IT COMES TO THE VILLAGES

To train 3,000 rural women in computer application is not a simple task. But that is exactly what Hand in Hand has set out to do with the support of the Indian government. In an exciting new partnership, the Ministry of Information & Communication Technology is sponsoring an ICT project in six districts of Tamil Nadu.

The programme is being implemented by the Citizens’ Centre Enterprise (CCE) pillar of Hand in Hand. It will cover other aspects as well, such as enterprise development, creating awareness about health, sanitation and nutrition issues, and encouraging female literacy.

The ICT programme will use as its target base the women from Hand in Hand self help groups and existing CCE entrepreneurs. The idea is to make these women computer literate and thus generate greater participation of the people, particularly poor women, in governance and social awareness issues.

Till December 2008, 1,915 women in five districts have been trained. The project is on for 12 months, from April 2008 to March 2009. In parallel, 177 ICT trainers have undergone training courses as well. Some 165 Citizen Centre entrepreneurs have been given advanced skills training, and have also been supplied with a DVD writer to broaden their sources of income.

The project is on for 12 months, from April 2008 to March 2009. The districts covered are Kancheepuram, Thiruvannamalai, Vellore, Villupuram, Cuddalore and Thiruvallur.

The Citizens’ Centres have been ramped up in other ways too. A volunteer's manual has been prepared to create awareness on democracy, the Right to Information Act, and about information technology in general. Also, an annual subscription has been paid to 400 Citizen Centres to buy Kudimakkal Murrasu, a monthly magazine in Tamil that discusses the Right to Information Act.