How Tech Savvy Teens is Bridging Generations Through Technology in Hawaiʻi
In Hawaiʻi, technology is no longer optional. From telehealth appointments and online banking to staying connected with grandchildren through video calls, digital tools have become part of everyday life. Yet many kūpuna continue to face barriers when using smartphones, tablets, computers, and online services.
At the same time, many local teenagers are looking for meaningful opportunities to gain real-world experience, develop workforce skills, and make a difference in their communities.
Tech Savvy Teens was created to solve both challenges through one innovative, intergenerational model.
Founded in 2023 by a then, 13-year-old native Hawaiian youth, Jaffer Dakroub, Tech Savvy Teens trains youth to become technology mentors who provide patient, one-on-one support to kūpuna. Whether helping an elder learn how to use email, avoid online scams, connect with family through FaceTime, or navigate telehealth services, these youth mentors are creating meaningful relationships while strengthening digital confidence.
More than a technology program, Tech Savvy Teens is about reconnecting generations.
Rooted in Hawaiʻi's values of aloha, mālama, and respect for elders, the program creates workforce readiness opportunities for teens and kūpuna to learn from one another. While youth share their digital knowledge, kūpuna share stories, wisdom, culture, and life experiences that cannot be learned in a classroom.
The result is a stronger, more connected community where both generations thrive.
