Faster broadband helping Orkney charity support female prisoners in Zimbabwe
An Orkney charity that supports female prisoners in Zimbabwe is benefiting from faster, more reliable broadband delivered through the Scottish Government’s Reaching 100 (R100) programme.
Gogo Olive, founded by Harray‑based Julie Johnston, works with prisoners at Mutare Remand Prison, teaching them to knit toys that are then sold online and wholesale, providing the women with a vital source of income and long-term support.
A further 34 women who have been released from prison now work at Gogo Olive’s workshop, with many choosing to continue with the charity after serving their sentence.
Thanks to a recent broadband upgrade at her home on Orkney, carried out by Openreach as part of the R100 rollout, Julie can now run the charity more effectively from a rural location.
“The main benefit has been communication. I grew up on Orkney and come from a rural community – I was used to not having broadband. When I’d join calls with charities, for example, the call would drop and I’d miss out.
“It’s so much smoother to run the charity now. We used to get 2 Mbps – now it’s 400 Mbps. Calls were a big issue, but I often send big files as well. It was frustrating and took longer than it should.
“Broadband has a big impact on what I’m doing. Contact with the team in Zimbabwe is huge. We’re able to support the team and I can do that from home.”
Julie, who has three children, said faster and more reliable broadband has also made day‑to‑day life easier for her family, helping with work, school and staying connected in a remote island community.
She added: “Unemployment in Zimbabwe is a big issue. It’s hard to find a job if you’re a woman, especially if you’ve been to prison. It’s great for them to be able to earn money and get support from people who’ve been through the same experiences. Most of the women continue with the charity once they’ve left prison.
Business Minister Tom Arthur said: “This is a powerful story which shows the real impact of our investment in the £600 million R100 programme, which recently surpassed the milestone of 100,000 connections delivered. R100 is not only tackling rural isolation but also enabling global connections to help change lives.
“Thanks to faster, more reliable broadband, charities like Gogo Olive can operate from rural and island areas like Orkney, while supporting women thousands of miles away in countries like Zimbabwe.
“We will continue to work with Openreach to ensure that more residents and businesses across Scotland can unlock the benefits of high-quality digital infrastructure.”
Robert Thorburn, Openreach Partnership Director for Scotland, said: “Fast, reliable broadband matters to people running vital services in rural and island communities. Through the R100 programme, we’re helping to remove digital barriers on Orkney - so charities like Gogo Olive can stay connected, work with partners around the world, and keep making a positive difference, no matter how remote their location.”
More than 4,600 homes and businesses across Orkney are now able to access faster, more reliable Full Fibre broadband. People can visit the Openreach website to upgrade.
