The Museum of Digital Society: A Living Archive of Digital Inclusion
After a nightstay in Murpa, Jharkhand, and a morning stroll through rice fields, we arrived at the village of Bayang. Welcomed by a quaint lane, a bit deserted yet eager, we found a small SoochnaPreneur center catering to the village’s larger needs. Among the first five persons with disabilities (PWDs) trained by the DEF center in Gola was Sushma Kumari. Next to her home, she runs a center providing essential digital services. This endeavor has empowered her to sponsor her own education and continuously add new devices to the center. A confident and ambitious young woman, Sushma has fought and continues to fight numerous odds to create a better life for herself. One such role she proudly plays is that of a ‘Digital Didi’.
Just a few meters from her center, Sushma organized a ‘Digital Didi’ meetup. To our amazement, she has cultivated a healthy space where women feel confident and important, discussing taboos, dispelling misinformation, and sharing knowledge about menstruation. What began as a small gathering of five to ten women has grown significantly. Sushma educates them about menstruation as a natural process, shares do’s and don’ts, debunks taboos, emphasizes hygiene, and introduces the idea and benefits of smart pads. So far, she has registered one hundred certificates. The responses from the women, ranging from “I sow seeds during periods” to “What’s the shame in discussing periods?” illustrate how far she has come. “I faced problems initially gathering and explaining this to the women of the village, but now they come to me and share their experiences and the benefits of smart pads,” says Sushma.
A few days later, a packed auto ride took us to Chokad village to meet another ‘Digital Didi’, Geeta Kumari. Before delving into her work, it is crucial to highlight the resilience of these women who tirelessly strive to make a better living for themselves and their families. Geeta, who must be in her 50s, exudes a youthful spirit and has learned various trades from bangle making to soap, detergent making, stitching, and embroidery. “I try to do as much work as possible and that too of different types,” she says. After her husband’s demise, Geeta connected with DEF’s RCCE program during COVID-19, spreading awareness, making about 1,000 masks on her own, and earning a decent income for her family. Today, she is a proud addition to the empowered ‘Digital Didis’. Having registered about one hundred certificates, Geeta now openly discusses menstruation with the women of her village. “I was not able to communicate better initially, but now I can speak to a whole bunch of women about menstruation,” she says. Gradually, she included women in meetups and used booklets to explain the menstrual cycle, raising awareness and promoting the adoption of smart pads. Geeta hopes her daughter will become a Digital Didi too. She challenges the notion of women’s impurity during periods and advocates for using cloth smart pads to prevent infections.
Leaving the premises of these inspirational women, often with stories, inspiration, and sometimes maize, bangles, and traditional lunch, is a reflection of the warmth in the services they provide, truly justifying the term ‘Didi’.
The story of ‘Digital Didi’ is a testament to the transformative power of digital skills combined with the courage and determination of women. In conservative village setups where myths and taboos surrounding menstruation have long impacted women’s dignity and quality of life, ‘Digital Didis’ break these chains with sheer resilience. Gathering women to discuss periods is a revolutionary change at the grassroots level. Despite facing challenges like social stigma, lack of participation, and ingrained psychological barriers, these women have overcome them. Today, they not only dismantle many stigmas but also continue to build lives of dignity, good health, and a comfortable space for future generations.
The fusion of digital empowerment with women’s empowerment creates an invaluable asset for society: the ‘Digital Didi’. Their impact is evident, and as the story aptly began, “Mahvari par naari bhari” – Women empowered over menstruation.
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