Dell Technologies' India Digital Inclusion Program Outreach Expanded
Dell Technologies announced that it has met its
target of positively impacting 2 million beneficiaries through the Mobile Solar
Community Hubs launched last year in India. These mobile hubs are
technology-enabled and equipped with requisite devices, including laptops,
television screens for broadcasting messages, solar panels to power devices, 4G
internet hotspot facility and self-paced learning content, to help the community
access online services. The goal of these mobile hubs is to travel from town to
town providing internet and computer technology to local community members.
Dell has a global goal of impacting one
billion lives by 2030 and is committed to achieving it in a combination of going
deep in communities of need, scaling through partnerships, and providing
digital inclusion resources and programs.
In partnership with the Common Service Centres
Scheme (CSC), Dell and
Learning Links Foundation have successfully deployed solar-powered hubs
in six
aspirational districts as identified by the
government. Key beneficiaries include students, youth, and women who are supported with trainings in digital and financial
literacy, technical skills, entrepreneurship and career guidance &
revenue-generating services guidance towards future job creation and achieving
financial sustainability.
Dell is now extending the reach of the Mobile
Solar Community Hubs to five additional districts;
· Pauri Garhwal
(Uttarakhand)
· Ramgarh (Jharkhand)
· Jhansi (Uttar
Pradesh)
· Pathankot (Punjab)
· Gurugram (Haryana)
Additionally, the program aims to upskill and
digitally empower 200 ex-servicemen/retiring junior-ranked personnel (Jawans)
of the Indian Armed Forces. Support is extended to address any lack of
opportunities for skill acquisition and learning during their military tenure
that may have resulted in a gap in their post-retirement prospects. The hubs
will also assist wards of military personnel or 4000 students at defence
schools, by introducing them to digital skills such as coding and
block-programming.
“The digital challenges could be the result of
lacking one or more fundamental elements needed for digital inclusion; access
to technology, skill building opportunities to learn and grow, and the support
they need to get started. Partnering with the government over the years in
various activities has helped drive transformational change and address
the digital divide,” said Alok Ohrie, president and
managing director, Dell Technologies India.
Archana Sahay, regional giving
manager, Asia Pacific & Japan at Dell Technologies, said, “Our collaboration is driven by
the goal to support underrepresented communities to
achieve digital equity, where they find themselves equipped
with technology capacity needed for full participation in the
society and economy. From students to women and now ex-servicemen, the
opportunity to help them gain the skills to participate in India’s
evolving digital society is a rewarding contribution.”
Nuriya Ansari of Learning Links Foundation said, “The expansion plan will be critical in
transforming the lives of rural underrepresented communities, and ex-servicemen
and retiring junior-ranked personnel from the Indian Armed Forces. These
dedicated individuals face difficulties transitioning to civilian life due to a
lack of opportunities for skill acquisition and learning during their military
service. We value their dedication and discipline gained through military
service and aim to provide them with a diverse range of career opportunities
and choices.”
Learning Links Foundation will continue to
provide on-the-ground support for the vans, which will equip the beneficiaries
with digital and financial literacy, impart knowledge about cyber safety, and
harness technological skills.
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