The Botswana Organization for Sisters Empowering Junior Associates (BOSEJA) is a grassroots nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering girls from low-income communities in Botswana. Since its founding, BOSEJA has supported more than 5,000 girls through its innovative programs, which address pressing issues such as teenage pregnancy, sexual violence, and education access. With a mission to empower, inspire, and inform, BOSEJA focuses on equipping girls with the essential life skills, enabling them to make educated decisions about their futures.
Girls in Botswana face significant challenges due to systemic inequalities in education and technology access, particularly in rural and low-income areas. In Sub-Saharan Africa, only 15% of households have internet access, with girls disproportionately affected due to gendered societal norms. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the digital divide, leaving many girls without access to online learning. This exclusion limits girls’ access to critical skills, preventing them from pursuing careers in STEM fields. As a result, girls are unable to access jobs and opportunities which would enable them to break the cycle of poverty for themselves and their families.
With support from the Girls Opportunity Alliance Fund, BOSEJA will expand its flagship program, the Beyond the Classroom Initiative. BOSEJA will work with 10 trained teachers to provide digital literacy training, coding workshops, and more. In turn, girls will have the opportunity to learn essential skills, preparing them for careers in STEM fields and beyond. The organization expects to directly support 150 girls from rural boarding schools in Botswana.
Through this project, BOSEJA envisions a future where girls in marginalized communities access the tools and opportunities needed to thrive in a technology-driven world. By bridging the digital gender divide and encouraging STEM education, BOSEJA aims to empower girls as leaders and innovators, ensuring they become agents of positive change in their communities. Ultimately, the organization hopes to foster a new generation of confident, informed, and capable young women who can break the cycle of poverty and contribute to economic and social development in Botswana. To learn more about BOSEJA, please visit the organization’s social media pages: