EMPOWER & IGNITE THE YOUTH FOR A BETTER NATION

DIGITAL ENDEVOUR TO SUSTAINABILITY

 About Literacy India & Manohar Thana ( Rajasthan)

Literacy India was set up19 years ago with the objective of empowering underprivileged children and women by making them self-sufficient. With the three E’s Education, Empowerment and Employment, as its goals in next decade, Literacy India began its journey on an exciting yet challenging mission. Keeping in view the rising problems of population and unemployment, Literacy India has not only taken on the task of creating awareness on the importance of education for under privileged children and youth, but also bring them to level of reaching it.•       Identify young boys & girls from under privileged backgrounds and help build their confidence and awareness; Support children in active schooling•       Use role models to inspire the youth to take up issues concerning their communities•       Provide women and growing up children with vocational skills.•       Empower women economically from rural & slum areas.•       To nurture, mentor and assist children to become human resource assets in the community and to restore dignity amongst the underprivileged.

Literacy India’s endeavor is to meet this objective through imparting basic education and through exposing our students to a variety of vocational skills in performing arts, computer animation, multimedia etc. The organization believes in innovative pedagogy in order to retain the children within the purview of education. Literacy India is working across Delhi NCR, Haryana, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, UP, Jharkhand, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Today we have 42 centers in an around Delhi, NCR across other states in India and have reached out to more than 30, 0000 beneficiaries. Presently we are catering to over 4000 children per day in classrooms directly and impacting 50,000 beneficiaries annually.

Manoharthana is located near Kota in Rajasthan. This part is named as Cherapunji of Rajasthan as it has a good amount of rainfall.  Literacy India had started here since 2010 through its learning centre. The learning center includes the ICT based Education for children through Gyantantra Digital Learning, Computer learning of Youth and Tailoring for women.

Youth Vocational Computer Training Program:

In this area both young girls and boys face real challenge in education, vocational training and employment opportunities; during survey and initial discussion and FGD showed the following issues:

• Youth are careless to join any vocational courses until and unless the placement is secured. They want easy & quick money- as a result there is a constant challenge of absenteeism, non-acceptance of work, drop-out, and abrasion from jobs.
• The high schools in this area do not have computer lab. Apart from that affordability and access to computers are becoming major challenging factors.
• Youth are learning through vernacular language with local dialect. As a result, the youth are lacking Spoken English which was needed to face interview.
• Opening of livelihood opportunities became restricted due to their lack of awareness on various schemes and opportunities.
• Even sometimes when opportunities come, the attitude, inhibitions, laziness among youth
• Currently only few women / girls are creators of ICTs, yet more and more job opportunities are emerging in the ICT sector. Literacy India Karigari project is empowering girls and young women to enter the growing field of ICTs and explore these new opportunities. 

 Activities undertaken:

• Survey has been undertaken
• Mobilize the youth on the basis of FGD
• Operational of computer Lab
• Training Continued by Trainer
• Classes have been regular.

 Impact of the program: 

• Out of 22 enrolled youth 20 attended the classes
• 5 have been selected for Placement
• 2 have already been started working in the community
• Potential girls beneficiaries are under internship for  GDD project
• Rests already applied for job
• Batch of 18 beneficiaries enrolled for new session 

Overall impact on Community

67 students were enrolled during April 2013- September 2014 were directly benefited by the grant. Earlier girls were not allowed to go out for work, even if they are allowed, it is only for teaching job. The positions of data entry operation was not permissible from family. But at present, the girls are allowed to go for interview and parents are also supporting them for data entry work, teaching ICT in schools. An overall impact has been assessed within community. ICT skills are increasingly required in both traditional and tech-driven way in rural area for youth and community. ICTs are transforming the way youth entrepreneurs do business and grow their skills in their local community with in available resources.

 Girls and Technology – Dream come true

The communication skill of the students from the pre-project situation to next 12 months post-project situation have completely changed. Earlier the girls knew the name of computer as a machine; at the present stage they are practicing on the machine without fear. Most of the students, especially the students from the far-flung villages of Jhalawar at Rajasthan, had never seen a computer physically, before joining the CCA course. Some have seen it on TV, but never used it physically, but now they came to know what the computer is, function of computer, importance of it in the present era.

 Stories of Change:    

 CCA aspiring Hemlata to get a dream job 

Name:  Hemlata( Name Changed)  Age: 19 Location: Manoharthana Rajashthan

 19 years old Hemlata  is residing village of Manoharthana, Rajasthan. She had completed 10+2 examination.  After completion of Higher Secondary she took admission in Graduation in Arts stream. Her father earns only around Rs. 3000/- P.M subject to availability of the employment opportunity as he is doing contract job. So Hemlata was not able to ask her father to provide money for joining any professional courses that yield employment opportunity.  She wanted to learn computer and support her family. She enrolled under CCA program of Literacy India and completed computer course. She is sincere and encouraged to study. She is also happy and inspired. She has potential to do better.

 Name:  Aman ( Name Changed) Age:  23 Location: Manoharthana Rajashthan 

 Aman is a 23 year old boy. He lived with his father –mother and three siblings. Aman village name is M.Thana Tehsil M.Thana Distt. Jahalwar (Raj.).  His father is a poor farmer and hardly earning anything for sustainability. His mother is a home maker. Aman studied up to class 12^th. He is hardworking boy. After completing his 12^th class education, he had to quit his studied due to financial crises in the family. He wants to do some technical course so that he can earn for family.  However he could not choose the type of technical training that could help him to earn. One day Aman came to know through his friends that Literacy India learning centre provides vocational computer courses in the Maheshwari Bawan, Center M.Thana. He joined to computer  application program of CCC  Literacy India and completed the course.

He earlier had an interest of photography and that time he took training on photography. Hence the combination of photography and computer CCC course had paved the way for his earning to sustain. He after completing the CCC course had opened up a photograph shop in Manohar thana market. His shop provides the services of CV making, shooting photographs, downloading photographs & printing photographs.  He is planning to install a Xerox machine also.  

 Name:  Amin  ( Name Changed) Age:  23 Location: Manoharthana Rajashthan                          

Amin lives in a little town M.Thana, Thesil-Manoharthana Distt. Jhalawar (Raj.). Amin’s father was engaged in Pvt. Job from where he had been retired also. His mother is a home maker. He has a financial crisis in the family. They live in a little house at Manohar Thana. Amin did M.A.  But did not get through job.  His family cannot afford to pay the fees of the technical education. Then he came to know about Literacy India’s learning centre from his brother. He then joined the computer application program at the center. After he completed his CCC, Amin was successful in getting a job. He Joined as a computer operator in the SAHARA INDIA, FRANCHAISE OFFICE, MANOHARTHANA. Now with the help of computer skill he is earning 5000/- per month. Amin is very happy with his job and very grateful to literacy India that make possible to change in his life. 

Links:

• Latest stories of achievement

POWER TO EMPOWER

 “Technology empowered and we now dream to change our lives, otherwise being from the community of scavengers we could never aspire for any other type of job. We never had any exposure specially of learning soft skills which Literacy India provided us and employment opportunities in Malls/ offices. “Echoes the Voices of Youth beneficiaries belonging to scavengers community -Belgachia

 About Howrah Belgachia in West Benga

 Belgachia is the place located in Howrah district very near to Howrah Station and Salkia, Kolkata. There are two way to reach this place that is through Liluah station and bus or from Howrah station. Belgachia has a vast land of waste dumping station. Belgachia Bhagar (local name) is one of the biggest slum area in West Bengal As the areas are heaped with waste material dumping station, most of the nearby communities are engaged into rag picking as a profession.

The entire community is migrant from Bihar; they are dom( helping hand in crematorium)  by caste. Children since morning are roaming with a big bag in order to do the rag picking.  They earn between Rs. 100 to Rs.150/-.  They are not going to school. Even few who are going to school are doing rag picking as a part time after school hours. Few male folk are KMCs Safai Karmachai (Scavengers), few are doing vegetable vending and Rickshaw pulling.  Women are doing household work; few are going outside as the domestic help. Youth and men are addicted with alcohol and substance abuse .  Women are facing domestic violence, physical abuse. Girls are drop out from school & youth just playing cards, seat idle and carry an aimless look. Pigs are roaming around the area.

Literacy India & Belgachia Computer Centre:

Literacy India following its motto “Education with a Purpose “did the survey of the community, need assessment and stakeholder analysis. It prepared the composite plan for community empowerment with a view to make it more sustainable. On the basis of the plan it had started the following:

1) Active involvement in Govt. Primary School through ICT program for poor children

2) Skill training for livelihood for women on sewing, tailoring, Paper Bags and sessions on becoming an entrepreneur.

3) Youth vocational training program on Computer Basic Level courses along with placement grooming in the job.

 Youth Vocational Training Program:

In this area both young girls and boys face real challenge in education, vocational training and employment opportunities; during survey and initial discussion and FGD showed the following issues:

1. Youth are careless to join any vocational courses until and unless the placement is secured. They want easy & quick money- as a result, there is a constant challenge of absenteeism, non-acceptance of work, drop-out, and attrition from jobs.
2. The high schools in this area do not have computer lab. Apart from that affordability and access to computers are becoming major challenging factors.
3. Youth are learning through vernacular language with local dialect. As a result, the youth lacked Spoken English which was needed to face interview.
4. Opening of livelihood opportunities became restricted due to their lack of awareness on various schemes and opportunities.
5. Even sometimes when opportunities come, the attitude, inhibitions, laziness among youth prevented them to take up the opportunities.

Activities undertaken:

• Survey has been undertaken
• Mobilize the youth on the basis of FGD
• Place to start the program has been identified
• Install the Laptops and Computers
• Recruitment of a teacher
• Classes have been regular.

Impact of the program:

• Out of 25 enrolled youth 23 are regularly attended the classes.
• These 23 had already visited corporate and hotel as part of their exposure visit.
• 4 have been selected for Hoonar Se Rojgaar( placement) program organized by Taj Bengal , Kolkata
• 2 have already been selected by BMA Wealth Creators
• Rests already applied for job through govt. competitive exams for odd jobs.

 Stories of Change:

Name: Guria Age: 20 Location: West Bengal

Guria (name changed) is  twenty  years old. Her father is from Bihar and mother is from Bengal.   Father is cab- driver in Howrah area. Guria’s mother always is having a high hope for her children. Guria being an elder in the family always has to face the pressure from parents. After her completion of her middle school (X standard) she was working as a tutor for the local kids; her father did not allow her to join in the college. During school time she had an affair with a local boy which her parents were averse to. Parents were always afraid that if they would allow her to join in college she would flee elope with the boy. However, parents need support from her if she can manage to earn.  Literacy India had organized a youth orientation where Guria had participated. She then took her parents to Literacy India’s centre and convinced them to allow her to join in the centre.  She is regular in the centre and at present she is planning to complete the course and also willing to join XII standard exam through NIOS.  The constant interaction with Literacy India’s staff enables Guria to think beyond Belgachia area.

Name: Jailal Age: 18 Location: West Bengal

Jailal(name changed)  is a son of scavenger. His grandparents were engaged in manual scavenging under Howrah Municipal Corporation.  Jailal has three brothers. Jailal completed Madhayamik in the year 2014. He started computer training in Literacy India centre as a part of his career growth. Although he is taking admission for XI but he is always looking for vocational training so that after completion of the mainstream exam he can join in job directly. He took these years as a preparing ground for joining the job.  In the meantime he has applied for Hoonarse Rojgaar ( placement)program organized by Taj Bengal, Kolkata. He was selected for 8 weeks training cum internship there.

Jitendar (name changed) was dreaming to do teaching job in the school since childhood. Although he was very goodin mathematics, he is poor in English both in communication and writing. Jitendar has four brothers. He is the youngest- he knows Sanskrit very well. His father has a stationery shop at Howrah Daspara area. He came to literacy India learning centre for taking computer training. His aim was to serve the children through private tuitions. While started computer learning and association with Literacy India had changed the vision of Jitendar.

Jitendar was selected by BM Wealth Creators for their BPO job. He is now waiting to join the job as well as he is also taking admission for B. COM ( Bachelor of Commerce Degree course ) through distant learning.

Links:

• Literacy IndiaLet Us Connect -Story of small joy and big success