Project “Sakshar” - A move to promote Digital and Financial Literacy in Rural India

While India asserts itself as one of the world’s largest growing economies, recent report indicates that 30% of our population lags on basic literacy and thrice that for digital literacy. In a world where virtually all kind of information and services are available on digital platform and easily accessible, it is imperative for people to be digital literate to reap the benefits. The govt’s vision on cashless economy and boost to payment gateways and banks in one hand simplify banking and financial transaction on digital platform, however also necessitates right training on financial and digital literacy.

While people now have increased access to smartphones, lack of structured training and discipline in digital literacy largely limits the good use of digital platform, specifically in rural India. There is a stark lack of structured training program in Digital and Financial literacy. People still have to stand in long queues in banks, utility service providers to pay bills, withdraw money etc.

The familiarity with technology and reliance on mobile communications will transform the way current and future generation will work, entertain, collaborate, consume and create.

Project is targeting to train and empower all the parts of the community. School going children, youths, women and farmers will form the beneficiary group. Special attention will be given on Women. Targeting to make them the digitally literate member of the household thus fulfilling the objective of making each household in a community digitally literate.

The model would include community mapping, identification of target groups, mobilization of target groups, and set up of physical training centres at places that are easily accessible by the communities for imparting Digital and Financial literacy programs.

Implementation Methodology

The training is proposed to be delivered in modular format split across different sessions, each session will have key learning takeaways.

Session 1: The team will visit each household and organize a orientation program. The first session will be on “National Digital Literacy Mission Course”. This session will be conducted at various parts of the village. People will be made aware about Cashless Transaction practices, introduction to financial literacy course along with introduction to National Digital Literacy Mission Course.

Session 2 to 10: These sessions will focus on literacy based on Dhangyan App. A team leader with Laptop and 20 Tabs (each participant will use the tab) will facilitate the session of 45 Minutes each.

Session 11 to 30: Will be on National Digital Literacy Mission (NDLM) course. This will be run at the resource centre established by the Project. Course prescribed by NDLM will be used for teaching at this centre.

The Resource centre will also facilitate Bank Account Opening, Promoting Cashless Banking Handholding support and financial literacy training program on regular basis.

We believe Digital literacy promoted with financial literacy will have better impact on livelihoods. Combination of Digital Literacy, Financial Literacy along with Cashless banking can definitely have a positive impact on the livelihoods of the targeted community.

Overall expected impact of the project per centre (At the end of 3 years), in all 4 such centres are planned.

• Digital Literacy Training to 2,500 persons
• Financial Literacy Training imparted to 1,250 people
• Cashless Banking Transaction Adopted by 500 Households
• 50 + Case Studies Developed

The program would not only bridge the digital divide existing within the country but would also empower its beneficiaries to adopt internet technology for their day to day living. It’s a known fact that an empowered society is an important pillar in building a strong nation.

Krushi Vikas Va Gramin Prashikshan Sanstha (KVGPS) was established in the year 1991 and rapidly emerging as a regional and national development organization aimed at the betterment of rural, semi-rural, and diversifying urban communities. In close to 3 decades, KVGPS has gained wealth of expertise in understanding the difficulties of rural communities and has worked and successfully implemented various social development projects and trainings on Soil Water Conservation, Sustainable Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Skill Development, Education, Sanitation, Digital Literacy, Women Empowerment, Climate Change etc.

KVGPS has been appointed as a partner in National Digital Literacy Mission by Govt of India and is also an Implementing Partner of National Digital Literacy Mission program supported by various corporate partners through NASSCOM Foundation.

We encourage you also to visit our website and Facebook page for more details on our work towards different social development projects.

https://www.krushivikas.org/

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