The Resurging Value of Civil Society for Indian Crafts
In the rapidly evolving digital world, deceptive baits like “Click the link to win a brand new car!” or “Congratulations! One lakh rupees have been credited to your account!” have become all too common. These traps exploit the unaware and misinformed, victimizing people daily. So, how does one become informed and resilient against such scams? Enter the ASPEN program, a ground-level initiative designed to tackle fake news, resist fraud, and promote financial literacy among rural populations.
In Jharkhand, the ASPEN program has mobilized a force of ‘Infopreneurs’ to bring this initiative to life. Launched in January 2022, the program selected seven women from various areas of Jharkhand to serve as infopreneurs. Each infopreneur mentors 15 learners, focusing on combating fake news, basic digital empowerment, citizen-centric scheme awareness, and digital financial literacy.
The road from Gola to Barlong leads to the center of Nisha Kumari. At 25, Nisha completed her MA degree and, after marriage, decided to learn computer skills at the Gola center in 2021. When asked why she pursued computer literacy, Nisha explained, “I didn’t want to just sit at home. I wanted to learn something and have my own income.” Transforming her vision into reality, Nisha opened her center in January 2023 in Barlong and became one of the seven infopreneurs in Jharkhand. Thoroughly trained, Nisha organized gatherings and educated people through three modules, covering financial literacy, digital payments, and insurance. “While educating them about financial literacy, I learned many things too and hence did my insurance,” she shared. Villagers, now digitally savvy, are opting for digital payments, insurances, and are aware of avoiding online traps.
We followed Nisha to a ‘Yojana Shivir’ where women gathered to fill forms for the Suran farming scheme, highlighting their progress from previous scheme awareness that helped them acquire cattle.
Another infopreneur, Babita Kumari from Sandi village, started her center in February 2023. Balancing household and farm activities, Babita proudly manages her center. “I feel happy that now I can contribute by paying for my kids’ school fees and also my expenses,” she said. As an infopreneur, Babita educates her community about fake news, online frauds, and welfare schemes like Widow’s Pension. Villagers shared how Babita’s work has taught them the basic functioning of phones and the importance of saving in banks.
During a SHG meeting, the Mukhiya, Sunita Devi Munda, praised Babita’s active role in spreading awareness about frauds. The impact of Babita’s efforts is evident as villagers attentively listen to her, feeling safer with the information they now possess. “Giving services as a SoochnaPreneur and Infopreneur not only empowers me but also makes me happy as I can help villagers who would otherwise face many odds,” Babita added.
Each infopreneur carries a unique story, yet their roles and impacts are unified: educating citizens about digital threats and ensuring they benefit from available resources. The visible benefits people are gaining highlight the significance of this step in an increasingly digital world.
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