csr time, article on csr initiatives for rural india
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8/13/2019 CSR Time, Article on CSR Initiatives for Rural India
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22|CSR TIMES |OCTOBER 2013
I
n 2011, concluding his speech
at the launch of the iPad 2 Steve
Jobs said, Its in Apples DNA
that technology alone is not
enough. That its technology
married with liberal arts, married withthe humanities, that yields us the result
that makes our hearts sing, his mag-
ic moved the audience and
thereafter millions who have
been inspired by his work
and vision.
If technology alone
could change the world and
lead to growth, disparities
of all kinds would have been
eliminated for at least the
7.2 billion connected users
globally. However thus is not
the case, technology as an enabler
has connected us to ideas, geogra-
phies and people. It has empowered
us to bring in awareness and change,
which can only be achieved by a
proper blend of people and purpose.
As per UNESCOs
Education for All report, 135 countries
have constitutional provisions for free
and non-discriminatory education to
expand opportunities, foster peace,
democracy and economic growth for
their future generations. India, despiteseveral policy provisions and imple-
mentation blueprints, faces several
challenges in realizing
this dream. Steep drop-
out rate after the elemen-
tary level particularly for
the disadvantaged pop-
ulation, poor level of stu-
dent learning, unavail-
ability of elementary
level teachers, lack of
basic school infrastruc-
ture, non child-centred
approach to curriculum etc. have been
some of the concerns that need to be
addressed.
In 2010, IL&FS Transport (ITNL),
Indias largest BOT operator in India
came together with IL&FS
INITIATIVE
The Parivartan kiBus is a comprehen-sive CSR model as it
addresses the mostimportant issues in
community develop-ment technology
penetration, quality ofintervention, portabil-
ity and innovation.
TAKINGPARIVARTAN
TOWHEREEVERY
ROADLEADS
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8/13/2019 CSR Time, Article on CSR Initiatives for Rural India
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23|CSR TIMES |OCTOBER 2013
INITIATIVE
Education, Indias leading social infra-
structure company to create a model
which addresses some, if not all,
issues in integrating education with
technology. Today ITNL is developing
road infrastructure with its footprintin 17 states of India and 12 countries
and connecting rural urban India.
With the vision to improve the lives of
communities wherever we go and our
road spreads, we launched project
Parivaratan in 2010.
Here comes Parivartanki BusYoung boys and girls from Munda
Pandey, Bithrichaipur, Agapur vil-
lages around the Moradabad-Bareilly-
Rampur highway greet us with hurrahs
every time Parivartan ki Bus reaches
the village. Cluster of more than 60
such villages on this route has expe-
rienced the programme already. The
two Parivartan ki Buses in this circuit
have impacted more than 3,000 stu-
dents of Classes 5, 6 and 7th studyingin government schools.
Picture this: A 70-seater bus con-
verted into a computer lab of 17 lap-
tops, staffed with 2 qualified and
trained instructors, equipped with a
library and our K-YAN (our patent
community computer built in collabo-
ration with IIT Bombay). Throw in a
dash of colour, vibrant interiors,
children-friendly settings and what
you get is a delightful teaching-learn-
ing experience.
Parivartan, meaning transforma-
tion, is a unique CSR initiative guided
by the conviction that education,
employability and employment are
the transformational tools in the pro-
cess of community development. They
bring in change in the community and
build a long-term linkage mechanism
to ensure sustainability.Currently there are more than four
computer buses under project
Parivartan across the country. In a
school, the mobile computer bus
implements a one year computer
education program for approx 1 hour
per week per students.
The uniqueness of this initiative
is its outcome oriented approach. Thisis not just education on wheels, it is
transformation on wheels. We have
in the part three years spend time
engaging and interacting with com-
munities to improve the offerings to
the community. A recent audit report
showed that the Parivartan ki Bus has
led to a marked improvement in over-
all student, school and community
development.
Encouraged by the results, ITNL
and IL&FS Education are now explor-
ing possibilities to take it to every road
we build in India. We are also looking
at expanding the scope of the bus and
embed holistic development ser-
vices as part of the initiative by adding
components of skill development,
teacher training, health and training
for local self governance. With tech-
nology on wheels and access throughour roads sky is the limit in innovat-
ing as per the needs of the villages
and people.
Kamlesh Kumari, asstant teach-
er at Government Middle School,
Etua Beniram sums it well, Ever since
the Parivartan Computer Bus has
been visiting our in the past one year,
student strength has increased.Children are much interested in com-
puters and are eager to attend school
they are more tuned into their stud-
ies.
The Parivartan ki Busis a com-
prehensive CSR model as it address-
es the most important issues in com-
munity development technology
penetration, quality of intervention,
portability and innovation. This in many
ways is our rendition of technology
with a human touch. This is marriage
of technology with humanitarian
cause.
[The Author, Pooja Gianchandani is
the group head corporate engage-
ment , and leads CSR engagement
for corporate partners. The co-author,
Shehnaaz Janjali is Head Community
and Supplementary Education andthe architect of Parivartan programme
at IL&FS Education]
CSRT
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