Press Release
A Brief Report on the Two Days Regional Workshop on “Women Run ICT Enterprises held at Madurai on November 17-18, 2006
A Regional Workshop on Empowering Rural Women Through Use of Information & Communication Technology under the title "Women Run ICT Enterprises" was organised by Indian Association for Women in IT (IAWIT), the Dept. of Public Administration, Madurai Kamaraj University and the KINS Foundation, Gandhigram, was held at Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India on Nov 17 & 18, 2006.The Workshop was sponsored by Department for International Development(DFID), Institute for Development Policy and Management (IDPM) the University of Manchester UK and Datamation Foundation Charitable Trust, New Delhi
Dr. P. Maruthamuthu, the Vice-Chancellor of Madurai Kamaraj University has presided over the inaugural function of the workshop on November 17, 2006 and stressed the relevance of “IT education for all” especially for the entire women community to achieve gender democracy in the Indian sub-continent. While applauding the efforts of the organizers for their genuine efforts to inculcate entrepreneurial skills among the rural women to enable them to be economically self-sustained, he urges them to proliferate this programmes across the rural regions in Tamilnadu to enable rural women to handle ICT for their livelihood purposes.
Ms.Rajalakshmi, the Director of Software Technology Parks of India, Chennai Division in her inaugural address stressed the need for economic sustainability of rural women through IT based entrepreneurship and applauded the efforts of Datamation Foundation in this direction.
Mr.Chetan Sharma delivered the keynote address and surprised the entire participants with the low cost models of entrepreneurship activities that can be promoted in the rural regions. There was a great demand for the Tamil translation of his presentation which the organizers have promised to undertake. The presence of Chetan adds so much of spirit and vibration to the workshop and his spontaneous and powerful speech enthused and excited the participants.
The CEO of the Computer International (CI), Chennai Ms. Sarada Ramani has cheered the audience to enter into IT enterprises to make their economic status in the community. This house-wife turned Hi-tech woman challenges that any one could enter and become successful in the IT business as the support from the government, NGOs and the International Agencies are more and also access to information is made easy through the promotion of RTI in our country. According to her “time is now ripe” for women from rural regions to get trained in ICT based entrepreneurial activities.
A Regional Workshop on Empowering Rural Women Through Use of Information & Communication Technology under the title "Women Run ICT Enterprises" was organised by Indian Association for Women in IT (IAWIT), the Dept. of Public Administration, Madurai Kamaraj University and the KINS Foundation, Gandhigram, was held at Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India on Nov 17 & 18, 2006.The Workshop was sponsored by Department for International Development(DFID), Institute for Development Policy and Management (IDPM) the University of Manchester UK and Datamation Foundation Charitable Trust, New Delhi
Dr. P. Maruthamuthu, the Vice-Chancellor of Madurai Kamaraj University has presided over the inaugural function of the workshop on November 17, 2006 and stressed the relevance of “IT education for all” especially for the entire women community to achieve gender democracy in the Indian sub-continent. While applauding the efforts of the organizers for their genuine efforts to inculcate entrepreneurial skills among the rural women to enable them to be economically self-sustained, he urges them to proliferate this programmes across the rural regions in Tamilnadu to enable rural women to handle ICT for their livelihood purposes.
Ms.Rajalakshmi, the Director of Software Technology Parks of India, Chennai Division in her inaugural address stressed the need for economic sustainability of rural women through IT based entrepreneurship and applauded the efforts of Datamation Foundation in this direction.
Mr.Chetan Sharma delivered the keynote address and surprised the entire participants with the low cost models of entrepreneurship activities that can be promoted in the rural regions. There was a great demand for the Tamil translation of his presentation which the organizers have promised to undertake. The presence of Chetan adds so much of spirit and vibration to the workshop and his spontaneous and powerful speech enthused and excited the participants.
The CEO of the Computer International (CI), Chennai Ms. Sarada Ramani has cheered the audience to enter into IT enterprises to make their economic status in the community. This house-wife turned Hi-tech woman challenges that any one could enter and become successful in the IT business as the support from the government, NGOs and the International Agencies are more and also access to information is made easy through the promotion of RTI in our country. According to her “time is now ripe” for women from rural regions to get trained in ICT based entrepreneurial activities.
NASSCOM Regional Director Ms. Sheila Gandhi spoke on the ways and means to harness ICT to transform the lives of the underserved. According to her it should be the commitment of the stakeholders like the government, NGO, academic institutions to leverage IT for empowering and serving the under privileged. She appreciated that the organizers have taken up a new venture that fulfils recommendations of MDG 3 i.e to enable women to enjoy the benefits of ICT for their development.
Prof. P.K. Kothandapani, the founder president of KINS Foundation, Gandhigram felicitated the dignitaries and the gathering. He has insisted on the need for women to get over the socio-economic and cultural barriers. He has all praise for the organizers to initiate this women empowerment programme in the area of entrepreneurship which going to be an appropriate recipe for rural women to get into income generating activities.
The entire workshop was set by Dr. Suriya, the president of the Indian Association of Women in IT and the workshop gained momentum with her most inspiring welcome address. It was followed by the vote of thanks by Prof. P.Periakaruppan, the Head of the Department of Political Science and Development Management, Madurai Kamaraj Univerity.
Prof. P.K. Kothandapani, the founder president of KINS Foundation, Gandhigram felicitated the dignitaries and the gathering. He has insisted on the need for women to get over the socio-economic and cultural barriers. He has all praise for the organizers to initiate this women empowerment programme in the area of entrepreneurship which going to be an appropriate recipe for rural women to get into income generating activities.
The entire workshop was set by Dr. Suriya, the president of the Indian Association of Women in IT and the workshop gained momentum with her most inspiring welcome address. It was followed by the vote of thanks by Prof. P.Periakaruppan, the Head of the Department of Political Science and Development Management, Madurai Kamaraj Univerity.
The workshop session was started with Ms.Saloni Malhotra, the team leader of TeNet Project, Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai and she has charmed the participants about the means of promoting their economic capital through various low cost ICT based entrepreneurial models. There were a lot of discussion on the technical and financial, business ,marketing and revenue models in running such enterprises.
Soon after the lunch, Mr. Prem Anand, the team leader of IL&TS-CSC, Government of India Initiative began the second session. He shared with the audience the success stories of the “Rural BPO Model” initiated for CSC pilot project. He went into the details of “Asha” CSC model, process detail, earning potentials and the digital impact this project has on the rural women. The participants were spell bounded by the virtual tour that he has taken into the Mayaladurai regions and highly motivated to start a business on that pattern.
Soon after this presentation, Ms. Reena Patel & Ms. Mathangi Krishnamoorthy, Graduate Associates from the University of Texas, Austin, USA have arranged for an interactive session on the topic “women in call centres” and provoked each one of the participants to take an active role in the discussion. They have brought before the audience the unlimited opportunities for recruitment, retention, promotion and prosperity in the call centres and also the risk factors. They have enlisted the possible qualifications, aptitudes, attitudes and above all the self-confidence and the self-esteem that each woman require to get into this sector and to become successful. The have given a new delivery model to the other speakers follow. Mathangi’s efficiency and mastery in the bi-language (Tamil & English) were an added advantage to draw every participant into the conversation.
Mr. M.S. Kannan, Vice-president of Lason Technology Pvt, Ltd take over the session and he discussed on the parameters to be observed before launching any entrepreneurial activities. He gave a sense of cautions as to the “dos and don’t “ to be observed in venturing into any IT business. His check-list of caution were taken very seriously by the participants and they interacted with him as to the probable risks involved in starting a business in the rural regions viz; problems in identifying the markets; difficulties in the production and transportation process and also the technological inadequacies. Mr. M.S. Kannan volunteered them of his counseling and gave an open option to call him whenever help would be needed.
The first days practical session ended with the very lively presentation of Dr. Elumalai, Technical Assistant from the Department of Textiles and Printing, Anna University, Chennai. He elaborated on the infinite entrepreneurial opportunities opened up for the rural women as well as the graduate students in the area of digital publishing. The first days session ended at 6.30 pm.
The second days practical session was started at 9.00am on November 18, 2006. It was started with the stalwart in the field of entrepreneurship Dr. Jayaraman who is the Member Secretary of the “Centre for Entrepreneural Development (CED), Tamilnadu. He spoke on IT incubators and the opportunities opened up by the State Government to promote women entrepreneurship in IT.
Ms. Aishwarya Lakshmi Ratan, Microsoft Research India followed him and she spoke on the value of IT-enterprises in enabling SHGs which was well received by the participants. She has given open option for the participants to contact her if any of them among this group is interested in setting up similar models in their villages. She also promised them to extend her support if she is approached later for setting up this model.
As part of the workshop, a training programme on "Entrepreneurial Skills - Personality Development and Communication Skills" was conducted by Kris Dev, a Management and ICT Consultant, Co-Founder, Life Line to Business (LL2B), Chennai and International transparency & Accountability Network, a not-for-profit, global consortium of Social Activists.
The first days practical session ended with the very lively presentation of Dr. Elumalai, Technical Assistant from the Department of Textiles and Printing, Anna University, Chennai. He elaborated on the infinite entrepreneurial opportunities opened up for the rural women as well as the graduate students in the area of digital publishing. The first days session ended at 6.30 pm.
The second days practical session was started at 9.00am on November 18, 2006. It was started with the stalwart in the field of entrepreneurship Dr. Jayaraman who is the Member Secretary of the “Centre for Entrepreneural Development (CED), Tamilnadu. He spoke on IT incubators and the opportunities opened up by the State Government to promote women entrepreneurship in IT.
Ms. Aishwarya Lakshmi Ratan, Microsoft Research India followed him and she spoke on the value of IT-enterprises in enabling SHGs which was well received by the participants. She has given open option for the participants to contact her if any of them among this group is interested in setting up similar models in their villages. She also promised them to extend her support if she is approached later for setting up this model.
As part of the workshop, a training programme on "Entrepreneurial Skills - Personality Development and Communication Skills" was conducted by Kris Dev, a Management and ICT Consultant, Co-Founder, Life Line to Business (LL2B), Chennai and International transparency & Accountability Network, a not-for-profit, global consortium of Social Activists.
The programme was unique in nature and was highly interactive. All the participants actively participated and contributed to the discussions and could realise the hidden strength within them. The programme helped to better understand the needs and aspirations of rural women and how they can use ICT as a tool for empowerment. Opportunities available to rural women, particularly the marginalised and the dalit, under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), the Mission 2007 project of "Every Village a Knowledge center", and the Right to Information Act 2005 (RTIA), to alleviate poverty and help achieve UN Millennium Development Goals was presented by the speaker, to encourage them to adopt such technology.Use of ICT Applications, to create Citizens' Database in every village and town - citizen Identity, personal details, photograph and finger print for every citizen - to track their life from birth to death - health, education, employment, monetary transactions, etc. was demonstrated, using a low cost Stand Alone Biometric Device which can run on car battery. Pilot exercises of biometric tracking done by dalits and adivasis in other parts of India,.was presented.
Ms. Rajammal, a 65 year young retired nurse, a M.A. and Ph.D. in Natural Medicine, a social activist, was a participant and was promoting use of natural herbs, free of harmful side effects, for medical treatment of infertility, anaemia, contagious diseases, etc. She was recognised as a social entrepreneur and a role model for other women to follow. Ms. Rajammal was enthusiastic to use ICT to track the health of rural citizens using the biometric device. She sought the support of IAWIT to adopt ICT technology.
The afternoon session was made attractive by three eminent speakers viz: Mr. Jayaprakash, MD, K-Soft Management systems, Dr. Seerangarajan, Professor, Department of Rural Technology, Gandhigram University, and Ms. Vijayalakshmi, Proprietor of Vijyalakshi Computers Madurai.
The valedictory session was started at 4.30 pm on November 18, 2006. The Vice-Chancellor of the Gandhigram Rural University Dr.Karukaran gave the valedictory address and he narrated the success stories of women in running ICT enterprises in Kerala and Madhyapradesh and called upon the participants to involve in such activities for their economic empowerment. He has cheered up the rural women groups to venture into ICT based enterprises to keep themselves economically self-sufficient and to contribute for the social development
Dr. Neeraj Sharma, the Director, National Science & Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board, DST, Govt. of India, recalled India’s supremacy in the knowledge based economy and emphasized that India could maintain its status only if the digital divide between the urban and the rural regions disappear and only if every one gets into employment and income generation activities. The basis for promotion of such activities is science education and India should strengthen its scientific tempo. He also recalled the recommendations of the International Summit on IT incubators conducted in Hyderabad and stressed on the need to open-up such centres to train the students and the underprivileged community to equip them in entrepreneurial skills. He also spoke on the support Government extends to aspiring women entrepreneurs in starting new businesses in the rural regions.
In the concluding session, the participants expressed that programmes of such nature is sure to encourage rural women to become entrepreneurs and adopt ICT. They desired, more such programmes should be conducted to bring awareness among rural women and citizens.
The session was ended with the note of thanks from the President of the Indian Association for Women in Inforamtion Technology (IAWIT) . She thanked the sponsors (IDPM, University of Manchester, UK and Datamation Foundation, New Delhi), the organizers (IAWIT, Department of Political Science and KINS Founation) and also the participants.
A galaxy of eminent speakers and resource persons representing IT companies (STPI, Chennai, Nasscom, Chenai, Microsoft Research India, Bangalore, Lason Technology Ltd, Chennai, Life Line to Business - LL2B. COM, Chennai, K-Soft Systems, Chennai, Vijayalakshi Computers, Madurai) and Autonomous Entrepreneurial Institutions (the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development, Madurai), Civil Society Orgaizations (Datamation Foundations), US-based Universities (South Asia Institute, University of Texas at Austin) IIT-TeNet team and IL&TS-CSC team have tutored the participants to venture into entrepreneurial activities.
A galaxy of eminent speakers and resource persons representing IT companies (STPI, Chennai, Nasscom, Chenai, Microsoft Research India, Bangalore, Lason Technology Ltd, Chennai, Life Line to Business - LL2B. COM, Chennai, K-Soft Systems, Chennai, Vijayalakshi Computers, Madurai) and Autonomous Entrepreneurial Institutions (the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development, Madurai), Civil Society Orgaizations (Datamation Foundations), US-based Universities (South Asia Institute, University of Texas at Austin) IIT-TeNet team and IL&TS-CSC team have tutored the participants to venture into entrepreneurial activities.
About 150 women, representing a cross section of entrepreneurs, Self Help Group members, Family Counsellors, Dalit Organizations, budding entrepreneurs and graduate students in the age group of 20 to 65 from villages and towns in and around Madurai and neighbouring rural districts attended the workshop.
Notable among them were Annai Theresa Rural Development Trust, Arivoli Iyakkam, DHAN Foundation, IMAGE Trust, Jan Shikshan Sansthan Trust, Maha Semam Trust, Mercy Trust, Thayagam Trust, VPPS trust, Valam Foundation, Rajiv Gandhi Memorial Women's Development and Welfare Society, Periyakulam, Theni, Usilampatti, Gandhigram, Virudhunagar, Thiruvarur District (a radius of about 150 kilometers from Madurai). A heavy flock of students and faculties from Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar College, usilampatti, Saraswathi Narayanan College, Government Polytechnic College for Women- Madrurai, Gandhigram Rural University, Alappapa University, Annamalai University was noticed.
Practical sessions on "Entrepreneurial Skills, Rural Business Process Outsourcing & Rural ITES Services" ; "ICT for Development Business Opportunities" ; "e-Employment Opportunities in digital publishing" ; "Rural enterprise Management"; and "Business Continuity-Disaster Recovery Systems" were held. A panel session was also arranged to discuss on "Positioning Women Workers in the Call Centre Industry" and "The Value of IT-enterprise in enabling Self-Help Groups".
The programme was conducted by Dr. Suriya, President IAWIT, Dr. P.K. Kothandapani, Founder President, KINS Foundation and Dr. P. Periakaruppan, Professor & HOD, Public Administration, Madurai Kamaraj University.
For more details contact: Dr. Suriya, President, IAWIT. Ph: 91 93 606 83 774 & 04144-238607/04144-238155 Email: au_suriya@rediffmail.com
Press release from ICT for Development
Briding the digital divide
Briding the digital divide
Empowering Rural Women Through Use of Information & Communication
ict4d, Nov 21 2006, 1:08 pm
A Workshop on Empowering Rural Women Through Use of Information & Communication Technology under the title “Women Run ICT Enterprises” was organised by Indian Association for Women in IT (IAWIT), the Dept. of Public Administration, Madurai Kamaraj University and the KINS Foundation, Gandhigram, was held at Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India on Nov 17 & 18, 2006.
The Workshop was sponsored by Institute for Development Policy and Management (IDPM), the University of Manchester, UK and Datamation Foundation Charitable Trust, New Delhi, and supported by Enterpreneurship Development Board, Department of Science and Technology, Govt of India and CED-IT Incubator Centre, Tamilnadu.
A galaxy of eminent speakers and resource persons representing IT companies (STPI, Chennai, Nasscom, Chennai, Microsoft Research India, Bangalore, Lason Technology Ltd, Chennai, Life Line to Business - LL2B. COM, Chennai, K-Soft Systems, Chennai, Vijayalakshi Computers, Madurai) and Autonomous Entrepreneurial Institutions (the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development, Madurai), Civil Society Orgaizations (Datamation Foundations), US-based Universities (South Asia Institute, University of Texas at Austin) IIT-TeNet team, IL&TS-CSC team have tutored the participants to venture into entrepreneurial activities.
About 150 women, representing a cross section of entrepreneurs, Self Help Group members, Family Counsellors, Dalit Organizations and budding entrepreneurs, in the age group of 20 to 65 from villages and towns in and around Madurai and neighbouring rural districts attended the workshop.
Notable among them were Annai Theresa Rural Development Trust, Arivoli Iyakkam, DHAN Foundation, IMAGE Trust, Jan Shikshan Sansthan Trust, Maha Semam Trust, Mercy Trust, Thayagam Trust, VPPS trust, Valam Foundation, Rajiv Gandhi Memorial Women’s Development and Welfare Society, Periyakulam, Theni, Usilampatti, Gandhigram, Virudhunagar, Thiruvarur District (a radius of about 150 kilometers from Madurai).
Practical sessions on “Entrepreneurial Skills, Rural Business Process Outsourcing & Rural ITES Services” ; “ICT for Development Business Opportunities” ; “e-Employment Opportunities in digital publishing” ; “Rural enterprise Management”; and “Business Continuity-Disaster Recovery Systems” were held. A panel session was also arranged to discuss on “Positioning Women Workers in the Call Centre Industry” and “The Value of IT-enterprise in enabling Self-Help Groups”.
The Vice-Chancellors of the Madurai Kamaraj University and the Gandigram Rural University have cheered up the rural women groups to venture into ICT based enterprises to keep themselves economically self-sufficient and to contribute for the social development. The Director, National Science & Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board, DST, Govt. of India spoke on the support Government extends to aspiring women entrepreneurs.
As part of the workshop, a training programme on “Entrepreneurial Skills - Personality Development and Communication Skills” was conducted by Kris Dev, a Management and ICT Consultant, Co-Founder, Life Line to Business (LL2B), Chennai and International transparency & Accountability Network, a not-for-profit, global consortium of Social Activists.
The programme was unique in nature and was highly interactive. All the participants actively participated and contributed to the discussions and could realise the hidden strength within them. The programme helped to better understand the needs and aspirations of rural women and how they can use ICT as a tool for empowerment.
Opportunities availabe to rural women, particularly the marginalised and the dalit, under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), the Mission 2007 project of “Every Village a Knowledge center”, and the Right to Information Act 2005 (RTIA), to alleviate poverty and help achieve UN Millenium Development Goals was presented by Kris Dev, to encourage them to adopt such technology.
Use of ICT Applications, to create Citizens’ Database in every village and town - citizen Identity, personal details, photograph and finger print for every citizen - to track their life from birth to death - health, education, employment, monetary transactions, etc. was demonstrated, using a low cost Stand Alone Biometric Device which can run on car battery. Pilot exercises of biometric tracking done by dalits and adivasis in other parts of India,.was presented.
Ms. Rajammal, a 65 year young retired nurse, a M.A. and Ph.D. in Natural Medicine, a social activist, was a participant and was promoting use of natural herbs, free of harmful side effects, for medical treatment of infertility, anaemia, contagious diseases, etc. She was recognised as a social entrepreneur and a role model for other women to follow. Ms. Rajammal was enthusiastic to use ICT to track the health of rural citizens using the biometric device. She sought the support of IAWIT to adopt ICT technology.
The participants felt, programmes of such nature is sure to encourage rural women to become entrepreneurs and adopt ICT. They desired, more such programmes should be conducted to bring awareness among rural women and citizens.
Tags: ICT, rural, Women, empowerment
ict4d, Nov 21 2006, 1:08 pm
A Workshop on Empowering Rural Women Through Use of Information & Communication Technology under the title “Women Run ICT Enterprises” was organised by Indian Association for Women in IT (IAWIT), the Dept. of Public Administration, Madurai Kamaraj University and the KINS Foundation, Gandhigram, was held at Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India on Nov 17 & 18, 2006.
The Workshop was sponsored by Institute for Development Policy and Management (IDPM), the University of Manchester, UK and Datamation Foundation Charitable Trust, New Delhi, and supported by Enterpreneurship Development Board, Department of Science and Technology, Govt of India and CED-IT Incubator Centre, Tamilnadu.
A galaxy of eminent speakers and resource persons representing IT companies (STPI, Chennai, Nasscom, Chennai, Microsoft Research India, Bangalore, Lason Technology Ltd, Chennai, Life Line to Business - LL2B. COM, Chennai, K-Soft Systems, Chennai, Vijayalakshi Computers, Madurai) and Autonomous Entrepreneurial Institutions (the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development, Madurai), Civil Society Orgaizations (Datamation Foundations), US-based Universities (South Asia Institute, University of Texas at Austin) IIT-TeNet team, IL&TS-CSC team have tutored the participants to venture into entrepreneurial activities.
About 150 women, representing a cross section of entrepreneurs, Self Help Group members, Family Counsellors, Dalit Organizations and budding entrepreneurs, in the age group of 20 to 65 from villages and towns in and around Madurai and neighbouring rural districts attended the workshop.
Notable among them were Annai Theresa Rural Development Trust, Arivoli Iyakkam, DHAN Foundation, IMAGE Trust, Jan Shikshan Sansthan Trust, Maha Semam Trust, Mercy Trust, Thayagam Trust, VPPS trust, Valam Foundation, Rajiv Gandhi Memorial Women’s Development and Welfare Society, Periyakulam, Theni, Usilampatti, Gandhigram, Virudhunagar, Thiruvarur District (a radius of about 150 kilometers from Madurai).
Practical sessions on “Entrepreneurial Skills, Rural Business Process Outsourcing & Rural ITES Services” ; “ICT for Development Business Opportunities” ; “e-Employment Opportunities in digital publishing” ; “Rural enterprise Management”; and “Business Continuity-Disaster Recovery Systems” were held. A panel session was also arranged to discuss on “Positioning Women Workers in the Call Centre Industry” and “The Value of IT-enterprise in enabling Self-Help Groups”.
The Vice-Chancellors of the Madurai Kamaraj University and the Gandigram Rural University have cheered up the rural women groups to venture into ICT based enterprises to keep themselves economically self-sufficient and to contribute for the social development. The Director, National Science & Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board, DST, Govt. of India spoke on the support Government extends to aspiring women entrepreneurs.
As part of the workshop, a training programme on “Entrepreneurial Skills - Personality Development and Communication Skills” was conducted by Kris Dev, a Management and ICT Consultant, Co-Founder, Life Line to Business (LL2B), Chennai and International transparency & Accountability Network, a not-for-profit, global consortium of Social Activists.
The programme was unique in nature and was highly interactive. All the participants actively participated and contributed to the discussions and could realise the hidden strength within them. The programme helped to better understand the needs and aspirations of rural women and how they can use ICT as a tool for empowerment.
Opportunities availabe to rural women, particularly the marginalised and the dalit, under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), the Mission 2007 project of “Every Village a Knowledge center”, and the Right to Information Act 2005 (RTIA), to alleviate poverty and help achieve UN Millenium Development Goals was presented by Kris Dev, to encourage them to adopt such technology.
Use of ICT Applications, to create Citizens’ Database in every village and town - citizen Identity, personal details, photograph and finger print for every citizen - to track their life from birth to death - health, education, employment, monetary transactions, etc. was demonstrated, using a low cost Stand Alone Biometric Device which can run on car battery. Pilot exercises of biometric tracking done by dalits and adivasis in other parts of India,.was presented.
Ms. Rajammal, a 65 year young retired nurse, a M.A. and Ph.D. in Natural Medicine, a social activist, was a participant and was promoting use of natural herbs, free of harmful side effects, for medical treatment of infertility, anaemia, contagious diseases, etc. She was recognised as a social entrepreneur and a role model for other women to follow. Ms. Rajammal was enthusiastic to use ICT to track the health of rural citizens using the biometric device. She sought the support of IAWIT to adopt ICT technology.
The participants felt, programmes of such nature is sure to encourage rural women to become entrepreneurs and adopt ICT. They desired, more such programmes should be conducted to bring awareness among rural women and citizens.
Tags: ICT, rural, Women, empowerment
posted by Indian Association for Women in IT @ 4:59 PM
