Anytime, anywhere: digital education for all

Unemployment and few opportunities for education – many young people in the partner countries of German development cooperation faced these problems even before the COVID-19 pandemic. Their predicament has been exacerbated since 2020. The digital learning platform atingi is addressing this situation. What is special about atingi is that it focuses on population groups that would otherwise have no or only limited access to high-quality education. The platform provides these people in particular with top-quality study content adapted to the respective economic and cultural context.

By learning to use this tool, they can ‘achieve something’ – which is what ‘atingi’ means in the international language Esperanto. People in African countries – and elsewhere in the world – can log on to the platform free of charge. Working at their own pace and with the aid of a smartphone or a computer, they can access study content in eight different languages.

The platform offers qualifications in management and leadership, agriculture, health, tourism and many other areas. People interested in vocational training can find out from their peers what working as an electrician involves or what an agripreneur is through entertaining presentations incorporating videos and podcasts. The business game Mama Atingi allows participants to play the role of a souvenir shop owner and acquire hands-on business knowledge in the process.

atingi was developed on behalf of BMZ by a team of digital experts and is part of the Digital Transformation global programme. In collaboration with Smart Africa, the African Union’s digital initiative, and many other partners from the private sector, politics, the scientific and academic community and civil society, GIZ is working to provide learning opportunities for all, in a way that is inclusive, accessible, relevant, safe and secure.