The Covid-19 induced lockdown has brought India’s tourism industry to a grinding halt. Rural communities have lost their livelihoods, supply chains have been disrupted and alternate income streams have thinned. Experts anticipate that the effect will be felt for at least a year, possibly longer. Thus, Voices of Rural India is an effort to turn…
Lal Kumar Mahto is a hardworking farmer living with his family in Ramgarh district of Ranchi, Jharkhand. He also works as a crane operator to earn extra money in order to take care of his old parents and sister. Mahto dropped out of school very young but aims to sponsor her sister’s education. A smartphone…
Breaking the mould of the stigma associated with menstruation has always been challenging especially in rural areas. According to the National Family Health Survey, 62% of women in rural areas use cloth, old rags, muds or leaves for menstrual protection. This situation exists not only due to lack of awareness on menstrual hygiene but also…
Digital Empowerment Foundation has made a conscious effort to work for the enablement and mass digital empowerment of marginalized and vulnerable communities across the nation. A digital evangelist for over 18 years, our various initiatives have equipped communities with access to information and brought them out of digital darkness. On the path towards connectivity, DEF…
Osama Manzar Founder and Director of DEF spoke with Nashim Hashmi who was associated with Digital Empowerment Foundation as a centre coordinator. Now, he is a successful entrepreneur and a household name in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra.
“I used to attend Award functions organised by Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) where innovators from across the world participated. There I came across Magsaysay Award winner Mahabir Pun from Nepal who worked in the field of connectivity.
Tamil Nadu’s Karimnagar district is home to a young software engineer aspirant who is also breaking gender stereotypes. An ambitious 17 year old, M. Srija is passionate about mathematics and machines and the STEM classes are usually the best part about her day. But the pandemic led lockdown suddenly put a halt to her STEM…
Story of a rookie computer engineer who brought digital entrepreneurship and wireless technologies to his tribal village in India to connect people living in remote areas through Community Networks By Kriti Singh and Osama Manzar Remote area Fiber Restoration in Katakwada GP from Kurkheda block of Gadchiroli District. Curious tribals asking questions during splicing works.…
The global healthcare crisis has led to the decline of multiple sectors across countries and communities. Stories about families unable to perform last rights, hospitals reaching patient capacity, unavailability of hospital beds, exhausted and overworked healthcare workers, migrants travelling long distances to reach home, among gut wrenching incidents of apathy have made our realities somber.…
The migrant crisis that has unfolded in the wake of COVID – 19 has thrown into sharp relief how deeply economic vulnerabilities entrenched and precocities were and how inadequate existing institutional and administrative frameworks are in dealing with crises and disasters. The article is the product of relief services provided by the Digital Empowerment Foundation…
