Digital inclusion to end poverty

Dear supporter, 

Created in 2005, Passerelles Numériques (PN) works in in Cambodia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Madagascar.  With our in-country team on the ground, wehelp  unlock the potential of underprivileged youths by empowering them with an innovative approach in key digital and soft employability skills. Our goal is that each student finds a quality job aligned with local tech market needs, allowing them and their families to escape poverty in a sustainable way and contribute to the social and economic development of their country. 

Thanks to your support, we have been able to see over 3,070 graduates who have been able to leave poverty sustainably - themselves, their families and communities!  

PN's mission is to unlock the potential of disadvantaged youthby giving them access to education, and the means to acquire key soft and hard skills in the digital sector. We provide training in our centers in Southeast Asia, and a preparatory program to enter university at our center in Madagascar.

Our training programs are aimed at vulnerable young people aged 17 to 23. Our beneficiaries are selected based on their extremely precarious economic situation. They mainly come from remote and rural areas where education and employment opportunities are scarce, and do not have the means to pursue higher education.We are committed to gender parity -at least half of our students are girls. The selection process includes a motivational interview, English, mathematics and logic tests and a home visits.

Where PN has centers, the offer of professional training is insufficient and costly, and there is a need for skilled workers in the rapidly growing sector of IT. In 2023 in the Philippines, only 45% of youth were enrolled in tertiary education against 93% in secondary school. In Vietnam, 92% of children from the wealthiest families complete their studies, compared to only 31% of the less fortunate. In Cambodia as of 2022-2023, 82% of population did not complete higher education. In Madagascar, where only 20% of the population uses the Internet (World Bank), the school enrollment rate falls from 76% in primary school to 13% in higher education. Yet, in 2022, the World Bank estimated that 7,500 profiles are needed per year to meet the needs of the IT sector by 2027, for just 700 students trained.

Gender stereotypes continue to negatively influence girls’ opportunities in education and formal employment. In the science sector, the gap is even more marked: in Cambodia, women make up just 10% of the ICT workforce, but 75% of the textile industry. In Madagascar, 38.8% of women aged 20–24 years old are in a union since before they were 18. In the Philippines, among young people neither employed nor in training, 24.1% are women (compared to 13.8% of men).In Vietnam, the income gap between men and women is estimated at 21.5% in urban areas and 35.2% in rural areas.

The training program provided by PN includes 1 to 2 internships in a company and support towards employment. The course also includes modules related to professional behavior. By offering free, professional and quality training in a growing sector, PN allows marginalized populations to access higher education. Every year, we select at least 50% girls in each of our classes.  

Attached you will find the 2024 Annual Report.  Enjoy the read that shows the impact we can all make together.  Hoping that you continue to support our mission.  

Links:

• 2024 Annual Report