Before you think we've gone mad...these are children in Zinzeria village (Pench) having fun with the Photo Booth programme on Kirti's laptop!
Kirti Chavan visited Pench recently to review the progress of the programme in Sawra village, where it was introduced last year. He also launched the programme in two new villages, Zinzeria and Teliya, at the request of the village schools there.
Read all about the IT education programme here.
Zinzeria school has been given 5 new computers by the government, the teachers are highly motivated, and the children very enthusiastic about learning these new skills. In Teliya we have installed one of the four computers donated for this programme by ICICI Bank last year (two are in Sawra school, and one is being repaired). We need more computers there, preferably new or in very good condition.
I sometimes read romanticized views about tribals, how they live in their age-old way in the forests, and how cruel it is to ask them to give up that lovely life.
I have just one question here: Has anyone asked the tribal children what they want? Isn't it rather patronizing to assume that they should be content with ploughing fields and drinking mahua, while "our" children have laptops and cell phones and every opportunity the world has to offer?
Give these kids computers...and see what happens. If they still want to live in the "old" way, well and good. But every child deserves a choice.
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