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The story is simple. While the world is shifting to virtual spaces for work and education, there is a big gap in terms of skills, opportunities, and infrastructure in many rural spaces in India. India’s digital divide remains huge as more than 400 million people don’t have access to the internet. Also, the spatial digital divide is huge (internet density in rural areas is lower than in urban areas), as is the gender digital divide (far fewer women have access to smartphones than men). A world with unequal opportunities and skills is indeed a poor world. How do we rewrite this story?
Virtual learning centers are envisioned to be vibrant spaces of skills exchange and education. It is a very simple setup where youth from all over the world get in touch with youth in the target areas through digital platforms. Learners work in small intimate groups and exchange skills like English, Coding, Video editing among others. Part of this work also involves cultural exchange and what is called reverse teaching. To make this into a movement, we need volunteers and infrastructure. At the moment we work at a pilot level with around 15 young people in rural Bihar mentored by 5 volunteers. More people want to be part of these virtual learning spaces but we face challenges of infrastructure. Lack of stable internet, phone devices, and laptops restricts the outreach of this program.
Our vision with this fundraiser is to generate money for the creation of digital learning centers. Digital learning centers would be hosted in a government school and would entail a laptop, speakers, laptop camera, power back up, and internet connection. This will serve to make government schools more resourceful and as against individuals will allow for a group of students to avail virtual classes. Each unit of a digital center will cost 50,000 and we plan to create 5 units in 6 different panchayats of Chakai block of Bihar. This will serve as models which can empirically demonstrate improvement in the skills of local youth and children.
Apart from the educational benefits for children, it will also develop skills that can open up economic opportunities for local youth. Many of them are currently being trained in application development, web design, video editing, photoshop and other digital skills that can open up local and global work opportunities. Getting in touch with volunteers from distant places also provide exposure and mentorship to local youth. With your contribution this story can be co-written differently!
Virtual learning centers are envisioned to be vibrant spaces of skills exchange and education. It is a very simple setup where youth from all over the world get in touch with youth in the target areas through digital platforms. Learners work in small intimate groups and exchange skills like English, Coding, Video editing among others. Part of this work also involves cultural exchange and what is called reverse teaching. To make this into a movement, we need volunteers and infrastructure. At the moment we work at a pilot level with around 15 young people in rural Bihar mentored by 5 volunteers. More people want to be part of these virtual learning spaces but we face challenges of infrastructure. Lack of stable internet, phone devices, and laptops restricts the outreach of this program.
Our vision with this fundraiser is to generate money for the creation of digital learning centers. Digital learning centers would be hosted in a government school and would entail a laptop, speakers, laptop camera, power back up, and internet connection. This will serve to make government schools more resourceful and as against individuals will allow for a group of students to avail virtual classes. Each unit of a digital center will cost 50,000 and we plan to create 5 units in 6 different panchayats of Chakai block of Bihar. This will serve as models which can empirically demonstrate improvement in the skills of local youth and children.
Apart from the educational benefits for children, it will also develop skills that can open up economic opportunities for local youth. Many of them are currently being trained in application development, web design, video editing, photoshop and other digital skills that can open up local and global work opportunities. Getting in touch with volunteers from distant places also provide exposure and mentorship to local youth. With your contribution this story can be co-written differently!
