The Digital Hero Book Project aims to integrate hero booking into the learning activities of information technology (IT)-enabled schools in Cape Town, South Africa, and other sites around the world, and put paper-based “hero books” into the digital arena. The project, currently in its pilot phase, intends to enable youth in these schools to create digital hero books, and publish them on the Hero Book website or on a closed, private, community-based Digital Heroes website. Through the sites, authors can engage other “heroes” to share their experiences.

Hero Booking is a process whereby a young person becomes the author, illustrator, and editor of their own hero book. Hero Books are a form of memory work, a process of setting up a safe space for an individual to tell a story. According to the organisers, memory work is important in developing self-esteem, helping people take control of their lives, empowering them, and allowing them to tell their story in a positive way.

Organisers say that for various reasons, current hero booking and digital storytelling efforts are limited in reach. By operating through existing facilities the DHBP helps to address this issue. Khanya, the Western Cape Education Department’s award-winning “Technology in Education” initiative, has recognised digital hero booking as a way to improve e-literacy levels, teach related issues such as web publishing and child safety on the internet, build social inclusion by giving the youth a voice and, by sharing stories online, help foster community development.

The project has also developed an online Toolkit for Facilitators that covers the creation of simple digital hero stories. It contains resources needed to plan, create, and share digital hero books, including the required software. All tutorials, study plans, example stories, etc. that are referenced throughout the toolkit are also listed in the "Resources" section of the toolkit webpage.

Youth, Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs)