - a vocational skills training center for low-income women. Turn-out is strong, but in order to accommodate all the applicants into computer literacy classes Sumaya needs to purchase more computers. More computers for the classes means more women will be able to develop the skills and abilities required of them to compete in this quickly changing modern world.
The computer literacy centre and internet cafe provides the women of the area with a safe environment where they can learn together and further develop their technology skills. Fully trained, these women will increase their economic and academic viability, while also enabling them to cascade out their training to benefit their families and communities.
