Two students introduced to computers in Fatehpur, India, are living proof that Digital Inclusion partnerships can transform lives.
According to the American India Foundation (AIF), less than 0.2 percent of India's one million public schools have any form of IT infrastructure or computer-based education.* The scope of AIF's activities in India is broad, ranging from providing elementary education to empowering women and raising awareness of HIV and AIDS. The mission of its Digital Equalizer (DE) program is to use technology to engage, educate, enrich and empower India's underserved children. With broad support from corporations, foundations and individuals, AIF's DE centers have enabled a quarter-million students and thousands of teachers to develop proficiencies necessary to be competitive in today's computerized economy.
Changing Lives in Fatehpur, India
With the support of AMD, four new DE centers were created in the Fatehpur district of Uttar Pradesh. These facilities were equipped with more than two dozen PCs based on AMD Athlon™ 64 processors. The new full-service DE centers in these schools will serve as the basis for exploring large-scale collaboration with the Government of Uttar Pradesh, which would affect thousands more students and teachers and could contribute to the development of a high-tech corridor in the district. But the new computers in Fatehpur have already made a significant impact on the lives of two students, Jai Singh Yadav and Shahendra Singh. Here are their stories:
Jai Singh Yadav
Jai Singh Yadav is in the ninth grade at Mahadev Prasad Bittan Devi High School in Fatehpur. His father, Virendra Yadav, can barely read and write, and works as a day laborer on various farms. He makes less than 100 rupees per day — after 10 hours of work. Jai Singh's mother is completely illiterate.
Jai Singh came to school every day without any interest in studying. Due to his poor learning skills, he was rarely acknowledged by the teachers. When the Digital Equalizer Program was brought to Jai Singh's high school, he embraced an exciting opportunity — the chance to change his life. Jai Singh started using curriculum software to enhance his understanding of the subject matter. To this young man, who had never seen a computer, working on a computer every day was like a dream come true. He surpassed the other students in his computer skills and his ability to prepare curriculum projects through the use of technology. Jai Singh is now one of the best students in his class. He has created two class projects through the use of curriculum software; and, by training himself beyond the courses provided by the DE facilitator, he has recognized the use of technology for tasks outside of his immediate coursework. He has even helped his own teacher prepare a grade sheet to track student achievement.
Jai Singh's self-confidence and academic development are both on the rise.
Shahendra Singh
Shahendra Singh lives in Rasoolpur, a village in Fatehpur district, Uttar Pradesh. As a student in the eighth grade, Shahendra performed poorly. His teachers hardly paid any attention to him, assuming him to be an underachiever. Employed as a sweeper in a private hospital, Shahendra saw limited prospects for his future. He did not dream beyond the hospital walls.
When the DE program began at Mahendra Pal Saraswati Shishu Mandir, Shahendra had not seen a computer before. He never imagined he would have the opportunity to sit in front of a computer screen, let alone operate a functioning computer. Shahendra's curiosity drove him to spend numerous hours in the computer lab. His teachers were surprised at the change in his attitude toward his education. Shahendra began interacting with other students in his class and consulting with peers from other schools. He began to borrow books from his classmates and absorb as much information as he could. He started to take an active interest in his schoolwork. There is a definite improvement in his performance, and his report cards tell the story.
*Digital Equalizer (DE): Bridging the Digital Divide in India. The American India Foundation (AIF), June, 2007.