Digital Didi Changing Mindsets, Practices and Narratives
The connection between digital inclusivity and the tea garden community relegated to the peripheries of digital access becomes evident when deprivation resulting from limited internet access is a barrier in accessing fundamental necessities.
Digital access and services play a pivotal role in transforming tea garden communities in India by empowering them economically, socially and culturally, while also contributing to holistic development and sustainable growth. To foster this environment of digital inclusion, DEF and Swaniti Initiative are working in four districts of West Bengal to ensure that tea garden communities can be connected with government schemes and entitlements, access to digital services, digital literacy and digital rights.
Our SoochnaPreneur, Oliva Barla, runs a center in Gopalpur Tea Garden, nestled within the picturesque Alipurduar District of West Bengal. The center aims to empower the local community with essential digital services, knowledge and access. Oliva’s dedication has resulted in connecting 500 community members with Aadhar cards, with 300 of them already reaching their beneficiaries. Oliva’s method of ensuring that she can track the beneficiaries profiles and services is to maintain a database on our digital innovation, MeraApp. Oliva’s center has already created a regular clientele and Haque is one of them. A regular visitor to the center, he often avails financial and governance services. He faced a challenge in obtaining an Aadhar card for his child due to the cumbersome processes at the tea garden. When Oliva heard about his trouble, she helped to connect him with a camp that was being organised for Aadhar card registration and with her assistance, Haque successfully registered his child, an accomplishment that was replicated by many other tea garden workers who benefited from the center.
The impact of the center extends beyond individual beneficiaries and at a macro-level, has transformed the lives of the tea garden workers. Local community members praise the center for streamlining the salary process, wage withdrawals and access to government relief schemes.
DEF and Swaniti Initiative are striving to make a difference in the lives of the tea garden community by connecting the unconnected and enabling a digital revolution for empowerment and progress.
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