Bits&Bytes: Digital connectivity for all children

This episode explores how reliable connectivity can unlock new opportunities for learning. We’re joined by a leader with first-hand experience of advancing school connectivity at the national level. Our guest Enkh-Amgalan Luvsantseren, Minister of Education of Mongolia, shares insights from Mongolia’s experience of connecting nearly every school to the internet. He reflects on what this progress means for learners, teachers, and the future of education.

What if connectivity could be traded like oil or food, and the gigabyte became a global commodity? In this episode of Connectivity Cast, UNICEF Digital Inclusion Lead and Giga Co-Lead Christopher Fabian explores Connectivity Credits, an initiative using blockchain technology to help expand internet access for children and young people worldwide. Recorded at ETHPrague, the conversation covers Giga’s work mapping schools, measuring internet quality through open-source tools, and developing a marketplace that could transform how connectivity is bought, sold, and valued. Could the gigabyte become the new barrel of oil? Tune in to discover what that could mean for a more connected and equitable future.

This episode 2 of Connectivity Cast, the new UNICEF Digital Impact podcast, explores ideas around how artificial intelligence can be used for social good in science, technology, and education. It features Pascal Van Hentenryck, Professor and Director of the AI Hub at the Georgia Institute of Technology, also known as Georgia Tech. This conversation with the show’s host, Ivan Dotu Rodríguez, Giga’s Applied Science Lead, was recorded ahead of our inaugural “Giga Talks” event at the Giga Tech Centre in Barcelona, a space for exploring how technology supports development projects. Pascal joined the Giga team in Barcelona to present his insights on how AI can advance areas such as education, healthcare, mobility, research, and beyond. In this episode, you will dive into one of the questions currently dividing society: is AI ultimately helpful or harmful? Listen to hear their take.

In this interview, Marija Novkovic Gosić from UNICEF discusses the global efforts to bridge the digital divide, focusing on connecting schools and children to the internet. She highlights innovative projects, research findings, and the importance of digital access for children's rights and socioeconomic development.

In the inaugural episode of Connectivity Cast, we welcome Naza Alakija, founder of the Evoca Foundation, whose work spans climate action, education, and gender equality from Afghanistan to Nigeria to Rwanda. It features an engaging, frank, and open conversation hosted by Christopher Fabian, UNICEF Digital Inclusion Lead and Giga Co-Lead. Together, Christopher and Naza connect her work to a broader global challenge: girls’ access to the internet, safe connectivity, and the urgent need to ensure that girls are not left behind in the digital future.

In this episode, we explore where art and humanitarian work meet through the UNICEF Giga Photo Award. Joined by Daniel Ginsianmung, we talk about how photography can help tell stories about digital connectivity in ways that data and policy alone often cannot. The conversation looks at why youth and emerging photographers from the global south are central to this work, and how visual storytelling can translate complex issues such as access, inequality, and urgency into something deeply human. From everyday moments of connection to the realities of being offline, this episode reflects on the power of images as an advocacy tool, and on the importance of giving young photographers the space to tell their own stories.

In this episode of Bits&Bytes, Junior Alexander, UNICEF’s Head of ICT in Haiti, reflects on his work keeping vital digital systems running in one of the most challenging contexts in the world. He shares how connectivity, satellite links, and solar‑powered solutions help sustain essential services for children despite violence, instability, and widespread outages. Junior speaks openly about the emotional impact of witnessing the crisis up close, the resilience of communities, and why supporting children gives his work purpose. A story of dedication, urgency, and hope in the middle of Haiti’s ongoing emergency.

How will artificial intelligence shape the lives of the children who are growing up with it? In this episode, we speak with Henrietta Ridley, UNICEF’s first Chief of AI, about what it really means to build a child‑centric digital future at a time when technology is moving faster than policy, ethics, and even public understanding. Henrietta unpacks the big questions: How do we ensure AI serves every child, not just those represented in today’s datasets? What risks and opportunities does AI bring to childhood, privacy, learning, and identity? How can UNICEF make sure children’s voices are heard by tech companies and governments shaping the systems they’ll grow up using? From global equity and language gaps to data rights and ethical dilemmas, this is a clear, grounded conversation about using AI responsibly, thoughtfully, and for the benefit of the next generation. This episode is for anyone working at the intersection of technology, rights, and the future of childhood.

When seasonal haze turns dangerous, UNICEF’s Air for Tomorrow project brings open‑source sensors and connectivity to schools across Laos, turning “we can feel it” into actionable data that protects children and communities.

In this episode of Bits&Bytes we hear from Gabriele Erba and Domenico Di Nicola to discover how UNICEF’s HOPE platform is transforming humanitarian aid through digital cash transfers, open-source technology, and AI-driven innovation. We dive into how HOPE helps deliver secure, scalable, and fast financial assistance to families with children in need—across more than 30 countries and over $850 million distributed. Learn how HOPE (Humanitarian cash Operations and Programme Ecosystem) integrates with financial service providers, uses face recognition to prevent fraud, and empowers governments and humanitarian organizations with modular, open-source software. We also explore the future of cash assistance, including AI-powered automation, risk mitigation, and user-centered design. Whether you're in humanitarian tech, digital finance, or child protection, this episode offers insights into how technology can drive impact at scale.