A 15-week mobile phone-based distance learning program in rural Bangladesh, evaluated four years after completion, produced large and lasting gains in mothers’ digital connectivity, agency, economic empowerment, and gender attitudes, and their children continued to outperform peers on academic assessments. Using an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) platform accessible on basic feature phones, the program required neither an internet connection nor a smartphone. These findings challenge the prevailing assumption that women’s digital inclusion requires high-tech solutions, and offer a rigorous, scalable model for simultaneously advancing children’s education and maternal empowerment in low-resource settings.
Authors: Hassan, Hashibul; and Sulaiman, Munshi
Type: Policy Brief
Publisher: BIGD
Year: 2026
