How Google-Tata Trusts’ ‘Internet Saathi’ creates newer avenues of income for rural women
At present, there are 12,000 ‘Internet
Saathis’ with Google India and Tata Trusts announcing extension of the
programme to support the Foundation For Rural Entrepreneurship Development
Search engine major helps them improve
digital literacy
New Delhi, December
5:
Rohini
Sandeep Shirke, 28, started a small bee-keeping business in 2014 in
Maharashtra, and after initial hiccups, her business has started doing very
well now — thanks to the internet.
Shirke,
an ‘Internet Saathi’, gives credit to the cyber network for her businesses
becoming profitable. After learning how to use the internet, she not only
created an email and WhatsApp ID to promote her product, but now also accepts
orders online.
“I
am using the internet to learn the best practices for healthy bee-keeping and
honey collection,” she says.
Like
Shirke, there are many other ‘Internet Saathis’ who learnt about the importance
of internet for their business and livelihood are now imparting knowledge to
other women in their villages.
‘Internet
Saathi’, an initiative taken by Google India in partnership with Tata Trusts,
is working to improve digital literacy among rural women. At present, there are
12,000 ‘Internet Saathis’, with Google India and Tata Trusts announcing
extension of the programme to support the Foundation For Rural Entrepreneurship
Development (FREND) set up by Tata Trusts.
Gender gap
“While
looking at the internet usage statistics, we came across an alarming gap when
it came to the male-female ratio. There was a severe gender gap. Only one in
every 10 internet users in rural areas was a woman. It was then that we
realised that something needs to be done,” Sapna Chadha, Marketing Head, SEA
& India, Google, told BusinessLine.
As
per a recent report by marketing firm Kantar IMRB and consultancy firm, ICube,
there are 134 million active internet users in rural India, and the user
population continues to be dominated by males. However, the male-female ratio
of internet users in rural India has seen an increase in the past two years
from one in 10 in 2015 to three in 10 in 2017, says the report.
“As
some of the members in the household had smartphones, many ‘saathis’ knew what
a smartphone was. But, they were told not to use these for fear of spoiling
them,” said Raman Kalyanakrishnan, Head – Strategy, Tata Trusts.
He
said: “Now, these ‘saathis’ claim that male members of their family ask them
for help when they face any issue while using the internet. From being told to
not use the phone to being consulted now, is an achievement for many of them”.
Asiya
Gavandi, 31, from Maharashtra, runs a grocery store with her husband and uses
the online shopping feature to upgrade her store. With help from other women in
the village, Asiya has now put up a stall that has a variety of items,
including handmade wares, food and beauty products. Internet helps these women
find recipes and videos to innovate their products.
“Women
started getting respect in the village and our family members also liked it,”
says Asiya.
She
has trained 900 women to use the internet in her village so far.
Criteria for the initiative
The
criteria for selecting an ‘Internet Saathi’ is that the woman should have
studied till Class X and should be able to recognise English alphabet.
The
internship for these ‘saathis’ lasts for two months where they are taught on
how to use the internet.
Use of internet
During
this time, they are provided a smartphone and a tablet, after which they are
asked to reach out to other women in their village to teach them how to use the
internet.
Rekhaben
Gohil, who has helped around 700 women in her village in Gujarat to use the
internet, recalled an incident when a woman in her village wanted to see the
Somnath temple on her phone and was amazed at seeing it fully in such a small
space, to which Rekhaben told her: “Poori duniya hai ab iss chhoti se cheez
main” (the entire world can be seen in such a small thing). What’s more,
Rekhaben’s daughter also convinced her farmer father to order a pesticide pump
online, which was of great help.
As
per IPSOS research conducted in five States, Gujarat has the highest percentage
of women (35 per cent) who continue to use the internet after attending the
programme.
Regards
Pralhad Jadhav
Senior Manager @ Knowledge
Repository
Khaitan & Co
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