Help Giga to connect every school to the Internet

Against a backdrop of rapidly evolving digital technologies, it is unimaginable that one third of humanity – or 2.6 billion people – still remain offline. This lack of connectivity means that many children have fewer opportunities to learn and fulfil their potential. Closing this digital divide requires global cooperation, leadership and innovation in finance and technology.
UNICEF and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) have therefore joined forces to create Giga: a global initiative to connect every school to the Internet by 2030.


Connecting schools allows children to develop digital skills and access online learning content. Schools can also become anchor points for surrounding communities: if you can connect the school, you can also connect local businesses and services. This creates opportunities for service providers to generate revenue from paying users, making connectivity more sustainable.


Giga combines UNICEF’s experience in education and procurement, ITU’s expertise in regulation and policy, and the private sector’s ability to apply tech solutions at pace. It is part of UNICEF’s Office of Innovation and ITU’s Telecommunication Development Bureau – two units with a track record of innovating to tackle global problems.


Giga is the only named initiative for connectivity in the UN Secretary-General’s Digital Cooperation Roadmap and his Common Agenda.

Giga logo

Why Giga?

Giga is a UNICEF-ITU initiative to connect every school to the Internet and every young person to information, opportunity and choice.
Giga maps schools’ Internet access in real time, creates models for innovative financing, and supports governments contracting for connectivity.

Key achievements since its launch in 2019

2.1 million schools mapped across 141 countries, with 90K+ schools across 22 countries reporting real-time connectivity.
Infrastructure mapping & analysis conducted in Benin, Botswana, Brazil, Rwanda, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
14.5K schools provided with increased access to connectivity.
7.79 million students with increased access to connectivity.
34 countries provided with advanced connectivity support in the areas of mapping, modeling, financing and contracting. 
 

Thank you for your donation. For clarity on the deductibility of your donations, please consult a tax advisor. UNICEF does not provide tax advice.