Good decisions come from experience Experience comes from bad decisions

SITA Studies in Information Technology Applications Computer-skill training programme for socially and economically disabled women Objective To bring persons from disadvantaged sectors into the mainstream applications of IT-enabled service sector. Methodology Free Training Customized multi-lingual interactive Resource Package One to one human component Judicious mix of contact and distance modes

SITA Achievements Even with limited reading, writing and communication skills, over 450 women trainees have shown commendable proficiency in acquiring basic computer skills Problems Low confidence level Little financial and family support Poor response from the job market Solution Co-operative model for networking the Trainee/Trainer group with government and non-government agencies. Learning and earning to go hand in hand Contracting job work ranging from data entry to DTP to Transcription.

Quest for sustainability At the conclusion of InfoDev support in 2001,the Core Group of women trained under SITA established an e-cooperative MitraMandal, which is operating through a Community Centre located in a low-income neighbourhood of East Delhi. The Community Centre is spreading ICT awareness in the neighbourhood aiming for self-reliance through contracting job work from the public/private sector agencies. SITA Studies in Information Technology Applications Computer-skill training programme for socially and economically disabled women

On going programs The Centre has undertaken a program for Capacity Building in partnership with the UK-based NGO One World International. The one-year pilot program involves translation of ICT training material into six Indian languages field testing of the translated material through Workshops for disadvantaged groups who do not feel comfortable with English. SITA Studies in Information Technology Applications Computer-skill training programme for socially and economically disabled women

MitraMandal Challenge Award (MMCA) 2004 This ICT competition, planned for South Asia, is inspired by the Rome-based Global Junior Challenge Award (where SITA was a winner in 2000) and the Stockholm Challenge Award (where SITA was finalist). MMCA aims to catalyze the use of ICT in schools in India with particular reference to the disadvantaged schools. SITA Studies in Information Technology Applications Computer-skill training programme for socially and economically disabled women

Summing Up ICT training and Internet access is restricted -- in a country like India -- to the upper-income group who can afford the cost of these facilities. This fact will widen further the digital divide if allowed to go unchecked. The key feature of SITA/MitraMandal Project is to provide ICT training, Internet access and income generation in an interlinked manner so that disadvantaged individuals, particularly women, are encouraged to enter ICT-enabled service sector. SITA Studies in Information Technology Applications Computer-skill training programme for socially and economically disabled women

Summing Up Since the main motivation of our Project is social, and not commercial, the entire infrastructure like space, furniture, hardware, software, power and telephone facility (with backup through UPS) has been donated to the womens e-cooperative MitraMandal. The absence of overhead costs means that the co-op rates are lower than the market rates; in other words, there is a prospect of building a win-win partnership with agencies providing job work. SITA Studies in Information Technology Applications Computer-skill training programme for socially and economically disabled women

Summing Up The emphasis so far is on the socio-economic side. Technological options like wireless connectivity and solar power needed for rural areas, will become effective only when adequate number of ICT trainers along with tested training methodology is established to suit the needs of individuals with inadequate educational background and limited communication skills. SITA Studies in Information Technology Applications Computer-skill training programme for socially and economically disabled women