EMPOWER & IGNITE THE YOUTH FOR A BETTER NATION

In the tribal area, things remained unchanged for decades – yet in this backdrop Literacy India set up center to help the local community in education, skill training and health, though the effort was drop in the ocean, yet somehow helped them various ways. Regular intervention led the Youth of Khatanga becoming more proficient digitally and with overall change in mindset – Technology led to groomed mind and eventually govt opened doors to the youth to be absorbed in job work for data collection for the projects. Literacy India `s Computer Learning helped many such youth in this area by making the IT- learning easily available and affordable.

 PROJECT LOCATION:  Situation of Khatanga

Khatanga is a small tribal village where rays of hope didn’t quite reach the masses.  Literacy India’s journey started in this village two years ago.  Since then, the Education, Employment and Empowerment program influenced the growth and development in the segment of the particular village with outreach to surrounding villages. The learning center of Literacy India is a composite whole of Education and Empowerment.  Hence, Children, Youth (Women and Men) are coming to the centre for specific purpose of training for e.g- Digital education for Children, Basics of Computer learning for the Youth, Tailoring and Embroidery for Women and Agro – classes for the farmers group. 

The use of improved technologies basically ICT programme steadily advances the knowledge and skill of the remote villagers. As a result, even the Small ray of hope managed to make a huge difference in their lives.

•  Out of 23 enrolled youth 21 attended the classes
• Batch of 16 beneficiaries enrolled for new session

  Changes taken places in Khatanga since last two years after Literacy India’s intervention: 

• Knowledge and skills of the community improved remarkably – leading to awareness about the world through internet.
• Children`s digital education (Gyantantra Digital Dost- Multimedia based Holistic Educational package of Literacy India) helped improve the academics that nearby Headmaster of the Govt School simply stood amazed at the results of the children.
• Most of the Youth of Village Khatanga & nearby villages – after completing their six month course managed work with the govt offices, hospital & Local Mobile stores where need for IT knowledge for very important.

• Rapid improvement was observed in the field of Agriculture. The community is involved into SRI Rice production, organic vegetable production. With the help internet – Group was shown the development in this sector across other states.
•  High-pitched progress in Women Empowerment program through tailoring and Embroidery led  12 women  to regularly work on various designs of needle work ( once again New designs were emailed to them for production) Business of School Uniforms & Petticoats was given to another group of women.

 Impact on Trainees:

• Out of 18 enrolled youth 17 attended the classes
• Batch of 15 beneficiaries enrolled for new session
• Flow of tribal youth joining the Computer education has gone up.
• Increased knowledge and skill among the trainees.
• Govt. departments are now comfortable to hire these youth for their daily work.

 Stories of Hope: 

Name:  Ambuj (Name Changed) Location: Khatanga West Bengal 

Ambuj (name changed) lives in the remote part of Chitmu GP. Ambuj’s family is total agricultural family. Being the eldest son, Ambuj felt that he needs to continue his study and also take responsibility of his family’s sustainability. As a result he took all odds to come to the Literacy India’s learning centre to take the training of computer. He is willing to earn as well as learn - trying to improve the skill of ICT based agriculture that can facilitate his father as well as his family to be exposed of modern organic based agricultural technique that ultimately provide them long term yield.” I would like to improvise my ICT skill into agriculture that makes our life easier and healthy---- IT had been a great help”  

Name:  Sonali (Name Changed) Location: Khatanga West Bengal

Sonali (name changed) is looking for job after completion of HS (Higher Secondary). She likes call centre job as she had seen in cinema that call centre jobs involves total concentration in computer with head phones. “I feel changed and within me a spark is flowing when I wear my head phones. My friends joke, however , I have a trust on myself- one day, I shall get a job in Call centre- that’s why I am here in Literacy India to learn computer”.  Sonali’s plan is to go out from village to get a job; her plan of marriage comes later that is after she makes a career.  “For me first comes my Career then the marriage.”.

 Name:  Mallika’s ( Name Changed) Location: Khatanga West Bengal

 Mallika’s  ( name changed)dream is to be a teacher in future.  Presently she is studying in class XII in Khatanga Higher Secondery School. Mallika lives in very remote areas and to reach nearest road areas is at least 8 Km in distance. So Computer education is a dream for Mallika. “I want to thank Literacy India as it has given us a scope for computer education next to house.”. Mallika’s plan is to take a job as a computer trainer in school so that other children can also learn  in her area and get the opportunity to learn from technology.

Links:

• Literacy India 19 years of Transforming Lives