Experience:
Some time back, I was one of thousands of people, who had watched on TV and in films, the lives of the people living in the rural areas of India. I was also one of many people, who would just feel helpless and sympathise with the predicaments of the ones who populate the rural settlements. However, during the film making competition, when I watched, understood and interacted, in person – with a diverse set of people, living in small villages, having modest lifestyles – I was humbled. Our fast lifestyles, never allow us to ‘pause’ ; to reflect upon the things that we take for granted- such as ‘the computer’, ‘the internet’, ‘electricity’ or ‘connectivity’. For us these are necessities, for some these are luxuries.
I was lucky to have the opportunity to interact with Kamla Meena and many others, who gave me a lot of food for thought. In a paradox, I realized how ‘easy yet complicated’ are the lives we live and how ‘difficult yet simple’, are the lives they lead.
Kamla has to walk for almost 2km everyday on hilly terrain to get herself to the nearest transport facility, that takes her to school, where she works as a computer teacher. Her thirst for learning computers, her desire & willingness to share her knowledge and her determination are praiseworthy & inspiring. For her siblings and students, she is an ideal role model. Not only are they very fond of her, a lot of them plan to pursue their careers in computer technology or computer education. Introduction of computer education in the existing education curriculum at some schools like ‘Rajkiya Madhyamik Vidyalaya, Singhadvara’, has opened new avenues for many students and provided them with a platform that enables them to be at par with the rest of the world.
These children live in complete oblivion, miles away from the cities, in small and quiet villages, walled by hills on all sides, where life comes to a pause as the sun goes down everyday. Computers are the keys to the doors, that can lead them, into the world that we live in – a world that is ever-expanding, ever-changing and offers new experiences at every moment, to those who are a part of it. Through it’s computer training programs, Vedanta has offered them ‘the choice’ to be a part of this world- a choice which every child in India deserves.
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