The digital world is one of limitless possibilities for students, providing opportunities, connections and avenues for economic and social empowerment.

In a perfect world, technology equips students with the agency to build a better life for themselves no matter where they are, no matter their circumstances. Yet, take one glance at classrooms across the globe—from a camp for refugees in Uganda to a classroom in Canada—and a picture of deep inequality emerges.

Students who would benefit the most from the life-changing impacts of technology and learning digital skills are currently the ones with the least access to them.

For students living as refugees—whose constant displacement and exposure to conflict can prevent regular schooling in a stable environment—technology-based education allows for the flexibility they need to learn and helps prepare them to reenter the classroom after conflict.

Yet, refugees face significant barriers to take advantage of using technology to learn, whether simply having no physical access to computers and laptops or lacking online resources available in the language they speak.

Still, youth with lived experiences of displacement are finding innovative solutions to bridge this digital divide and expand learning access to refugees.

Muzhda Akbari is a 19-year-old activist for refugee education and founder of Code Green Afghanistan—a non-profit organization providing virtual coding classes to girls in Afghanistan and those displaced by the conflict.

I had the chance to meet Muzhda at several events in Toronto focused on refugee rights and education, and have since collaborated with her on fundraising for a book distribution initiative by Code Green for girls in Afghanistan.

The idea for Code Green Afghanistan arose from Muzhda’s own journey as a refugee in Pakistan where she was unable to access formal education.

Frustrated and uncertain about the future, Muzdha picked up coding—a skill that reminded her of the innate power she had to learn and create to build a hopeful future.

In Muzdha’s own words:

Still, Muzhda’s work does not come without challenges.

Navigating settings with limited resources, such as camps for refugees that have weak infrastructural capacity, hinders the delivery of Code Green’s program.

Barriers to access are not just about a lack of computers or technology.

High prices for online courses, limited mentorship opportunities to develop digital skills and a language divide with the host community are also widening the disparity in digital literacy and opportunity between those living as refugees and those who are not.

To Muzhda, the potential of technology to empower and build self-sufficiency within learners living as refugees is clear.

But with the current level of commitments and investments by host country governments into the digital education for refugees, realizing this potential remains uncertain.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, this was made clear as 57% of students living as refugees enrolled in school before the pandemic were not supported by digital learning during school closures.

Refugee youth know what the gaps are for access to digital education. They have scalable solutions.

What they’re asking for now is for leaders to listen, to prioritize their education and most importantly, to collaborate in building a more equal future for all. As shared by Muzhda:

As young leaders like Muzhda Akbari demonstrate, digital education can offer a lifeline, providing not just skills but also hope and agency. Yet, the burden of bridging the digital divide should not fall solely on those most affected.

Governments, policymakers and global institutions must step up to: remove systemic barriers, invest in inclusive digital learning and ensure that refugee youth are not left behind.

The solutions exist. What’s needed now is the commitment to implement them.

A future where every learner who is displaced has the opportunity to thrive in the digital world is within reach—if we choose to make it a priority.

Learn more about GPE youth leaders.