Internet Saathi

Issue The internet has limitless possibilities. But around 94% of 168 million rural households in India are estimated to be digitally illiterate. (Feb. 2017, Source: OPENGOV). Therefore the abundant opportunities for livelihood creation, education, agricultural and quality of life improvements lay untried.

Dharmalife Solution
The “Internet Saathi Project” was launched with the aim of creating awareness among rural communities about the internet and its benefits for their own growth; with women as facilitators and participants. The women facilitators, or ‘Internet Saathi’, were trained and equipped with Internet enabled devices to further train the larger community in and around their villages. Special focus was on training women to use smartphones, access the Internet through phones and search for information online.
Geography: Dharmalife is the implementation partner in the states of – Uttar Pradesh (17 districts), Rajasthan (17 districts) and Maharashtra (3 districts).

Project Partners
Google
Tata Trusts

Impact:
UP- 1,980,000 Beneficiaries, 13,200 Villages, 3,300 DLEs
Rajasthan- 1,831,200 Beneficiaries, 10,464 Villages, 2,616 DLEs
Maharashtra- 359,100 Beneficiaries, 2,052 Villages, 513 DLEs
Over 3.5 million women trained in digital literacy
Income generated for over 6,000 DLEs