Empowering Rural Women in Assam Through the Internet

Assam’s rural “Internet Saathis” are helping their fellow women navigate the Internet, thus, improving their lives.

Internet Saathis are spreading the benefits of the World Wide Web in rural Assam. (Photo Courtesy: Abdul Gani /The Village Square)

Nizara Talukdar is not just another middle-aged woman from rural Assam. Even though she grew up in poverty, times seem to have changed. Now, she is able to earn more money through her innovative ideas, and because of Internet Saathi (Assistant) program being implemented in various parts of Assam.

The Internet Saathis are educated rural women who are provided training and given smartphones and a bicycle to carry out their activities.

Talukdar is a weaver from a village in Assam’s Baksa district under Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD). She had been following the same old designs that she inherited from her mother and other elders, but failed to draw attention.

Talukdar’s sales have now increased due to her newfound ability to download creative designs from the Internet with the guidance of Internet Saathis.

Sales have gone up and the buyers too appreciate my work. I have some old customers who promised to buy more products. Initially, we had some trouble, but now, we can use new designs from the Internet. I raised the price by Rs 400 for a piece of traditional garment, which is used by womenfolk, with my new designs.

Nizara Talukdar, Assamese weaver to VillageSquare.in.

Now, she sells one chador mekhela (traditional women’s attire) at Rs 1,200 apiece. Her income has gone up by 30% to 40%.

Net Empowerment

Apart from Talukdar, there are many women in Assam’s rural areas whose lives have been changed with the influence of the Internet. Another woman, Bhairabi Devi, is equally elated to have earned the benefits.

It’s been very helpful. I never knew that I could see designs from across the globe on my palm. I can now do fusions of design. I’m also learning designs of different garments.

Bhairabi Devi to VillageSquare.in

Also Read: Google’s Internet Saathi Aims to Empower Women in Rural India

The Internet Saathis began in March 2016. Armed with tablets and smartphones, these women roamed the villages on their bicycles, trying their best to influence others. The Internet Saathi Project is being implementing by Gramya Vikash Mancha (GVM) in Nalbari, Kamrup (rural), Barpeta and Baksa districts of Assam. Google and Tata Trust have jointly initiated the project.

It was difficult in the beginning as most of the women are from poor families and are illiterate. So, they did not have any idea about smartphones or Internet. Initially, they used to shy away from us when we approached them. (sic)

Pranita Das, Baksa-district-based ‘Internet Saathi’ to VillageSquare.in

Das, who has already taught the usage of the Internet to more than 12 women in the village also said:

I literally used to chase them. I always use to carry my devices with me so that at any place I can teach them starting from grocery shops to courtyards. (sic)

They have been able to attract the young girls of the village. Madhusmita Das, a class X student of Lakhipur village, has painted new designs after being taught by an Internet Saathi. Pranita said about Madhusmita:

Madhusmita is a very young girl but she is very enthusiastic and has learnt so many things from the Internet. She has already designed and showed them to me. 

Pranjal Chakraborty, vice-president of GVM who is leading the digital literacy project, said that their aim is to train at least 90 percent rural women. She told VillageSquare.in:

It is to increase the level of awareness about the Internet among the rural women and to build the leadership capacity of the women and empower them to access and avail entitlement rights. We also want to empower the women to access information from markets, selling and buying products, and thereby enhance their level of income. (sic)

The Husbands Look to Their 'Internet Saathis' for Help

So far 160 Internet Sathis have touched the lives of more than 1,00,000 women. Some of the women are also helping their husbands in their respective fields after learning tips from the Internet. Another Internet Saathi, Rumi Sarma, said that women are helping their farmer husbands in different ways.

These women have learnt many things on agriculture produces. They again have taught their husbands on variety of seeds and medicines. And now they take so much interest and call me whenever they are in need of my service.

Rumi Sarma, a student of Gauhati University, to VillageSquare.in

The rural women and girls have even mastered the art of bridal makeup designs through the Internet with the help of the Internet Saathis.

Earlier, the girls in the village used to go to the nearby towns for bridal makeups or they used to hire outsiders. But now at least six to seven girls in my area have learnt make-up and designs for bridal costumes.

Archana Deka, an ‘Internet Sathi’ from Kamrup district to VillageSquare.in

Chakraborty said that the women have also learnt to use Paytm and other modes of digital transactions.

Also Read: How a Group of Six Dalit Women in Rural Andhra Empowered Thousands

(This article was originally published in The Village Square)