CNN has a story on a innovative way used by IIT Kanpur to bring technology to the masses. They use a bicycle richshaw to carry a computer with high speed Internet access to give classes to people.
A few miles from Bithoor, another cycle rickshaw carries its high-tech load to Gorahah village, where men and women gather side-by-side for a class on electronic mail. The mix is nothing short of a revolution in tradition-bound rural India, where women are often kept indoors.
“We are now learning computers. There is no point if we can’t use that new knowledge. We have to go out and do something worthwhile,” said Snehalatha, 22, who also attends college. Clad in orange pants and a pink tunic, Snehalatha signs up for Yahoo mail, as an impatient queue lengthens behind her.
The classes teach the basics of computing, word processing, spreadsheets, Internet browsing and Web cameras. Once they learn to use a webcam the villagers can take part in online classes, something the info-cart organizers hope to implement later.[Wheels of hope bring Internet to villagers]
MT Design Thought: Entries like these belong to a sideblog since I have no commentary to offer. MT 3.1 will have support for Multi Blogs and after that I should also implement one.
