On your marks, get set – we are ready to GoGogoGo! These were the joyful lyrics echoing off the walls of Jabulani’s Safe Hub as eight tech-savvy grannies collected their qualifications at the Gogos with Vuma Graduation Ceremony. They join the ranks of 19 fast fingered Gogos who have graduated from the iGOGO programme in Cape Town.
For more than 4 million children, their gogo is their only source of sustenance, stability, and support. As the world becomes more digital, more of our gogos are behind left behind and marginalised. Now, thanks to the iGOGO programme, gogos across the country are now able to slide into their family’s DMs and stay connected.
Each of the gogos beamed with pride as they received certificates, tablets and data connectivity from Vumatel to help keep them connected. This comes months after the eight gogos first learnt about this impactful programme from Lilydale Primary School, a local school in the Vuma Schools Project network in Soweto.
Standing with her ecstatic 8-year-old grandchild, Lindiwe Mngomezulu said, “I live with six children, and they all know how to use the internet. A lot of my family members also live far away so it is difficult to keep in touch with them. So, when I heard about this, I saw it as an opportunity to learn. When we started, I was worried about my capabilities but now I know how to use WhatsApp, browse the internet, send emails, and even post pictures,” she said.
Her fellow graduate Thobekile Hlongwane said, “I learnt about the programme from my grandchild’s school and at first, I was very nervous. I didn’t know how to send texts or use WhatsApp. Now, I send pictures, make video calls, and use WhatsApp without any help. And with our Vuma connection, I’m able to always keep in touch with my family,”
Taylor Kwong, CSI Manager at Vuma says, “We are so proud of the gogo’s that completed this project with us. We love empowering people to be extraordinary in their everyday lives and being able to do that with these gogos is what drives us. It has been amazing to see how quickly they have developed the skills and confidence to be able to use the internet that will not only help themselves but also help their grandchildren.”
