During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, many resources and communication methods shifted towards the digital space and away from conventional in-person platforms. Governments gazetted laws and shared news updates through digital media, SMS portals were created to help people access the Social Relief of Distress Grant amidst social distancing regulations, and medical information circulated faster online than through digital media. This digital migration emphasised the internet as a means of accessing resources, information and critical support systems and, consequently, enlarged the digital divide for families with limited technology and internet connection. Older persons feared the internet seeing it as a space of identity and financial theft, scams and inappropriate behaviour threatening their grandchildren whilst children needed it to access online learning.

 

Over six million children in South Africa live in multigenerational households with grandmothers. Many of the services both groups rely on exist online, from grant platforms and information portals to communication systems that keep people connected to their support network.

 

iGOGO offers an innovative solution to mitigating the digital divide between older persons and youth in poorly resourced communities through basic internet training. This project aims to equip grandmothers with essential digital technology skills and knowledge to support internet access to online educational and other platforms in households, ultimately improving the educational and life outcomes of the children they are raising.

 

The iGOGO programme consists of twenty training sessions to address digital issues facing grandmothers and grandchildren. These include cybersecurity, online banking, learning platforms, study applications and WhatsApp, Facebook, YouTube and online shopping. Each session is created to build confidence within gogos to harness the power of the internet while remaining safe online.

 

A tablet is provided to each participating grandmother on completion of the course, allowing the tablet to become a household asset to facilitate access to the internet and online learning for the children they are raising. Providing essential digital resources and reducing the digital divide within their households is critical to improved health and life outcomes for grandmothers, grandchildren, and their communities. Intergenerational conversations, learning and sharing around the digital space also add to improved relationships between generations. Grandmothers are also using the internet to build home industries like Marketplace.

 

Greater access to educational platforms and resources will have the long-term impact of improving educational outcomes and opportunities for multiple generations within grandparent-led households. Training grandmothers in digital skills can significantly enhance their confidence and ability to navigate technology and fostering independence. Consequently, a better understanding of the risks associated with the online world can encourage safer internet practices, from ignoring suspicious communications to only sharing personal details through secure channels.

 

Investigating the digital empowerment of grandmothers is crucial for bridging the grey digital divide between older women as a marginalised and vulnerable community and improving access to educational resources for grandchildren they are raising.

Bradley Chauke

BRADLEY CHAUKE – RESEARCHER AND TRAINING FACILITATOR

 

Bradley Chauke has degrees in Health Sciences from the University of Witwatersrand and Biotechnology at the University of Pretoria. Bradley has been with goGOGOgo since the first pilot of the iGOGO program at Itlhokomeleng Home for the Aged in Alexandra, Johannesburg, in 2021. He was responsible for the design and piloting of iGOGO. This is a programme to upskill older persons in basic digital skills and technology with a focus on internet usage in the household. He conducted the formative research for iGOGO and wrote the programme content. He is the Project Manager and Lead Facilitator for iGOGO and is responsible for implementing iGOGO programmes and training for over 400 older persons in 5 provinces. He is an experienced report writer and manages stakeholder relationships for iGOGO. He has also managed the social media for goGOGOgo and developed a webpage for a partner NGO. Bradley has been involved in many other training programs including those around health and wellness, bullying, sexual and reproductive health education talks and literacy projects.

 

 

Hlumelo Gxotiwe

 

HLUMELO GXOTIWE – BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

 

Hlumelo is a writer with over 7 years of experience in marketing, B2C communication and technical and creative writing. He currently serves as a Business Development Officer at goGOGOgo, working to research and process funding opportunities for the organisation’s various projects, including GOGOcare, a capacity-building programme that provides grandmothers with workshops on perinatal care and GOGObox, a weekly boxing class promoting physical and mental wellbeing for older persons.

 

In his current role, he helps manage the e-commerce arm of Income4GOGO, an initiative which provides grandmothers with skills training and facilities to generate income for themselves and their households. He has also recently become a facilitator for the iGOGO project, which seeks to close the gray divide through a digital literacy course that helps gogos access the power of the internet.

 

As part of a passionate team, Hlumelo works across multiple systems, from grant compliance and management to media engagement and communications.

 

 

Jane Simmonds

Ms Jane Simmonds is a dedicated public health specialist and social activist committed to driving community-level change. She holds a Master of Public Health in Social Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) from the University of the Witwatersrand. Jane currently works at the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) and is the Founder and Executive Director of goGOGOgo, a non-profit organisation focused on empowering grandmothers (“gogos”) who are primary caregivers of children.

 

At the SAMRC, Jane has contributed significantly to public health initiatives. She has worked extensively in the older persons sphere as the project manager for a qualitative study on the polypill to address cardiovascular disease in older persons and a hypertension screening study conducted in social grant queues in collaboration with the MRC/Wits Agincourt Research Unit.

 

Through goGOGOgo, Jane leads programmes to promote grandmothers as agents of change improving outcomes for both caregivers and children. Key initiatives include health initiatives for older persons, addressing the “grey divide’ by providing digital technology training and promoting intergenerational conversations related to gender based violence, sexual reproductive health, pregnancy and childcare.

 

Jane’s work reflects a deep commitment to intergenerational health, education, and empowerment, bridging research and community engagement with lasting social impact.