Osama Manzar, founder of Digital Empowerment Foundation is also the editor and one of the authors of Covid 19 The New Normal was on the panel of our three part launch webinar series, ‘Economic and Social Inclusion through the Pandemic and After’ He discussed around the emerging need to connect rural India to a digital ecosystem and the importance of localized economy.

Anshu Gupta, founder of Goonj and one of the authors of Covid 19 The New Normal was on the panel of our three part launch webinar series, ‘Economic and Social Inclusion through the Pandemic and After’ He spoke about the existing fault lines of the society which have been highlighted further due to the covid crisis and the need to change the narrative towards the social sector.

Seema Pathak, an ASHA facilitator and one of the authors of the Covid19 The New Normal was on the panel of our three part launch webinar series, ‘Economic and Social Inclusion through the Pandemic and After.’ She said that women needs to be connected to technology through digital trainings to enjoy the uninterrupted flow of technology to make their lives easier and combat the difficulties specially in the post covid world.

A journalist and one of the authors of Covid 19 The New Normal, Seema Chishti was on the panel of our three part launch webinar series , ‘Economic and Social Inclusion through the Pandemic and After’. She spoke about the notion of development which needs to be more people centric rather than focusing solely on economic progress.

Arun Maira, a management Consultant and one of the authors of Covid 19 The New Normal was on the panel of our three part launch webinar series, ‘Economic and Social Inclusion through the pandemic and After’ He talked about the importance of systems thinking to make the world more equitable post Covid 19 and a bottom up approach to development.

Parth MN, an independent journalist and one of the authors of the Covid-19 The New Normal was on the panel of our three part launch webinar series ‘Economic and Social Inclusion through the Pandemic and After’ He spoke about the education scenario post covid 19 pandemic focusing primarily on rural India.

DEF has been working towards the betterment of the community amid the pandemic. With 10,000 digital foot soldiers across 130 districts in 23 states, it has been instrumental in providing ration, government entitlements, relief kits, vital information and banking services to keep people safe and healthy during this crisis.

As people complete over 50 days of lockdown with their families, migrant workers across India are still struggling to figure out means to reach their homes. Stranded with no food or water and very little help from authorities, DEF in an effort to help, distributed relief kits packed with cooked food, soaps, masks, milk, Glucon-D, biscuits and a water bottle.

Due to the lockdown, people are not able to visit doctors or health clinics for non-Emergency/Preventive healthcare. Healthpreneur (Health Entrepreneur) at DEF centers with DocOnline, an online doctor consultations platform available in multiple languages, are facilitating in conducting basic tests and doctor consultations through video or tele-calling.

Damyanti Kushwaha is an Internet Saathi from the village of Taudiyaar in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh. She has been able to make numerous mask to help her community members and aims to stitch at least 3,000 more.

Nazmeen Ansari is a part of the Digital Clusters Development Program (DCDP), initiated by DEF in the weavers cluster of Chanderi, Madhya Pradesh. She has set herself up on the task of making masks out of vegetable bags amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Even shortage of raw materials has not put a dent in her motivation to serve the community.

Yusuf Khan, a world renowned Bhapang player, is on a mission to digitalise dying folk music of Mewat area in Alwar, under Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF). Over 100 local and folk artists visit his computer centre to book tickets online, contact international music organisations along with creating their websites and digitalising their music.

Under Digital Emergency Relief Program—DEF’s Smartpur project team in Nuh, Haryana, has been working tirelessly to provide basic essentials and government entitlements to all those in need because of the Covid-19 situation. They are also spreading awareness about the virus.

During Covid-19 crisis—Gurudev, a SoochnaPreneur in Alwar, Rajasthan, conducted a survey to prepare a list of those who are in dire need of food. He created a kit which includes—500 gm cooking oil, 500 gm lentils, 5 Kg wheat and 1 Kg rice—and distributed it amongst households in need in the area.