EMPOWER & IGNITE THE YOUTH FOR A BETTER NATION

Virtual Teachers Partnering with Community Teachers creating Sustainable Model

“Concept of E- Tuition have created new horizons for me and the children i tutor; my computer learning & E-tuition training from Literacy Indiaensures my livelihood and educating children with the help of Gyantantra Software”. Their overall results have improved in academics.”Sukuntala(Name changed)  from Baldeopura village in Rajasthan.

Sukuntala’s & Rehana Bee’s Classroom for E-Tuition

 Sukuntala(name changed) & Rehana Bee (name changed) are news in Manoharthana area in Rajasthan. Both of them are E-tutors implementing “Gyantantra Digital Education” among children and youth at the ground level in the remotest part of the village, who are very weak in basic education. Both Sukuntala and Rehana took the initiative to spread digital literacy among children in their respective areas. Both of them are professionally doing Private Tuitions as part of their livelihood. Hence, while the opportunities come from Literacy India for pertaining training on E-tuition, both are coming forward to mobilise other potential students who can take training for livelihood. Sukuntala Kumari is born and brought up in the village Baldeopura while Rehana is a married woman and staying at Manoharthana area. Baldeopura village is a medium sized village located in Manoharthana of Jhalawar District in Rajasthan. It has 96 families with a population of 420 as per 2011 census.

Sukuntala, after completion of graduation, started applying for Govt. jobs. Her father was engaged in agriculture. Meanwhile she did Computer Basic Learning Course from Literacy India’s Learning Centre at Manoharthana. She also engaged herself in Pvt. Tuitions in order to sustain.

Rehana Bee is married and has two children and her husband remains sick most of the time. Rehana, for her sustainability, started Tuitions in the community. However, in both cases, for Sukuntala and Rehana work do not yield regular income as children’s parents are very poor. Both of them were facing challenges with children as there were many dropouts and there always remained an uncertainty about their attendance. Parents are the first generation learners.

 While both of them joined Literacy India Centre they came across children who came for Gyantantra classes. Gyantantra is a proprietary software developed by Literacy India through which helps children academically. Children have responded well to technology. Private tutors find this software as fast track effective tool that enables children to learn fast. Moreover, it has reduced the dropout rate amongst children. Besides, they found the results improving who came to attend Gyantantra .

It was in this context that Literacy India offered them training on E-Tuition and also provided two old systems for conducting the E-tuition program. Within 3 months both E-Tutors have become famous in their respective areas. Now more and more children want to come and get admission for Private Tuitions.

 According to Rehana “my husband, along with my two children are very happy as I am doing this work. My earning through Private Tuition is providing me sustainability. My husband can depend on me when he falls sick”

About Project Karigari- Vocational Training: Youth Focus

Vocational training program in computer evolves in Literacy India in order to provide a step to integrate youth and young adolescents’ group in livelihood platform for achieving the three E’s goal (Education, Employment and Empowerment). Youth group is always crucial in the sense they are in the intermediary stage of psychological development occurring between puberty and legal adulthood which has struggles with the issues of independence and self- identity.

 With that background the vocational training for computers came into operation, as Technology absorbs a lot of negative energy, though it has its own evil. It helps the young to learn and gain knowledge about ICT and builds aspiration for future jobs.  In present day world, basic computer learning is always required and youth also realises that.

Literacy India is dealing with the youth who are under-privileged and come from socially and economically backword community. They might not get the opportunity to have the basic computer knowledge while studying in school and colleges. As a result, they would again face challenges at the time of interview  for a job or  any other employment opportunities.

ICT has empowered the youth to do better in their interviews and they learnt about wider scope in various industries through internet.

 Situation in Manoharthana Rajasthan & Literacy India

 Geographically Manoharthana in Jhalawar District is termed as Cherrapunji of Rajasthan. The area is remote, however, there is rainfall every year and agriculture is better compared to other region in the state.  Most of the community people are engaged in Agriculture; few are engaged in daily wage labour and there are tendencies to migrate to Delhi & MP for jobs. Youth had attended school till class VIII and few have completed school leaving Madhayamik and Higher Secondary Exam. Few are going to the college. Parents have not been able to mobilise the youth folk to get engaged in agricultural farming. Hence, youth have a long leisure time; most of them are addicted with drug, alcoholism and smoking. Apart from that, they tend to easily get involved in the negative activities such as sexual harassment, assault, eve-teasing on the one hand, and in other activities of  local goons such as stealing, theft etc, on the other hand.

Opportunities in the district town are very scarce. The youth are trying to get either Govt. Jobs at Block Offices, District Offices or Schools, both Primary and Secondary, or private run English medium schools. Few are engaged in private jobs in local groceries, trading businesses and so on

 Against these odds, Literacy India had started vocational training of computer literacy course in the village for the youth both girls and boys, and has mobilised local youth who can take training on computer courses in the learning centre.

 Activities undertaken:

1. Listing down the Potential youth who have completed Higher Secondary and Graduation and are looking for  job and who have completed CCA from Literacy India Centre
2.  Orientation and Concept dissemination on E-Tuition with the group.
3. Profile making of each candidates and the situation in the villages was mapped through Centre-In-Charge where the candidates would undertake E-Tuitions.
4. Mapping of outreach and target beneficiaries for each candidate.
5. Group formed for E-Tutor Training with 10 members each.
6. Training organised for 10 member team for 15 days.
7. Hands-On Training on email and live chat through G-Chat was organised.
8.  After completion of training, those members started training in the Centre as pilots.
9. Two candidates came forward and started the operation in their respective villages.

 Achievements of the program:

 Total 10 youth have been enrolled in the E-Tuition program.  

1.  Two weeks training program was completed successfully
2. A platform of E-group created among 10 members team who are regularly in touch and exchange their ideas, their work and their challenges.
3. Two members already started their work. One is working in Manoharthana and the other one is working in Baldeopura village.
4. Total strength of the students for both are 41. There are more in queue but they cannot take up more due to shortage of system and space.

Overall Impact of the program:

Community:

• Community feels proud as their young adult groups are becoming tech-savvy.
• Parents feel delighted and proud as their young children started earning and their names are spreading as E-Tutor across villages.

 Behavioral Change:

• A lot of change has been observed in the behavior amongst youth. These two E-Tutors are becoming role model
• Many youth are coming to Literacy India Centre and enrolling themselves
• Positive feeling & aspiration are found amongst E-Tutors who are trying to upgrade their skill and knowledge

Challenges observed:

• Major challenge observed here is the electricity problem. Power Backup is required to make teaching continuous and uninterrupted. 
• Internet connectivity through dongle is slow, often creating problems.

Way Forward:

• Increased participation in E-Tuition
• Mobilizing Computer Systems so that it can have maximum outreach
•  Refresher Course on E-Tuition
• Group Learning through Internet

Links:

• AFTER 20 YEARS - OUR NEW LOGO & OUR BRAND NEW WEBSITE
• Wind beneath her wings