Switched On India
Slum children and Youth
This centre benefits mainly children in a very poor Indian suburb, many from a casteless group called the Daalits. Though their uniforms look nice, their families often can't afford meals. The centre will provide ongoing computer & Internet education to enable them to find better work when they leave school, earning £2-3/€, instead of a max £1/1€ per day. People voluntarily share income with their families, and your students will have a real chance to escape the poverty trap.
The centre is in a school run by a charity (NGO) named after it's Swiss founder, the Esther Education Trust, and this trust oversees the school locally to high standards. Many of the children are from the Daalit, casteless people group that has been regarded as fit only for the most menial work. The Indian government officially revoked the prejudice of the Caste system but it is still pervasive in the culture. We are doing "our bit" to erode this unacceptable mindset by qualifying the pupils to excel in jobs and higher education. The breaking down of cultural prejudice is a major part of what Switched On hopes to do through "ethical empowerment."
Persecuted Christian Burmese Refugees
We set up a centre with a Burmese refugees community from the Chin province in western Burma in May '09.
They have fled cruel persecution from an oppressive military regime because they are Christians. Unable to speak a local language, they can earn a meagre 70p or 80¢/day working as labourers, which means they must share tiny apartments and struggle to afford even rice because of escalating food prices. The training centre will enable them to learn basic English and computer skills so they can earn several times that pay and provide for their families. We look forward to them being able to educate their children properly.
Allegedly, The Burmese Government/military is oppressing this mainly Christian state with forced labour, rape, famine, torture and religious persecution
Aspects of their persecution are documented at:
- http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2009/01/28/burmaindia-end-abuses-chin-state - Human rights watch, Burma/India: End Abuses in Chin State
- http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=15020 - Report covering Chin province persecution, The Irrawady.
Setting up the Computer Lab in a Slum
Switched On's second project was to equip a classroom and start a course to teach youths in a poor New Delhi suburb how to use computers.
One teacher's desk and 15 student desks were supplied by Switched On, which have been filled with the necessary computer equipment. The system is mostly configured, and will be completed from the UK over the next few months. We are now working with a teacher Switched On appointed in New Delhi to develop a computer course covering Office and Internet applications. Switched On will provide accreditation, giving a credible certificate for successful students to help them obtain better jobs.
Further funding will be needed for this project to add an air conditioning system, projector and to pay the first months of the teacher's salary. We aspire to make the project self-sustaining in the long-run, with a small course fee covering the teacher's salary and maintenance.
Some youth have now acquired better paid work using computers as a direct result of attending Switched On's training course. Over one hundred pupils in the school are also being tutored for the first time in how to use computers.