FROM DEF ON THE FIELD
Ensuring the Right to Live
Socio-economic index of people with disabilities isn’t very encouraging in India, it worsens in case of people from marginalized backgrounds. Sudama is an example of that, in the past he faced many hardships, couldn’t find a stable source of income, didn’t have a social status and people always looked at him with pity. Sudama is an educated man, but with no possible job opportunities he started working in a small grocery store. In spite of his disability, being an elder sibling, he took the responsibility of supporting his family. Asha, one of DEF’s field coordinators, met Sudama. Read More
Last Mile Inclusivity: SoochnaPreneurs’ Drive for Social Security
In West Bengal, Aadhaar and PAN cards are lifelines for social protection, but more than half of North Bengal’s tea garden workers lacked these crucial documents. Aadhaar ensures unique identification, preventing duplication, while PAN serves as both a financial tool and identification. These cards are integral to Direct Benefit Transfer, linking to bank accounts for subsidy delivery, minimising fraud. In tea garden areas, wage payments and benefits are streamlined. Crucially, they’re required for government schemes, social security programs, and subsidy initiatives, ensuring benefits reach genuine recipients. Read More
FROM DEF THINK TANK
Connected Resilience: Gendered Experiences of Meaningful Connectivity through a Global Pandemic
The Global Digital Inclusion Partnership is a coalition of public, private, and civil society organizations working to bring internet connectivity to the global majority and ensure everyone is meaningfully connected by 2030.
Perception Survey on Aadhaar-Based Service Delivery
DEF conducted a survey involving 433 grassroots information entrepreneurs (SoochnaPreneurs) in India to gain insights into Aadhaar-based service delivery. The findings shed light on key challenges and advantages associated with the Aadhaar system.
The Everyday Violence of an Internet Shutdown: Narratives from Manipur
The report sheds light on the profound impact of internet shutdowns in the Indian state of Manipur. It discusses how these shutdowns disrupt various aspects of life, including communication, education, livelihoods, and access to information.
VISUAL STORY TELLING FROM THE COMMUNITIES
From Challenges to Achievements- Samarth SoochnaPreneur Anita Kumari
Disability was a big challenge for Anita Kumari because her family and friends didn’t believe she could earn a living and this severely demotivated her. She learnt about DEF’s work and approached the local centre. This helped her to uplift her stitching skill and also learn about the smartphone and its applications. She has been growing her business by learning new patterns of stitching and using digital means to reach out to more customers.
Click here to see the video
Skillbot Transforming the Rural Digital Landscape of India
SkillBot is the first telegram based chatbot designed for building digital skill capacities of weavers/artisans, youth, men and women, in rural areas of India for enhancing their livelihood. An interactive chatbot customised for this purpose to engage people in a curriculum, which involves reading supplied learning materials, watching the video, listening to audio lessons, engaging in discussions, assessment and learning activities.
Click here to see the video
Click here for connecting to other visual stories on YouTube channel of @DEFIndia
WHAT ARE WE DISCUSSING
“Yes We Can!” Say the Amrapari Women of Char Chapori
Amrapari (We Can) is a women’s collective in Assam formed during the COVID-19 lockdown to provide sustainable livelihoods for char-chapori women. Led by Manjuwara Mullah, they support women’s empowerment and economic independence by making and selling embroidered quilts, addressing food insecurity exacerbated by floods and lockdown job losses.
Click here to see the full video
Community Network Reaching the Everest
Empowering Khunde and Khumjung Villages with the Everest Community Network” aims to connect these remote Himalayan settlements, fostering eco-tourism, preserving their natural and cultural heritage, and providing internet access to Khumjung Secondary School and Khunde Community Hall.
Click here to read the full report
KNOW ABOUT OUR PROJECTS
Digital Didi
Digital Didi, fighting misinformation and myths around menstruation and providing women at the grassroot level with SmartPads which has a QR code to promote a 100 hour digital literacy course.
Click here to read more about the programme
Krisarthak
Krisarthak is a program on financial education and counselling (FEC) of the farmers to be delivered digitally using ICT tools. Krisarthak (FEC) is one of the core components of the World Bank-funded Project APART (Assam Agribusiness and Rural Transformation).
Click here to read more about the programme
OUR PRESENCE ACROSS THE COUNTRY
