While the gender digital divide continues to shrink globally, there remains a significant gap in access across sub-Saharan Africa. In Ghana, this divide is particularly pronounced in rural areas, with women facing significant barriers to Internet access due to socio-economic, cultural, and educational factors. Connectivity is further hindered by the region’s large coverage gaps, as most rural areas lack the necessary infrastructure to facilitate Internet access. This digital divide disproportionately affects women and girls, and they miss out on the benefits of digital resources that could potentially improve their social and economic well-being.

To increase meaningful Internet access and provide new opportunities for women, the USAID/Microsoft Airband Initiative partnered with Bluetown, an Internet service provider in Ghana, to bring connectivity to three rural areas—Adonkwanta, Akode, and Supreso—and two semi-urban areas Kyebi and Koforidua. Through their cost-effective Internet infrastructure solutions, Bluetown is working to achieve three main objectives:

1) Provide and enhance access to Internet connectivity
2) Facilitate an enabling environment for women to gain Internet access in their communities
3) Offer social and economic opportunities for women and girls through access to digital services, content, and training