Grameen Foundation : Resource Center : Print Newsletter : Winter 2004 : Internet, e-learning in Rural India
Internet Kiosks Enable e-Governance and e-Learning in Rural India
The Village Computing Program, an initiative of GFUSA’s Grameen Technology Center in association with ASA, a leading MFI based in Tamil Nadu, India, provides information access and business opportunities to rural communities through computer kiosks. The kiosks (computing centers equipped with Internet connectivity and locally customized software) provide income for the micro-entrepreneurs who run them and can be utilized for a variety of educational and vocational purposes by the local community.
Since the first six kiosks were launched in August 2003, villagers have found creative ways to derive tangible benefits from having computer technology and web-based information readily available in their communities for the first time. For example:
e-Governance:
Within the first month that the six kiosks were up and running, villagers sent 44 requests and complaints to various government departments using portal software developed specifically for this project. Instead of having to lose a day of work traveling to the government headquarters, villagers were able to go to the kiosks before and after work, submit their requests through the portal and receive responses in a short time. This set-up also enables the government to respond more quickly to the needs of its citizens. For instance, one village was without clean water for nearly a month. A villager submitted a complaint via the Internet, got a response the next day, and the water was fixed the day after that. Water now flows regularly every morning and evening. In another case, a woman used a local kiosk to apply for admission for her deaf child into a government-run school. Permission was granted within a week. A Village Computing kiosk is officially launched.
e-Learning:
Senthil Rani and Vijay Santhi, sisters and ASA borrowers who run a kiosk together, have started computing classes for several local young girls. They come six days a week and receive one hour of practical instruction and one hour of theory each day. Another kiosk operator has partnered with a local university to offer agricultural training programs to villagers. Villagers use the kiosks to register for classes and arrange for transportation to the training sites where they learn to raise rabbits and mushrooms— lucrative produce in the Trichy region.
Grameen Foundation : Resource Center : Print Newsletter : Winter 2004 : Internet, e-learning in Rural India
Grameen Foundation uses microfinance and innovative technology to fight global poverty and bring opportunities to the world's poorest people. With tiny loans and financial services, we help the poor, mostly women, start businesses and escape poverty. Our global network of 55 microfinance institution (MFI) partners including our Growth Guarantee partners has touched more than 34 million people in 24 countries. In addition, we introduced and now sustain technology initiatives (Mifos and Village Phone) in Cameroon, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, bringing our total country outreach to 28.
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