This article was first published in the Mint newspaper on November 27, 2015. Literacy is not an issue any more. As long as we have digital media tools and a verbal syntax, we are literate and educated. For all endangered languages, digital media could be a saviour and a means of bouncing back. For centuries, those…
Recently I had the opportunity to spend a couple of weeks in India. I was part of a conference series, Startup Capitals that I was co-organising in New Delhi and Bengaluru. Then I stopped over in Mumbai for a few more days and met some more entrepreneurs. Most of the speakers in the conference pointed…
The Aajeevika-National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) is an initiative launched by the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), Government of India in June 2011. The Aajeevika Skill Development Programme (ASDP) is a sub-mission under NRLM. It has evolved out of the need to: Cater to the occupational aspirations of the rural youth who are poor To…
On 19th November, 2015 Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) in partnership with Henvalvani, a local community radio station, organised a district level workshop at Chamba, Tehri Garhwal district, Uttarakhand. The objective was to create awareness about various government schemes and how the benefits could reach last mile beneficiaries. Elected members of gram panchayats, district/block officials, social…
On 17th November, 2015 Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) in partnership with Zila Yuvak Kosh Samiti (ZYKS), a local non-profit, organised a district level workshop at Barmer, Rajasthan as part of its Soochna Seva project. The objective was to create awareness about various government schemes and how the benefits could reach last mile beneficiaries. Elected members…
Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) was the knowledge partner at the 11th International Language and Development Conference hosted by the British Council in New Delhi from November 18 to 20, 2015. The theme for this year’s conference was “Multilinguism and Development”’ and India was considered the perfect country to host this conference as it is one…
Chanderiyaan, the e-commerce outlet developed by Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) to empower world famous but hitherto impoverished weavers of Chanderi, Madhya Pradesh, saw a big boost in pre-Diwali sales in November. Till 2010, these weavers were at the mercy of middlemen and somehow eked out a living. With DEF’s comprehensive digital intervention they have now…
Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) organises an annual awards event called Social Media for Empowerment South Asia as part of its Knowledge Network & Database programmatic area. This year’s awards function is likely to be held early next year for the simple reason that DEF has tied-up with Friedrich Naumann Foundation to organize a series of…
Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) launched its country research report titled ‘Limited Access Restricting Expression’ at the YMCA, New Delhi, on December 10, 2015. The launch was followed by a multi-stakeholder consultation on ‘Understanding the Freedom of Expression Online & Offline’. The consultation sought to bring together representatives from various human rights organisations, Internet-advocacy NGOs and…
The 12th edition of the Manthan Award South Asia and Asia Pacific Gala will be held on December 2, 2015 at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, to honour the best digital innovations and interventions that help to improve the lives of peoples and communities across 8 South Asian countries including India and 28 other…