Digital Daan: Device for All | Education for All
The pandemic has significantly disrupted the education sector- which is a critical determinant of a country’s economic future. In India, 320 million students have been affected by COVID-19 school closures, and though the government quickly recommended shifting to “online teaching,” this ignores India’s immense digital divide—with embedded gender and class divides. In an effort to address the digital divide and promote inclusion, DEF started a movement to collect and encourage people to donate all kinds of old and used (but functional) Smart phones, Laptops, Tablets, Desktop/Computer (Monitors & CPU), Printers, Projectors, Camera. Read More
Digital daan is becoming the new way to give
In March Dr Ela Dedhia, a social worker and professor of Textiles & Fashion Technology in Mumbai, was preparing for exams but then the lockdown hit, and it became clear that some of her students didn’t have a laptop or a phone good enough for online classes. “If this was the situation with my own students, I wondered how many others were struggling with this,” says Dedhia. Read MoreCovid-19 and subsequent govt policies underscore inadequate social security for poor
RAHUL SHARMA, 25, resident of Ekta Colony in Moradabad district of Uttar Pradesh, used to work as a truck driver in Meerut. His work involved extensive travels to different parts of the country and helped him earn Rs. 25,000 at the end of the month. He had no work for some days due to COVID-19 and subsequent lockdown and had to take loan to sustain his family. Read MoreOpinion: Inclusive digital financial literacy in a less-cash India
For a decade, with the rapid digitalisation across sectors, we have been talking about digital inclusion and exclusion, but it was only when the Covid-19 induced lockdown came into effect that it showed its ugly face. The need for ‘contactless payments’ seamlessly integrated into lives, across geographies and demographics, is crucial, now more than ever. The economic, educational, and social inequalities between those who have connectivity and online access, compared with those who do not, can be vividly seen. Read More
Understanding Digital Financial Literacy amid Covid-19
DEF initiative Smartpur has been consistent in imparting digital literacy across its centers, even amid a global pandemic. Recently conducted workshop at Manchapura village in Karnataka saw active participation from as many as 30 people, all the while taking all necessary precautions against Covid-19. The lockdown had made life tougher for many due to lack of digital financial literacy and so to spread awareness , the Smartpur trainers stepped in. Use of ATM machines, checking account balance online, bank app usage, how to remain protected from scams and other topics of awareness and information were given. The pandemic has raised the importance of digital literacy and with DEF's intervention, digital transformation of our society seems much closer than ever.
DEF initiative Smartpur has been consistent in imparting digital literacy across its centers, even amid a global pandemic. Recently conducted workshop at Manchapura village in Karnataka saw active participation from as many as 30 people, all the while taking all necessary precautions against Covid-19. The lockdown had made life tougher for many due to lack of digital financial literacy and so to spread awareness , the Smartpur trainers stepped in. Use of ATM machines, checking account balance online, bank app usage, how to remain protected from scams and other topics of awareness and information were given. The pandemic has raised the importance of digital literacy and with DEF's intervention, digital transformation of our society seems much closer than ever.
Unlocking potential with virtual assistant
A grocery store owner and a tailor, Raveena Kumari is the sole earner in her family with huge responsibilities. Resident of Belahwa village in Bihar’s Champaran district, she would sometimes struggle with calculation and stock counting at the store and coming up with new designs while stitching clothes. Our facilitators in the area introduced her to Google Assistant. After just a few tutorials and demos, Raveena was able to fit it around almost everything in her life. From using it for billing, pricing strategies, leaning about business, stitching techniques and designs to listening music and other entertainment purposes, she was able to understand and utilize Google Assistant to her benefit. Read More
A grocery store owner and a tailor, Raveena Kumari is the sole earner in her family with huge responsibilities. Resident of Belahwa village in Bihar’s Champaran district, she would sometimes struggle with calculation and stock counting at the store and coming up with new designs while stitching clothes. Our facilitators in the area introduced her to Google Assistant. After just a few tutorials and demos, Raveena was able to fit it around almost everything in her life. From using it for billing, pricing strategies, leaning about business, stitching techniques and designs to listening music and other entertainment purposes, she was able to understand and utilize Google Assistant to her benefit. Read More
Shattering gender stereotypes with online classes
Tamil Nadu’s Karimnagar district is home to a young software engineer aspirant who is also breaking gender stereotypes. An ambitious 17 year old, M. Srija is passionate about mathematics and machines and the STEM classes are usually the best part about her day. But the pandemic led lockdown suddenly put a halt to her STEM classes. An anxious and bored Srija would spend hours just revising her previous lessons in the hope that soon her classes would resume. Luckily, DEF facilitators were soon able to bring STEM sessions online, making it easier for Srija and other dedicated students across districts to continue learning, but safely from home. Read More
Tamil Nadu’s Karimnagar district is home to a young software engineer aspirant who is also breaking gender stereotypes. An ambitious 17 year old, M. Srija is passionate about mathematics and machines and the STEM classes are usually the best part about her day. But the pandemic led lockdown suddenly put a halt to her STEM classes. An anxious and bored Srija would spend hours just revising her previous lessons in the hope that soon her classes would resume. Luckily, DEF facilitators were soon able to bring STEM sessions online, making it easier for Srija and other dedicated students across districts to continue learning, but safely from home. Read More
Helping people being Samarth!
Ramabai lives with her two boys, Sitaram and Radhe, in Madhya Pradesh. The sole breadwinner due to her husband’s untimely death, she struggles to make ends meet. Working as a wage laborer, she wishes to provide the best education to her sons and is prepared to fight her way through anything. To make her living conditions better, Ramabai decided to seek help for resuming construction of her house under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. It had come to a halt due to some pending payment after her husband’s death. DEF’s Samarth Soochnaprenuer Deshraj Singh Rajput assisted her in filling out an application Read More
Ramabai lives with her two boys, Sitaram and Radhe, in Madhya Pradesh. The sole breadwinner due to her husband’s untimely death, she struggles to make ends meet. Working as a wage laborer, she wishes to provide the best education to her sons and is prepared to fight her way through anything. To make her living conditions better, Ramabai decided to seek help for resuming construction of her house under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. It had come to a halt due to some pending payment after her husband’s death. DEF’s Samarth Soochnaprenuer Deshraj Singh Rajput assisted her in filling out an application Read More
SoochnaPreneur or Superwoman ?
The lockdown induced pandemic has made life tougher for everyone, but especially for underprivileged communities living in digital darkness. Jasub Mirana is one among thousands of people who grew financially weak amid the pandemic. A poor 51 year-old labourer from Barmer, Rajasthan, he was unable to avail any government scheme due to lack of documents. With no job opportunity in sight and medical bills of his seriously ill wife piling up, Jasub was struggling to keep up with even basic expenses. Few weeks later he came across SoochnaPreneur Sahiba Khan as she was on her door-to-door visit. Read More
The lockdown induced pandemic has made life tougher for everyone, but especially for underprivileged communities living in digital darkness. Jasub Mirana is one among thousands of people who grew financially weak amid the pandemic. A poor 51 year-old labourer from Barmer, Rajasthan, he was unable to avail any government scheme due to lack of documents. With no job opportunity in sight and medical bills of his seriously ill wife piling up, Jasub was struggling to keep up with even basic expenses. Few weeks later he came across SoochnaPreneur Sahiba Khan as she was on her door-to-door visit. Read More
Musiri weavers lead the fight against unemployment
The healthcare crisis has brought a drastic change in people’s lives across the globe. Unemployment has hit almost every sector and even UNLOCK 2.0 has not brought much relief. An already troubled sector, the handloom industry is in fact going through its worst ever crisis. But there is still hope. One of DEF’s weaver clusters under its DCDP initiative, Musiri in Tamil Nadu houses more than 700 artisan families. DEF launched a campaign #ThreadtoBread to encourage people to buy from them and extend financial support. It also gave some orders to more than 14 artisan families apart from supplying them with the raw material at zero cost. Read More
The healthcare crisis has brought a drastic change in people’s lives across the globe. Unemployment has hit almost every sector and even UNLOCK 2.0 has not brought much relief. An already troubled sector, the handloom industry is in fact going through its worst ever crisis. But there is still hope. One of DEF’s weaver clusters under its DCDP initiative, Musiri in Tamil Nadu houses more than 700 artisan families. DEF launched a campaign #ThreadtoBread to encourage people to buy from them and extend financial support. It also gave some orders to more than 14 artisan families apart from supplying them with the raw material at zero cost. Read More
Reverse migration during COVID - 19: Precarious Labour, Economic Inequality, and Inadequate Social Protection in India
The migrant crisis that has unfolded in the wake of COVID – 19 has thrown into sharp relief how deeply economic vulnerabilities entrenched and precocities were and how inadequate existing institutional and administrative frameworks are in dealing with crises and disasters. The article is the product of relief services provided by the Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) near the KMP Highway and the conversations that the staff had with migrant workers passing by. This article has aimed to understand the precocity that circumscribed the lives of this labour force Read More
The migrant crisis that has unfolded in the wake of COVID – 19 has thrown into sharp relief how deeply economic vulnerabilities entrenched and precocities were and how inadequate existing institutional and administrative frameworks are in dealing with crises and disasters. The article is the product of relief services provided by the Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) near the KMP Highway and the conversations that the staff had with migrant workers passing by. This article has aimed to understand the precocity that circumscribed the lives of this labour force Read More
Are you up for Digital Daan?
DEF Dialogue Covid 19 E25: Helpful Neighbours
Osama Manzar on 'Digitalization in Rural India: Pragmatic or Optimistic'
Inclusive Digital Financial Literacy In A Less-Cash India
Osama Manzar
Founder and Director of Digital Empowerment Foundation. He is also Board Advisor to Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI) of World Wide Web Foundation.
Founder and Director of Digital Empowerment Foundation. He is also Board Advisor to Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI) of World Wide Web Foundation.
For a decade, with the rapid digitalisation across sectors, we have been talking about digital inclusion and exclusion, but it was only when the Covid-19 induced lockdown came into effect that it showed its ugly face. The need for ‘contactless payments’ seamlessly integrated into lives, across geographies and demographics, is crucial, now more than ever. The economic, educational, and social inequalities between those who have connectivity and online access, compared with those who do not, can be vividly seen. Meanwhile, the Census looks at literacy as the ability of persons to read and write their names in any recognised official language. However, we know that is not enough. Read More
Women of Grit in Bihar’s Bakhtiyarpur
The global healthcare crisis has led to the decline of multiple sectors across countries and communities. Stories about families unable to perform last rights, hospitals reaching patient capacity, unavailability of hospital beds, exhausted and overworked healthcare workers, migrants travelling long distances to reach home, among gut wrenching incidents of apathy have made our realities somber. With the number of covid positive cases on the rise, spreading awareness regarding social distancing, washing hands and wearing masks is crucial. But only having information about this is not enough, what is most important is availability of preventive resources. Read More
Digital Empowerment Foundation aims to connect unreached and underserved communities of India to bring them out of digital darkness and empower them with information access through last mile connectivity, digital literacy and digital interventions. Established in 2002, with the motto to ‘Inform, Communicate and Empower,’ DEF aims to find sustainable ICT solutions to overcome information poverty in rural locations of India.
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