s I entered the hall of the Government Graduate College for Women, Wahdat Colony, in Lahore, there was pin-drop silence; only the storyteller, an expert from Storykit, could be heard. He asked the students if they had social media profiles. A majority of students raised their hands and mentioned the platforms they used and the purposes for which they used them.

Three stories on the ethical use of online spaces were then narrated. Soon the conversation shifted to online harm, scams and predators targeting children and becoming a cause of distress. The students could relate to the stories they heard and voiced their own experiences. The students were already practicing basic security protocols in the digital arena. They were informed about methods and tools to secure their privacy, surf safely and the laws and authorities that protect them.

This was not a one-off session but part of a series aimed at addressing the lack of awareness around digital spaces. The programme, Ethical Futures, was designed and led by Pakistan-US Alumni Network’s Hammad Anwar, a digital communication expert, storyteller, writer and founder of Sukhan, a digital platform that highlights inspiring stories of individuals who are changing narratives through meaningful work and creative communication.

The PUAN is a community of Pakistani alumni who have participated in US government-sponsored exchange programmes and are engaged in activities like community service, mentorship, professional networking and inspiring future exchange participants.

The programme, Ethical Futures, was divided into three portions: an original storybook on ethical technology use, accompanied by a teacher training manual and bilingual audiobooks. All the components are released under Creative Commons licensing to ensure long-term accessibility.

It was a five-month programme designed to strengthen digital literacy, technology ethics and responsible online behaviour among students aged 13-20. The project was a combination of storytelling-based learning with practical digital safety education, reaching over 840 female students across eight schools, a college and a university. The participants explored AI ethics, privacy, online scams and the complexities of digital behaviour, gaining tools to navigate technology responsibly.

It was a five-month programme designed to strengthen digital literacy, technology ethics and responsible online behaviour among students aged 13-20.

The idea of storytelling is as old as human existence. It is a powerful form of art and communication that captures audience’s attention and engages them at a personal level. It helps understand and retain information with emotional context, making it easier to remember. It also helps in preserving culture, history, identity and strengthens communication skills.

The platform Storykit is known for developing children’s engagement with books through interactive storytelling and games. It has played a lead role in developing the three stories (Urdu and English) and narrating them to students. They are freely available on sukhan.net, under the titles: Friend or Foe, Look Before You Leap and Balancing Act. The site features audio versions of stories, enhancing accessibility for specially-abled individuals.

Reflecting on the project’s impact, Hammad Anwar said, “Ethical Futures helps students see that technology is not just a tool, it comes with responsibility. By combining storytelling with practical guidance, we empower young people to make safer, more informed choices online.”

Students spend half of their days at school, where teachers are their main guiding light. If they are equipped with the right knowledge and know how to engage students creatively, it will have a lasting impact. Another component of the project focused on creating a training manual on storytelling techniques and facilitating discussions on ethics. 23 teachers were trained and provided with manuals to facilitate other teachers.

At the closing ceremony of the project at Daftarkhawan, a co-working space, Tayyaba Iftikhar, a teacher who was also part of the teachers’ training session, said, “While students benefit from these sessions, adults also need similar awareness to avoid scams and misinformation. At my school, several teachers have been scammed and were unsure how to report such incidents or recognise the signs.”

The three-pronged project seems poised to grow and reach more students and teachers. Teachers can organise refresher sessions in school every two months. Parents can be invited as well. Audio books can play a significant part in spreading awareness in society; even if they are written for young people, the message remains the same.

After the closing ceremony, we heard a couple speak about concerns they had regarding the children’s use of social media. They wanted tips on keeping their children safe. This conversation raised the point that parents also need such awareness sessions not only to protect their children but themselves, too.

The writer is a freelance journalist