Stenden South Africa Campus, 1 Grand Street, Port Alfred, Eastern Cape 6170, SA
Keep young people safe on the internet
The internet has become a vital teaching and learning tool for both teachers and learners. However, it has also become a breeding ground for cyber bullying, sexual exploitation, hate speech, misinformation, financial scams, putting the wellbeing of young people, especially young girls at risk.
To solve this problem, GLLI designed SurfSMART, student-centered internet safety skills training programme that empowers adolescents aged, with special focus on young girls to use the internet safely through.
Our Approach
Partnerships with District Departments of Education and Non-profit Organizations
We collaborate with District Departments of Education to train and local media houses to deliver the programme to schools, radio and newspapers.
Thanks to a small grant from the Africa Online Safety Fund and in partnership with the Eastern Cape Department of Education, GLLI piloted SurfSMART in 18 schools with 4100 students, 533 parents, and 110 teachers in the Eastern Cape in 2021. The success of this program drew interests from more education districts and nonprofit organizations on the continent.
Google.org recognized SurfSMART by featuring it in the following film about the Africa Online Safety programme.
surfsmart relaunching in 2024
SURFSMART: Internet and AI safety programme in South Africa
Thanks to a generous grant from the Impact Amplifier Foundation, GLLI is expanding the SurfSMART program to 20 schools, reaching approximately 14,000 learners across the Eastern Cape in 2024. This updated program addresses the growing risks associated with children’s exposure to artificial intelligence (AI) and online safety challenges, including cyberbullying, hate speech, sexual exploitation, and misinformation.
SurfSMART empowers children, teachers, and parents to navigate these risks safely. In 2024, we aim to extend the program to 20,000 students across three districts, with a special focus on empowering young girls.
The program is implemented in partnership with the Department of Education, Ndlambe FM, Talk of the Town Newspaper, and other key stakeholders.