‘Jaaga Hamara Registan’

Technology aiding Opportunity: Empowering the girl child of the desert

Unrelenting and stark, the sun shines down upon the desert state of Rajasthan. For centuries the woman here has suffered ceaselessly; sullied by the blemish of being born a girl child.

The mirrors in her ‘pallu’ (drape on head) blaze in the sunlight, as she walks barefoot in the hot sand. Yet, in her frailty is a grit and determination which has kept her spirit indomitable.

Dhanno, was married when she was only 4.She never met her husband till she turned 14 and then had 8 children with him. She weighs about 42 kg, is extremely undernourished and has never looked at anybody without her ‘Ghoongat’ (veil) on her face.

She had dreamt of being able to read books. She had wanted more out of life. Unfortunately, her dreams had had to die an early death.

Litracy Rate in Rajasthan		Meenakshri & Asha (last row)

A few years ago, when the Government offered the initiative of free lunch for all the girls who joined school, she had eagerly admitted her daughters Minakshri and Asha

The teachers in their Government School had recently been trained under Intel Teach. Computers had been installed in the school and were being used for classroom teaching. This fascinated the girls, while educating them on important issues like child marriage, cleanliness, health, and hygiene.

Lately, they had decided to involve the girls in school in a project on’ Malnutrition’ to spread awareness and inculcate project based learning. For this, the girls had to learn how to use the computer. The world seemed to have opened up for them. They felt like every other girl in the world. They could even get jobs and earn money.

Dhanno used to wait outside the school each day while her daughters attended their classes. Her ears, so eager, so parched for information, had heard every word attentively through the window. She had learned everything, her daughters were taught.

The teachers had quietly observed her. One day, they asked her if she would like to learn computers. She had been so happy to agree. She worked on the project on malnutrition with the children which they also shared with the women of the village.

Today, Dhanno is the data entry operator for the school. The teachers motivated her keen interest in computers. Her daughters are working on their next project to highlight social issues in the village. They hope to study further and then earn a decent living.

Government of Rajasthan (GoR) Initiatives under Project GRACE (Girls of Rajasthan and Computer Education) Providing computer literacy and thereafter imparting computer education through syllabus 100 schools identified under Project, possibility of expansion to 250 more schools Intel Teach and Government of Rajasthan Extend the Intel® Teach program to 3600 Government Secondary and Senior Secondary schools in the State Train subject teachers from all girls schools that have been computerized Support CALP in 187 schools and all additional schools by training subject teachers 12 districts have been covered so far, with 1600 master trainers(MT’s) and 5800 participant teachers 938 schools covered so far with 969 principals oriented on objectives of program

This is the changing face of Rajasthan. Literacy amongst women has gone up by 30% since 1981. Many more initiatives have been introduced by the government along with CSR’s like Intel Teach under the umbrella of the GRACE Project to make ICT and Project Based Learning a part of the curriculum for girls in Rajasthan. Information technology has opened up new vistas of employment and opportunity.

The sand is still burning hot under her feet, the wind still whips her face as she walks, but the woman of Rajasthan is learning to build bridges where none existed. Intel Teach along with the Government of Rajasthan is proud to be part of that change.