Bridging the Digital Divide

Empowering Dalit and Tribal School Children through Technology

Creating Equal Learning Pathways in a Digitally Divided World

1. The Problem

“In a world that’s moving online, thousands of rural children are still offline.”

In the remote villages of Andhra Pradesh, Dalit and Tribal students face entrenched poverty and discrimination — and now, a growing digital divide.

Only 5% of rural households have internet access.
Schools lack computers, connectivity, and trained teachers.
Power cuts make digital education nearly impossible.
Girls are even more excluded due to social norms and domestic burdens.

When urban children moved online during COVID-19, their rural peers were left behind — excluded from classrooms, opportunity, and the digital economy.

Without digital literacy, these children risk remaining invisible in a technology-driven world.

2. The Plan

To turn two rural schools into digital learning hubs for 3,000 marginalized students.

Goal: Bridge the digital divide by building sustainable, solar-powered digital labs and training students and teachers in digital skills.

Duration: 5 years

Budget: €9,509

Funding Requested: €8,333

Core Actions:

Set up 2 digital learning labs with Wi-Fi and solar energy.
Provide 10 computers and 5 laptops with educational content.
Train 2 teachers and 3,000 students (600 each year).
Conduct gender equity and digital literacy workshops.

Aligned with SDGs:

SDG 4 – Quality Education
SDG 5 – Gender Equality
SDG 9 – Innovation and Infrastructure
SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities

3. The Procedure

Phase	Action Steps	Outcome
1. Infrastructure	Set up digital labs (solar-powered) in 2 schools	10 computers, 5 laptops installed
2. Training	Train 2 female teachers and 600 students yearly	3,000 digital-literate children
3. Orientation	Conduct workshops on basic digital skills and safety	Students gain confidence using technology
4. Gender and Life Skills	Workshops for girls and parents	Inclusive digital participation
5. Monitoring	Monthly reports, external evaluation	Transparent progress and learning

Setup: 2 months · Training Cycle: 5 academic years

4. The Partners

Lead Implementer:

Dalit Welfare Association (DWA) – grassroots nonprofit (est. 1993) working for Dalit and Tribal empowerment.

Based in Kurnool District, Andhra Pradesh, India.

Reg. No. 384/1993 · FCRA: 010270166

Our Past Donors:

BASAID (Switzerland) · UCH (USA) · The Grace Foundation

LAMP (India) · Jiv Daya Foundation · Global Compassion Inc.

Potential Partners:

Corporate CSR units, education foundations, and technology donors seeking scalable, SDG-aligned impact in rural India.

5. The People

Team Behind the Project

Mr. Sannala Samelu – President and Project Lead
Ms. Prathyusha Devi – Project Manager, Field Operations
2 School Teachers (Digital Mentors) – trained in digital pedagogy
Community Volunteers and School Committees – support outreach and monitoring

Who We Empower

3,000 Dalit and Tribal students (ages 13–16, Classes 8–10)
50% girls, breaking barriers to digital inclusion
2 teachers and 3,000 parents indirectly benefit

Each child who learns to code, search, or type — steps out of poverty’s shadow and into opportunity.

6. The Proof

Three decades of grassroots impact and global partnerships.

Dalit Welfare Association (DWA) has implemented over 40+ community projects in education, health, and livelihoods.

Recent Successes:

Sheep Rearing Program – BASAID and UCH, improving 250 families’ incomes.
Dairy Development Project – The Grace Foundation, 2024.
Health and Child Labour Awareness Campaigns – Aid a Community, LAMP.
Women Skill Training – NCT India, empowering 500 women.
COVID-19 Relief – Jiv Daya Foundation, 2020.

Legal and Financial Compliance:

Registered NGO under Societies Act
FCRA Certified
Annual Audits by Chartered Accountant
Transparent reporting system

9. Closing Note

Digital literacy is more than a skill — it’s empowerment, dignity, and equality.

By supporting Bridging the Digital Divide, donors help rural Dalit and Tribal students not just learn computers — but gain the confidence to shape their own futures.