Computer literacy for 400 poor Pakistani girls

During the last months, AWARD Pakistan’s Computer Literacy for Poor and School Dropout Girls program made significant progress in both scale and quality of learning. The program has expanded substantially, with total enrollment now reaching 157 students across the three operational IT Centres located at Chak # 3 JB, Chak # 246 GB, and Chak # 118 JB.  This increase reflects strong community trust and growing demand for digital education among poor and marginalized rural girls.

As part of academic monitoring and quality assurance, progress assessment examinations were conducted for the enrolled students. These assessments were carefully designed to evaluate learning outcomes through written, oral, and practical exams.  The written exams tested conceptual understanding of computer basics and applications, the oral assessments focused on terminology, confidence, and comprehension, while the practical exams evaluated hands-on ability to operate computers, use software, and perform assigned digital tasks independently. Overall performance indicated encouraging progress, with most students demonstrating improved confidence, accuracy, and practical competence compared to their initial learning stage.

Following the successful completion of assessments, new classes have now commenced,  allowing students to smoothly transition into the next phase of learning without interruption. The continued structure of daily lessons, practice sessions, and instructor-led guidance remains in place to ensure consistency and skill retention.

In addition to ongoing classes for previously enrolled students, a new batch of students has been inducted,  and fresh courses have been initiated for them. These new students have begun with foundational modules, including introduction to computers, basic hardware and software concepts, operating system familiarity, typing skills (English and Urdu), mouse and keyboard operations, understanding the desktop environment, and basic file management. Early sessions are focused on building confidence, digital familiarity, and reducing hesitation among first-time computer users.

For continuing students, the curriculum has progressed toward advanced MS Word practice,  while preparations are underway to introduce Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, internet browsing, email usage, and basic digital communication skills in the coming weeks. This phased approach ensures that students develop strong fundamentals before advancing to more complex applications.

Overall, the month marked an important milestone for the project, not only in terms of increased enrollment but also through systematic assessment and structured progression. The growing number of trained girls and the smooth transition into advanced modules highlight the program’s effectiveness in bridging the digital divide and empowering rural girls in Faisalabad with practical, future-ready computer skills.

Computer Literacy for 400 Poor Pakistani Girls

In the first three months, AWARD Pakistan successfully enrolled 48 girls in its Computer Literacy for 400 Poor Pakistani Girls program in rural Faisalabad. These participants, mostly poor and school dropouts, are undergoing 10 months of structured training designed to build essential computer and digital skills.

Training sessions are conducted daily across three IT Centres, established in August 2025 at:

• Chak # 3 JB

• Chak # 246 GB

• Chak # 118 JB

Each class concludes with a daily test to reinforce the day’s lesson, and regular presentations are held to strengthen confidence and communication skills. The curriculum has been carefully designed to cover a wide range of digital skills, including MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, internet browsing, email usage, typing, printing, software installations, social media management, and AI basics.

Progress in the First Quarter

During the initial months, participants began with foundational lessons to build familiarity and confidence with computers:

• Introduction to computers (hardware, software, operating system basics)

• Computer introduction & typing (A–Z, 0–9)

• Typing tutor (daily practice in English/Urdu)

• Understanding the desktop, icons, and taskbar

• Mouse operations (right click, left click, double click, drag & drop)

• Basic keyboard keys (alphabet, numbers, enter, spacebar, backspace)

By the second month, students advanced to Microsoft Word (English) with both basic and advanced applications, including:

• Creating, saving, and formatting documents

• Copy-paste functions and file management

• Tables, headers/footers, page setup, and printing

• Continued typing practice

Impact Highlight

Within just three months, girls who had never touched a computer before can now operate systems independently, prepare documents in MS Word, and confidently manage basic digital tasks. The combination of structured lessons, daily assessments, and presentation practice has boosted their confidence and demonstrated the program’s strong role in bridging the digital divide for rural girls.

Way Forward

Now, as the program moves forward, students will continue with MS Word practice before transitioning to Excel, PowerPoint, internet browsing, and email usage. In the later stages, they will also be introduced to software installations, social media management, and AI basics, ensuring that they are well-prepared for education, employment, and entrepreneurial opportunities in a digital future.