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a day ago
- Automotive
- IOL News
inDrive and goGOGOgo equip Johannesburg gogos with digital skills and access to safe transport
Image: Supplied This Women's Month, inDrive is shining a spotlight on the women who often work quietly but tirelessly to hold South African families and communities together – our gogos. These grandmothers, caregivers, and community leaders are more than just matriarchs; they are protectors, teachers, and providers. Yet, despite their critical role, many remain excluded from the digital and mobility tools that could make their daily lives safer and more independent. Ride-hailing platform inDrive, in partnership with grassroots initiative goGOGOgo, has launched a new community-driven initiative aimed at bridging South Africa's digital and mobility divide. The project kicks off with empowering older women (locally known as gogos) from Alexandra and surrounding communities to gain valuable, relevant digital and mobility literacy skills aimed at helping them navigate everyday life. The event, held at Safe-Hub Alexandra on 29 July 2025, brought gogos together for a hands-on session to learn everything from smartphone navigation to ride-hailing basics via the inDrive app, skills most had never used before. This training comes amid a national reality where around four million children are being raised by grandmothers and often on a single state grant, underlining just how critical it is to equip them with tools for independence and safety. Ashif Black, inDrive South Africa's country representative Image: Supplied Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading 'Gogos are the unsung heroes and clearly the backbone of our nation, and empowering them with digital and mobility skills helps to remove barriers to their movement, safety and independence,' says Ashif Black, country representative for inDrive South Africa. 'We're proud to support this initiative and to begin building skills in communities that have real impact.' Tackling transport and tech exclusion According to Stats SA, just 44.3% of South Africans aged 60 and older have internet access, a number that reflects a broader pattern of digital exclusion for older generations, particularly women. Mobility is another challenge, where public transport is often unsafe, inaccessible or unreliable for older users, leaving many gogos isolated or dependent on others for basic errands like grocery shopping, medical visits or collecting social grants. 'In almost every township we operate in, gogos are the ones holding families together. That being said, they're also the ones left out when services and tech aren't designed with them in mind,' says Jane Simmonds, founder and executive director of goGOGOgo. 'This partnership gives them tools to engage on their own terms.' Image: Supplied inDrive's peer-to-peer model, which allows riders and drivers to negotiate a fare and choose a preferable car and driver for the trip, offers a more flexible and approachable option for users who may be new to ride-hailing or prefer direct engagement. At the event, each gogo was supported by a trained inDrive driver, with 'Gogo Champions' helping them download the app, practice booking a demo ride and understand how to stay safe when travelling. The gogos also received starter kits, which included smartphones for some, branded blankets, and handmade bags crafted by fellow gogos as part of local income-generating activities supported by inDrive. The kits also contained comfort items to support the gogos as they continue engaging with technology and transport services. Building a movement This activation is the first in a planned series of empowerment days aimed at supporting older women through technology and mobility training. inDrive and goGOGOgo will host additional sessions later this year, using feedback gathered from interviews with participants to refine and expand the programme. 'As we continue to grow in South Africa, we want to make sure we're growing responsibly and in a way that reflects the needs and realities of our communities,' says Black.
The Herald
13-07-2025
- General
- The Herald
'Now I can do it myself': Gogos learn to use smartphones in 'Gogos with Vuma' digital skills training programme
In a step towards digital inclusion, 49 elderly residents from Katlehong graduated on Friday from a digital skills training programme aimed at empowering senior citizens with essential tech knowledge. Hosted by VumaTel in partnership with goGOGOgo (NPC) at Matsediso Primary School in Katlehong on the East Rand, the programme equipped the participants, many of whom had little or no prior experience with technology, with vital digital skills. It covered fundamental skills such as using smartphones, navigating the internet, sending emails, using social media, accessing online services and practising digital safety. One of the graduates, Phinet Lekau, 88, speaking at the graduation ceremony, said he was grateful to have been part of the course as he now knew how to use the internet, order supplies from shops and speak to his friends with ease. 'I knew nothing about the internet before this course. My grandchildren would simply call me holding the phone, telling me what to do. But this course has opened my eyes. I can now do all of those things on my own,' said Lekau. Agnes Letsoge, 82, said she can now use her smartphone. 'I am very happy to have been part of this programme, because the phone was being used by my grandchildren and they would constantly finish my money and airtime. Since I've been taught how to use it by myself, I can finally enjoy my pension money,' Letsoge said. Before doing the course she couldn't even load airtime, she said. 'Now I can do it myself, they can no longer rob me,' she said. Vumatel CSI co-ordinator Thando Mokoena said with most NGOs focusing on the youth and children, they identified a gap for training for the elderly. 'We know that almost 40% of children in South Africa are living with grandparents. We want to revive that thing that they are still here, we still care and we see that they matter. The course we put them through is a standard ICT course, learning how to browse the internet, and how to use a smartphone, as most of them used or knew how to use small phones,' Mokoena said. The programme, which was part of Vumatel's ongoing commitment to community upliftment and digital inclusion, also fostered intergenerational learning, with younger facilitators helping to mentor the elderly participants throughout their training. Jane Simmonds, founder and executive director for goGOGOgo (NPC), an NGO aimed at building capacity in elderly people raising grandchildren, Simmonds explained that with 9.7-million children in South Africa essentially living in multigenerational households with grandparents playing an important part in their upbringing, the organisation is working to strengthen the role of the older people to build their footprint and amplify their voices. This is to ultimately give them knowledge, information and modern-day practices to navigate raising children in the digital age. 'Many of these older people are also raising fourth generation, so they raise their children, their grandchildren and are now looking after their great-grandchildren. We are working at strengthening the role of these women and men, building their footprint, their voice, amplifying their voices, giving the knowledge, information about modern-day practices. When raising children with internet and wi-fi, social media, violence, GBV, so many things that these elderly people have to address when raising children. We provide programmes where we strengthen the role of grandparents raising grandchildren and recognise the importance of this vulnerable, marginalised, often excluded population of people who are the heroes of South Africa,' she said. Simmonds said the initiative, which started during the Covid-19 lockdown, has funded more than 10 programmes with about 400 beneficiaries. She said the grandparents are identified through local schools and organisations. TimesLIVE
