New platform expands access to digital and AI skills in 21 African countries, targeting young people, particularly adolescent girls and young women most at risk of being left behind in the HIV response.

Microsoft and Education Plus, an initiative supported by UNAIDS, have launched Empower+, a new AI digital skilling platform designed to expand access to future-ready skills for young people, particularly young women and girls, across 21 countries in Africa. The platform offers free, mobile-accessible courses in foundational digital literacy, emerging AI skills and content linking digital opportunity to HIV awareness and prevention.

The launch addresses a critical gap: while demand for digital skills is growing rapidly across the continent, access to relevant learning remains deeply uneven, particularly for adolescent girls and young women. Empower+ creates inclusive pathways to help close that opportunity gap and prepare individuals for the future of work.

“Access to education and skills is one of the most powerful enablers of opportunity,” said Tiara Pathon, AI Skills Director at Microsoft Elevate. “Through Empower+, we are working alongside Education Plus to ensure learners across Africa can access the tools and knowledge needed to adapt, contribute, and thrive in a rapidly changing world.”

What Empower+ Offers

Empower+ is free to access on mobile devices and is available in multiple languages. The platform combines Microsoft’s global expertise in digital and AI skilling with Education Plus’ deep partnerships across Africa. Courses progress from foundational digital literacy to applied AI skills, and are designed to meet learners where they are, whether in school, out of school, or entering the workforce.

The platform is integrated into the Education Plus Initiative, connecting digital skilling to broader development outcomes. It responds directly to the overlapping challenges of gender inequality, limited economic opportunity and HIV vulnerability that continue to shape the life outcomes of adolescent girls and young women across sub-Saharan Africa.

“Keeping girls in school transforms their life options,” said Anne Githuku-Shongwe, UNAIDS Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa. “In partnership with Microsoft, digital inclusion will facilitate access to skills, information, and opportunity. Together, we can enable thousands of women and girls to remain free from HIV and to build a more promising future.”

Closing the Digital Gender Gap

Empower+ aligns with Microsoft’s Elevate Skills commitment to expand access to AI and digital skills globally and with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The initiative supports education systems, civil society organizations and governments in preparing learners for an AI-enabled economy.

A virtual launch event brought together private sector partners, civil society organizations, youth advocates, and development stakeholders. The programme featured a live platform demonstration, reflections from young people, and a panel discussion on scaling digital opportunity through cross-sector partnerships. Participants explored how governments, donors, and the private sector can support national and regional implementation.

Link to Empower+ : https://empowerplus-ed.org

About Education Plus Initiative

Education Plus is a UNAIDS-hosted initiative focused on keeping adolescent girls and young women in school as a proven strategy to address HIV, gender inequality, and limited economic opportunity across sub-Saharan Africa. For more information, visit: www.educationplusinitiative.org

About Microsoft Elevate

Microsoft Elevate is a global commitment to expanding access to digital and AI skills for underserved communities. It works in partnership with governments, NGOs, and civil society to equip learners with the skills needed to thrive in an AI-enabled economy.

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