Organization Details: Datamation Foundation as part of UNSECO’s Major Cross Cutting Theme Programme on Eradication of Poverty entitled “Empowering the Underprivileged through the use of ICTs” set up a Community Multi-Media Centre (CMC) in Babul-ulm-Madarasa located in extremely impoverished and backward Seelampur-Zaffrabad predominantly Muslim neighborhood in the fringes of North-East Delhi in March 2003. Average family size in the area is 8 to 10 and monthly family incomes range from Rs.4,000-5,000. Most people are engaged in the informal sector and small businesses. The school dropout rate amongst the girls is over 60%. Women get married early and are not permitted to step out of homes unaccompanied.

 

The objectives of establishing CMC in Seelampur were to test the hypothesis that after attaining a level of empowerment; language or education are not the barriers for the Minority Muslim women to access ICTs for unleashing their ‘latent’ communication need apart from a need to ‘creatively’ express themselves. The Project wanted to further ensure that by a systematic delivery of mentoring counseling and training materials in the local languages; it is possible the semi-literate and neo-literate, marginalized Minority Muslim women from the ghettos to earn sustainable livelihoods enabled by ICTs

 

Objective of Project: The Datamation Foundation and UNESCO wanted to provide appropriate ICT enabled support mechanism viz. capacity-building, marketing and financial linkage for the women engaged in informal sector of the economy encompassing small and petty businesses. Moreover ICTs could help overcome Muslim women’s perpetual cycle of poverty, social exclusion and low bargaining power by building their capacities and vocational skills.

 

The project also wanted to test if ICTs could play an enabling role in empowering the Muslim women to deal with age-old social problems such as the denial of equal status to the women in the society, dependence on the family for all decisions ranging from various personal decisions viz. reproductive rights, career and vocational options. Towards this end effective multi-media training, learning and counseling materials in empowerment; basic literacy and vocational skills enhancement were proposed to be deployed.

 

Towards this end; the Datamation Foundation set up a Community ICT Training-cum-counseling center in the Babul-ulm-Madarasa with UNESCO’s support. The Center located in the Seelampur-Zaffrabad ghetto was opened for the Community use in March 2003. Till date, the project has reached out to more than 2000 women from the Seelampur Community.

 

Scope of Project: Due to traditional linkage between the learning, teaching process and the enabling role of ICT on the same apart from the crucial role of Islamic clergy; it was decided to co-locate the CMC within the premises of Madarsa instead of a public place. The women were provided separate entry to the institution. Extensive community mobilization was done with the help of a Mentor Mother who reached out to the Community for enrollment of the women in the ICT Center. Community mobilization drive commences apart from ensuring enlistment of the women as “canvassers” and “community mobilizers”

 

Integrated with the technical aspect of the project; is the ongoing ethnographic action research process facilitated by the London School of Economics and the Queensland University, Australia. We also provided weekly updates based on ‘immersion’ and ‘community animator’ concept for understanding in-depth impact of ICTs on the women and their families. The updates were posted on the ictPR website as well as field notes apart from posting notes on the forum.

 

The Foundation developed over 654 self-paced, interactive multi-media empowerment and skills development CDs. In-built evaluation procedures were integrated in the CDs. The CDs ranged from health, nutrition, life-skill topics; apart from empowerment; rights, duties and responsibilities of the women; life skills, adolescence, confidence-building and personality development. Consolidating on the ‘innate’ design, arts, crafts and workmanship most people including those of Seelampur possess; the project deployed over 40 different skills and vocational modules ranging from tailoring, embroider, candle making, liquid soap, management of courier and tiffin centres, stationary items, paper bags etc. The Foundation enabled formation of the Self-Help Groups after the women had completed the learning on the modules. Multi-stakeholder workshops were conducted for exploring mutual synergies and linkages.

 

The Foundation also started the process of identifying commercial opportunities for the beneficiaries of the project. Participation in various exhibitions, events apart from direct marketing of the arts and crafts produced by Seelampur women was organized. A portal www.seelampurmart.org has been set up for the marketing of Seelampur arts, crafts and services. Payment gateway, fulfillment, order servicing have been activated.

 

Apart from multi-media CDs; UNESCO and NIC local community browser eNRICH (http://enrich.nic.in ) a generic, customizable, web-based solution designed to facilitate Seelampur women’s knowledge and communication requirements on their own, without requiring any special technical skills. Seelampur women were able to quickly build their own gateway website, enriched with their own local content.

 

The Seelampur CMC has successfully demonstrated forging of a diverse, multi-sectoral, multi-specialty Multi-stakeholder Platform (MSP) for public good. Despite the heterogeneous nature of partners; keen desire to deploy and implement successful ICT4 Development models in public interest has enabled below partners,apart from the Datamation Foundation & the Babool-ulm-Madadrsa to work together on the project:

 

--Microsoft: Microsoft has tested Hindi Operating system amongst the Seelampur community and used test results for their product development.

--CISCO: CISCO is in the process of commencing their basic networking and advanced hardware maintenance program for the Seelampur Community.

--One World South Asia (OWSA): The Seelampur Site is a OWSA Open Knowledge Network (OKN) partner. As OKN hub, the Datamation Foundation in partnership with the local communities has been producing and disseminating vibrant, innovative local knowledge pieces via printed newsletters, web-sites, cinema slides, radio jingles and short films.

--Govt. of India and the Govt. of Delhi : The Govt. of India’s Ministry of Health & Family Welfare’s PNDT Cell’s initiative on controlling sex selection abortions and campaign against female foeticide is being implemented from the Seelampur CMC. The Govt. of Delhi is also a very important stakeholder in this process.

Information on various welfare schemes of the Govt. of Delhi and Govt. of India such as registration of the Life & birth, Property Taxes, Admissions for the distance learning education programs conducted by the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) and the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) Gets accessed and processed at Seelampur CMC.

--National Informatics Centre (NIC): The local community browser Enrich developed by the NIC has been successfully deployed at the Seelampur. The Enrich serves the local information needs effectively apart from providing localized inter-community and intra-community information networking opportunities.

--Networking opportunity for the local Artisan Groups and individual Artisans has been rendered from the Seelampur Mart (www.seelampurmart.org)

 

After successful operation of one year; the CMC is now being run as a commercial Tele-Centre for rendering commercial services viz. typing, DTP, printing, binding, internet surfing and email.

 

• Primary sector of ICT4D Project : Women’s Empowerment.

• Secondary sector of ICT4D Project : Livelihoods.

• Project Coverage Area : Seelampur-Zaffrabad is spread over 20 kms. and has a population of over 6.8 lacs.

• Services contemplated: Empowerment, vocational and skills development with the help of ICTs; practical demonstrations, consultations for improving product design; marketing services for the women with the help of SHG formation. E-Commerce has been facilitated via www.seelampurmart.org

• Target Group : Minority Muslim women.

• Project start date : March 2003.

• Number of years Project has been running : Over two and a half years.

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Project Implementation

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• Services actually provided: Educational and skills development training; vocational skills enhancement and basic literacy. Marketing linkage services have been rendered by organizing exhibitions and events apart from facilitating E-Commerce via www.seelampurmart.org

 

• Category of basic Computing implemented in the Project : Client Server architecture, hand held computers, scanners, printers. Significantly Plotter for facilitating CAD to enable sharpened project designs is contemplated. Design tablets have been provided as well.

 

• Category of basic Data Communication implemented in the Project : Cable internet access.

• Type of software tools utilized: Local community browser Enrich, skills development multi-media CDs, Design tools.

• Innovation if any deployed in the Project : First ever organized attempt for ICT diffusion in the area reaching out to the Minority community; apart from formation of the women’s SHG and linking them to markets are some innovations apart from extensive use of local content development for skills development.

• Technology Model : CAD and local community browser driven; Clients and Hand held computers.

• Business Model : Initial resources have been committed by UNESCO and Datamation; however the project leverages on the skills, competence of the local women by channelizing these into income generation opportunities.

• Beneficiaries :

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Metrics and Impact

• Impact assessment of the project: Several universities have carried out Impact assessment studies including One World South Asia, Development Gateway, Outlook Magazine and Indian Express.

• Independent evaluations or impact assessment studies carried out and name of the project evaluator : Development Gateway www.developmentgateway.org

• Euro-India Development Cooperation Forum have also carried out an evaluation which may be seen at http://server.metaware.it/EuroIndia2004/

• Findings of the evaluation and impact assessment studies : ICTs have had a cascading effect on the lives of the women of Seelampur apart from their families in not only empowering them and building their self-esteem, confidence but also in enabling to enjoy better quality of life.

Conclusion

• Sustainability, if any demonstrated by the project : With the help of Tele Centre income, sales proceeds of the SHGs selling their arts and crafts apart from the fee paid by the women; the project is sustainable.

• Replicability, if any demonstrated by the project : The project is being replicated in few other parts of the country as well as abroad with the help of participating Islamic Learning Institutions.

• Project Documentation available if any : www.datamationfoundation.org

www.unesco.org

• Lessons learnt from the Project and Conclusions: Seelampur project is a step forward in a globalized world for the women from a poor community trying to find their rightful place. Deploying a multi-pronged ICT enabled empowerment and skills enhancement strategy; the project has provided an opportunity for the women to interact with the external world and come in direct contact with the ultimate buyers of their products.

· Business Facilitation Centers (MFCs) in the National Capital Region:

· We have established 10 MFCs in the under-served areas of the National Capital Region viz. Seelampur-Zaffarabad, Trilokpuri, Khichripur, Chilla Village, Ballimaran. Some of these sites are the UNESCO ICT for Poverty Reduction (ictPR) sites.More than 5,000 women have been served, and the Project was awarded by the Govt. of India National e-Governance award 2005.

 

Activities done

 

Project Name: IT Education for Women and Children

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CMC Center-Khichripur (Delhi)

During the year 2002 in association with Chetanalaya, the Datamation Foundation has established an IT Education Center in East Delhi at Trilok puri, Block-12. Now it has been shifted to Block no-5, House no-95, Khichripur. From starting to till date 1190 students have passed out after completing their training successfully.

In financial year 2011-12

105 students have successfully completed their training in which 22 students got the job like data entry operator and computer operator etc.

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Project Name: Microsoft Unlimited Potential

Vocational Training & Capacity Building Programme for weaker section of society, the Foundation running 25 Centers in rural areas of two districts (Lucknow and Kanpur) in Uttar Pradesh. The basic computer literacy program, internet cum desk top publishing training is being given to learners. The objective of the project to literate the youth in computer education for empowerment of most marginalized society.

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Project Name: Community Health Center (2007 to Till Date)

Community Health Center At Katri (Kanpur Nagar District) for Uttar Pradesh Health System Development Project (U.P. Govt.) funded by World Bank

Implementation of the Innovative Health Scheme initiative of the World Bank; on behalf of the U.P. Health Systems Development Scheme, Datamation Foundation has setup a Health Center for providing Primary Health Services to the villagers at Katari. Villagers from 4 other villages are also being benefited through this program.

We have set up health post in village Kakori Gram Ghatampur with the help of UPHSDP. At the health post we primarily try to create awareness of all the diseases especially seasonal diseases. We organize camps on different physical problems at different villages too. Mother and child care is our prime program so we mark pregnant ladies and do the advocacy of them as well as their families. We distribute Iron tablets to them to fight against anemia. Inoculate them with tetanus vaccine then lady doctor and nurse with anum and trained D.W. help them to get secure delivery. If there is some serious case then we refer them to city hospital by our resources. After the birth of babies we take responsibilities of their vaccination. To enhance family planning program we organize camps in different villages too and distribute family planning means like condoms and contraceptive pills etc.

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Project Name - Life Line India

1. Background

OneWorld South Asia (OWSA) office of OneWorld International Foundation (OWIF) and Datamation Foundation jointly implementing the collaborative project on “Soochana Se Samadhan” – Providing knowledge to the farmers through phone-based service. This joint initiative is bring OWSA and Datamation expertise together on ICT based solutions for enhancing the knowledge of farmers for better production and livelihood.

The service is based on an Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS), where in farmers can register their queries by dialing a number 022-39116000 through Field Coordinators (Ek Duniya Fellows) and agri-experts provide back the answers to these queries within 24 hours.

The service has actively been implemented in four states (HP, MP, UP and Haryana) covering more than 700 villages. The programme was implemented through a network of volunteers. These volunteers are the point of contact for using the services. These volunteers are known as Ek Duniya Fellows and facilitated the query generation using mobiles. The response has been very encouraging. Farmers have adopted the technical know-how of the service and are familiar with the whole process of utilizing this novel phone based service for getting solutions.

The current proposal firms up the engagement plan by proposing the following programme objectives to be jointly-undertaken by Datamation and OWSA. The implementation coordination will be taken up by the OneWorld South Asia Centre for OneWorld International Foundation.

Key Features of the Service

• Expert advice helps farmers to improve input efficiency by encouraging integrated pest management (IPM) methods

• Provides solutions to farmers within 24 hours.

• Provide solution to more than 50 different fields of Agriculture and allied activities.

• Agri-business model providing multiple services under one roof. The services include complete chain of information from Production to Consumption related to

  1. Input (seed, fertilizer and pesticide)

  2. Funding schemes

  3. Agri Government schemes on loans and subsidies

  4. Banking, Insurance

  5. Market prices

  6. Region specific market information

  7. Updated news on agriculture

 

About OWIF

OneWorld’s mission is “to harness the democratic potential of the Information and Communication tools to promote human rights and sustainable development”.

The aims of the OneWorld Network are:

1. To be an online media gateway which most effectively informs a global audience about human rights and sustainable development;

2. To bring together a global community working for sustainable development through active partnerships of organisations and individuals sharing OneWorld’s vision;

3. To transcend geographic and linguistic barriers in OneWorld’s work in particular to give a voice to those typically overlooked by mainstream media and policy-makers.

Each member of the OneWorld Network (www.oneworld.net) translates these strategic aims into operational plans based on an assessment of their local contexts.

OneWorld South Asia (http://southasia.oneworld.net) is the South Asian Centre of the OneWorld Network that aims to harness the democratic potential of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to promote human rights and sustainable development. OneWorld South Asia (OWSA) sees itself as a platform for development that complements global partnerships engaged in the realization of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), while actualising its commitment to the broader Millennium Declaration of the UN Millennium Summit.

Towards realisation of these goals, OneWorld South Asia (OWSA) has continuously been working towards building strong partnerships to position ICTs strategically towards promotion and strengthening the ‘Voices’ of the poor and marginalized on relevant issues. The partnership model is a core element, with partners from civil society organisations, private sector, government, as well as grassroots organisations and collectives, playing a crucial role in content facilitation, knowledge networking and joint information and communication initiatives.

Another integral part of the partnership effort is to build capacities of partner organizations in the use of ICTs for effective communication and pro-poor policy advocacy work. The success of OneWorld South Asia’s programmes is dependent on the synergies that OWSA and its partners build for achieving common development goals.

With a strong network of more than 750 organisations and individuals as partners, OWSA works to create formal and informal networks of people with common interests, and provides them with a platform to share knowledge and experiences relating to sustainable livelihood, education for empowerment, health, water and sanitation, combating epidemics, and promoting good governance.

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Partnership Agreement

The overall purpose of this association is ICT based information and knowledge provision to farmers of rural India to solve their agriculture related queries which helps in improving their livelihood and thereby quality of life. OneWorld would provide the ICT based technical solution while Datamation would provide its grassroots experience and farmer's network to encourage farmers to use the service in achieving the above goal. The current proposal firms up the association of both the organizations to jointly undertake this project during the period 1st June 2008 to 31st March 2012.

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Project Name: GENDER RESOURCE CENTER- SAMAJIK SUVIDHA KENDRA

During the year 2007 the Foundation has been awarded Gender Resource Center for Seelampur. This project launched at Seelampur North East District.

GRC-SSK is sequel to Stree Shakti Camp programme. The GRCs are envisaged as instruments to bring Social, Economic and legal empowerment of women particularly those belonging to the underprivileged sections of society.

Gender Resource Center at Jafrabad has been organizing various activities in the center for last few months. Different kinds of vocational trainings, such as Cutting & Tailoring cum Fashion Designing and Media Development including Basic CMC literacy program are being run in the center for the beneficiaries. Besides running vocational trainings, GRC also arranges Non Formal Educating classes for those women who are dropped out from the regular studies. Self Help Group’s meetings and Awareness programs related to Nutrition have also been organizing in the center.

GRC has own doctor (MBBS, GYNEA) for OPD in which free check up and medicine is given to beneficiaries. GRC has been organizing monthly health camp in a month. GRC has own nutrition expert for giving awareness about nutrition food to beneficiaries. GRC has also been implementing the welfare schemes of Govt. of NCT of Delhi.

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Project Name: Technical Education Community Outreach Scheme (TECOS)

During the year 2008 the Foundation has been awarded TECOS for Seelampur by Department of Training and Technical Education, Government of Delhi.

The aim of the TECOS is to deliver training programmes for uplifting the quality of life of the target group of persons by enabling them to gain self /wage employment. Further this scheme has the following subsidiary objectives:

• Support models of Training and Technical Education for service delivery through local communities, in a manner which increases access to services and support for community participation;

• Build self reliance and commitment for Training and Technical Education at a community and personal level, through development of stakeholder networks and self help initiatives;

• Enable complementarities between the community and Training & Technical Education services, which ensure the continuity of services and efficiency in the use of local resources;

• Assist NGOs in providing a range of priority Training and Technical education for enhancing the quality of citizen services and boosting the rate of economic growth.

Set up a Computer Center under Technical Education for Community Outreach Scheme (TECOS) in Seelampur located in extremely impoverished and backward Seelampur-Zaffrabad predominantly Muslim neighborhood in the fringes of North-East Delhi in May-2008. Average family size in the area is 8 to 10 and monthly family incomes range from Rs.4, 000-5,000. The objectives of establishing center in Seelampur for most marginalized community to access ICTs for unleashing their ‘latent’ communication need apart from a need to ‘creatively’ express themselves sustainable livelihoods enabled by ICTs.

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Project Name: DRC (DISTRICT RESOURCE CENTER)

During the year 2008 the Foundation has been awarded District Resource Center for Geeta Colony (DC office, East District) by Samajik Suvidha Sangam (Mission Convergence) Govt. of NCT of Delhi. This project launched at Geeta Colony East District.

It is a District level structure of Mission Convergence (Samajik Suvidha Sangam) based at the office of the Deputy Commissioners of each district as 'front office' of the DC office, and act as a single window for the community for welfare entitlement/schemes. These lead interfaces between the community and the government departments, through the Deputy Commissioners and District nodal officers of the concerned departments, in consultation with GRC-Suvidha Kendras and DC office, and would give the beneficiaries a platform to discuss their grievances and seek immediate redressal.

These structures will also act as a Data base of knowledge and information on services, schemes and programmes of the Government and update it at regular intervals, disseminate information on various schemes and benefits through outreach and community mobilization.

The DMU/DRC is responsible for review and submission of completed forms with the help of GRC-Suvidha Kendras of their respective districts; for verification of the completed forms through the GRC-Suvidha Kendras; provide access to benefits of the schemes of different department through single E-entitlement card.

These DMU/DRC also monitor and collate the district level report for the performance of community based structures of Samajik Suvidha Kendras of their respective districts

 

Project Name: "Minority Education for Growth and Advancement - Skills for Youth" (MEGA-SkY)

During the year 2010 the Foundation has been awarded "Minority Education for Growth and Advancement - Skills for Youth" (MEGA-SkY). The Project began in August 2010 in Delhi and is funded by USAID for activities. The MEGA component of MEGA-SkY takes place within the context of growing efforts by key stakeholder groups to provide Muslim children with access to quality education environments in Madrasas and Schools. Widespread poverty, language barriers, and social discrimination prevent many poor Muslim children from enrolling in formal schools or lead to their early dropout. In addition, education provided is not often adequate to make them employable. Therefore, improving quality educational opportunities for Muslim children is high on the government agenda.

 

Goal:

Provide educational opportunities to disadvantaged minority students, 6-18 years of age, particularly Muslin students in four states with special emphasis on getting girls mainstreamed into the nation’s formal education system.

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Objectives:

To improve the quality of formal education offered in informal schools teaching children of disadvantaged minority communities.

To create a favorable environment for minority children, especially girls, in regular schools to enable them to complete their schooling with dignity.

To offer access to quality education to minority children through alternative non-formal options.

To link the education provided to marginalized children with livelihood opportunities through skills training and pre-vocational interventions.

To create an environment of collaboration among organizations working in minority education and establish linkages with government schemes.

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ACE Approach:

To realize these goals, MEGA follows an approach centered around: Access, Communications & Excellence (ACE)

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Access:

MEGA-SkY Access component focuses on a set of demand-led, community-level interventions to address critical factors related to access, enrolment and retention of muslim children through the following three activities:

1) Non-formal: For students that have dropped out of school before completing their elementary education, MEGA-SkY will work with its implementing partners at selected blocks to access elementary education – through community study centre called “Taraqqui Centres” that would provide them with sufficient levels of education to continue their quest for knowledge.

2) Formal: MEGA-SkY implementing partners would support Madrasas/Maktabs and community- based Schools using RTE provisions to add on additional students/grades and avail of teachers/resources to increase enrolment. Furthermore, MEGA-SkY partners through youth volunteers would provide after school / madrasa coaching support to weak muslim children to ensure no one lags behind and no one is dropping out.

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Project Name: Maternal Health Services on Mobile (SmS-toolkit)-MHSM

It is an initiative since October 2009, to circulate vital information regarding Reproductive and Child Health related information services directly to the pregnant and lactating women through mobile phones, using localized SmS in Hindi. The project is implemented by Datamation Foundation Charitable Trust, a Community organization working in the domains of Health Care, Livelihood and education. The technical partners one world South Asia (OWSA) and Microsoft Research have built together a SmS toolkit that allows direct sending and receiving SmS from an ordinary PC or laptop at a very low cost. Project is implemented at 4 primary and 5 other neighboring villages of the Katari cluster in the Ghatampur block in Kanpur Dehat (Rural) District of Uttar Pradesh, India. The registration of pregnant women is done manually and the details are recorded on the Content Management System (CMS) and it automatically sends out 2 SmS alerts to the registered users at calculated time for 40 weeks during pregnancy. General healthcare information, nutrition, specific messages for ante-natal check-up, vaccines, iron folic supplements and movement of baby are delivered to the registered women during this phase. This mobile based health care project can directly influence the understanding of maternal Health services among rural population. Such communication through mobile with the masses can improve the health conditions of pregnant women leading to a healthy society.

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Project Name: Awareness Programs on Consumer Education & Protection

During the year 2010-11 the Foundation has been awarded to conduct awareness programs on Consumer Education & Protection i.e. Seminar, Conference, Orientation Lecture for different groups. by Dept. of Food Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Govt. of National Capital Territory of Delhi

Main objectives of the project on Consumer Education, Awareness and Protection are:-

To give them knowledge about the relationship between Population and Demand & Supply of Goods as well as quality of the products.

To create awareness among the consumers (participants) and promote strong consumer movement.

To make the participants aware about the importance of Consumer Education, awareness, protection and their rights.

To give them awareness against spurious drugs polluted drinking water and impact on health aspects of the masses.

To make them conscious about Misleading Advertisements, Fake Trademarks, Adulteration, Low Quality Products & their impact on human beings.

To give them opportunity to participate in Discussion, Role Play & Slogan competition on related themes.

Apart from above projects the Datamation Foundation worked on following listed projects:

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Project Name: Capacity Building Training Program

The capacity building training program provided to youth in rural areas of Uttar Pradesh State. This project funded by U.P. Mahila kalian Nigam LTD.

Project Name: Capacity Building Training Program

The capacity building training program provided to youth in rural areas of Uttar Pradesh State. This project funded by Lafarge India Private Limited (MNC).

Project Name: Capacity Building Training Program

The capacity building training program provided to women in rural areas of Uttar Pradesh State. This project funded by District Urban Development Agency (DUDA), Govt. of India.

Project Name: Implementation of Training Program

Under this project provided training and capacity building of Panchayti Raj Institution in three districts of Rajasthan. This project funded by State Water Resource Planning Department, Govt. of Rajasthan.

Since 2007 more than 7000 thousand women and children have been aware under GRC Project.

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