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

    1/2

    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

  • 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