Now, we are taking digital literacy to their door step
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FLiP: An industry initiative to help inclusive digitalisation
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The importance of inclusive digitalisation cannot be overstated.
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In 2018, the India@75 Foundation launched the Functional Literacy Programme (FLiP) to help the informal sector leverage digital opportunities for a better life. Both organizations and individual interested in helping workers become digitally literate, can download this programme free of cost from the Foundation's website. It has been designed for easy dissemination by experts, and requires only a computer and an internet connection to run.
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FLiP-on-Wheels: A vehicle to drive digital literacy in rural India
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Technology is playing an increasingly important role in shaping a new socio-economic paradigm in the country; it is important to bridge the digital divide on a war footing, lest rural India miss the opportunity to leapfrog into the future in tandem with the rest of the country.
While FLiP validated the Foundation’s belief that digitalisation can catalyse significant change in the lives of the target group, the download and dissemination of data made it amply clear that FLiP was not reaching the rural areas. Quite clearly, a different approach was needed to take digital and financial literacy to the villages in the country. In 2023, India@75 Foundation modified the existing programme to create a version called FLiP-on-Wheels (FoW) using a digital hub in the form of a mobile van, equipped with teaching aids and manned by a facilitator and a community. The objective was to reach the people at a place and time convenient to them with a curriculum and pedagogy tailored to their unique needs. An approach like this was based on the insight that most villagers being daily wagers, do not prioritise a learning session over work, unless it offers very tangible and immediate gains. FoW was piloted in 12 villages of the Parbhani District in Maharashtra and 18 villages surrounding Kanha National Park in the Balaghat District of Madhya Pradesh. It reached 4000+ beneficiaries and was very well received in both the geographies, thereby making a case for scaling up.
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Highlights of FLiP-on-Wheels
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FoW prioritises practical learning over theory. This helps participants understand the potential of the digital world by experiencing it.
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Since the classes are held around a van, they can be set up at any place and time convenient to the beneficiary groups.
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The programme also serves to educate the groups on the relevant government schemes and opportunities and how they can be availed digitally.
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We bring you glimpses of the programme and its impact
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“In the FLiP-on-Wheels Training programme, I came to know about the Pradhan Mantri Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) which helps people like me get loans to start their business. During the training program, I was able to fill in my PMEGP form. I think I will now be able to start my business.”
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Prakash Pradhan, 43, Agriculturist
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"I am happy that this programme helped me to learn and use new digital tools for getting appropriate information, articles, audio books and latest guidelines on the examination patterns as they will be very useful for me in my studies."
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Kirti Sakharwad, 24, Civil Service Aspirant
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There are several ways in which you can help scale the FLiP on Wheel Programme:
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- Integrate it with existing CSR programmes in rural India, especially those related to literacy and livelihood.
- Run the FoW independently in communities near you.
- Support the programme so that we can run in the rural geography of your choice.
- Integrate it with your organization's volunteering programme and have your employees do a periodic run with the van.
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