Google has issued a $5.3m grant to non-profits in Germany in a philanthropic gesture intent on helping newly settled refugees connect to the web.

Looking to support Project Reconnect, a program by NetHope, Google has made a substantial donation to the fund equipping non-profits working with refugees in Germany with Chromebooks.

Jacquelline Fuller, director of Google.org, said: “As they make it through a dangerous journey, the first thing refugees need is to find shelter, food and access to care.

“But soon enough, they have to learn the local language, acquire skills to work in a new country, and figure out a way to continue their studies- all in an effort to reclaim and reconnect with the lives they had before.”

The Chromebook donation has been touted as a way to connect the refugees with greater opportunities as they settle in Germany.

Non-profits can apply for a slice of the grant by registering here.