52 Parindey is back for a second lap

After the successful leg of 52 Parindey in 2015-2016, the project is back with Chapter II. After documenting initiatives and innovators that look at sustainable, environment-friendly vocations, 52 Parindey Chapter II will focus on India’s handloom sector. Over the next 52 weeks, fellow Rahul Karanpuriya will digitally documenting the history, heritage, culture and livelihood of…

Grassroots NGOs build their ICT capacity in Bihar & UP

A one-day ICT Capacity Building workshop was organised in Samastipur, Bihar, on May 15, 2017, to apprise NGOs with Google applications and other digital tools that are available to help them improvise their operations and management. Around 50 representatives from NGOs, SHGs, CBOs and farming communities participated in the workshop to learn about various digital…

Two more handloom clusters set to go digital

In the month of May, DEF adopted two more handloom clusters in Kollegal (Karnataka) and Pochampally (Telangana) with support from Microsoft under its Digital Cluster Development Programme (DCDP). Kollegal is located in Chamrajnagar district of Karnataka; and is situated on the foothills of the Western Ghat, providing temperature that is suitable for growing silk cocoons.…

Barabanki learns there is #NoShame in menstruation

Every year, the world observes May 28 as Menstrual Hygiene Day to call attention to and ‘normalise’ menstruation. The day was also observed at Baank-e-Loom in Saidanpur, Uttar Pradesh, in collaboration with Water Aid and FICCI Lucknow-Kanpur. Just like the rest of the country, especially rural India, young girls’ and women’s potential in Saidanpur, too,…

Assam encouraged to produce more women conquerors

As many as 60 people participated in a day-long programme called Beti Padhao, Beti Bachao that was organised by DEF in Sonapur village, Dimoria block of Assam. In this village alone, DEF has provided training in digital literacy to more than 5,000 people and digitally enabled thousands of others through other services. DEF Programme Coordinator…

Digital Citizen Summit is back for the second edition

India and other South-Asian countries have leapfrogged technologically to adapt to digital lifestyles. The Government of India’s push towards digital initiatives and increasing ubiquity of digital tools and services renders it imperative to discuss what would be our lives in the digital world and how the definition would and context of being a digital citizen…