NEW DELHI
FEBRUARY 21, 2007

Kainaat a 17 year old residing in Jajmua in Kanpur with her family cleared her matriculation with great difficulty and due to shortage of funds could not continue her studies. Microsoft's - Datamation Foundation CTLC in Jajmau helped her in making her dream of learning computing come true. After the completion of her free computer training under the Unlimited Potential IT skills training curriculum she got a job as a Data Entry Operator at the Income Tax office and was able to support her widowed mother financially.

We always talk and read about products being launched and technology introduced. But have we ever realized how exactly the technology or to be precise IT can really change people's lifestyle. Software giant Microsoft Corporation India is not only busy launching technologies, but is equally concerned about how masses globally can really benefit out of it.

Under its Unlimited Potential (UP) Program also called as Project Jyoti, Microsoft India has announced an additional funding of Rs 6 crore to four of its partner NGOs. The grant beneficiaries include Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) India, Datamation Foundation Charitable Trust, MS Swaminathan Research Foundation and Udayan Care. With this announcement the total grants given by Microsoft under Project Jyoti in India since inception stand at Rs 35 crore.
The above-mentioned real story is a clear example of how Microsoft's UP program is enabling people benefit out of IT in the real sense. Kainaat informed, "Today, I am working with an export division of a tannery at a salary of Rs. 2,500 plus other facilities like bonus etc. I've become a pillar of support for my family now as I'm able to fulfill their needs."

Speaking on the occasion Dr Akhtar Badshah, Senior Director and Worldwide Head, Community Affairs, Microsoft Corporation said, "IT is a great enabler for individuals to explore new opportunities and improve their lives. This is particularly true for marginalized communities. Microsoft's UP program seeks to help these communities bridge the divide."

Microsoft is making a cumulative grant of Rs 2.88 crore to the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation, which will mobilize its operations across Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, Maharashtra and Kerala. The AKF India recipient of Rs 1.46 crore grant, will utilize this fund covering over 250 villages in five drought-prone and tribal districts of Gujarat and one district of Madhya Pradesh in partnership with existing farmers' federations and women's self help groups (SHGs).

With grant worth Rs 1.26 crore to Datamation Foundation Charitable Trust, the NGO will enhance its penetration in Uttar Pradesh. Udayan Care - which works towards improving the quality of life of the disadvantaged, especially women and children in the slum areas in and around Delhi gets the remaining Rs 20.75 lakh.

When Vikas Goswami, Lead - Corporate Social Responsibility Legal & Corporate Affairs, Microsoft India was asked, if there are some regions where Microsoft wants to concentrate more, she replied, "We are not targeting any particular state but we are penetrating across India along with our partner NGOs. We want to establish the Community Technology Learning Centre (CTLCs) in areas where people face problems like communication, transportation and cost. We are trying to bring the IT to the doorsteps of the deprived and help them to learn, use and apply this knowledge to their respective lives."

Microsoft is setting targets for itself in terms of number of CTLCs and number of people who are getting trained. She also informed that Microsoft wants to establish 2200 CTLCs by the end of 2010 across India. Also, they plan to train around 2.5 lakh people through these centers.

Under the UP program launched in India in 2004, Project Jyoti involves a joint commitment by Microsoft and its NGO partners to deliver effective interventions for taking IT to women and under-privileged communities in rural and semi-urban India. The pivot of the program is a networked CTLC which is a free or low cost, friendly place (in a community center, school, housing facility or other convenient public location) where people of all ages and abilities can come to learn about computers, use the Internet, explore new careers, further their education, participate in community activities or develop technology skills. "We are very excited about the impact of our program in India and are committed to its long term benefit in the country," Dr Badshah further informed.

Till date Microsoft has made grants of Rs 35 crore in the country. Under this program it has collaborated with 11 NGO partners so far and currently impacts 17 states and union territories across India.

IT training does not mean only developing the know-how about the computers amongst the recipients but is aimed at building their confidence to face the world. The training is very flexible, as per the person's requirement courses are modified. If a person just wants to learn Excel then he is just taught that.
These NGOs sometimes charge for these trainings. To this Vikas informed, "We fund the NGOs for setting up of CTLCs but the rest is taken care by them. NGOs at the end of the day have to see their long-term sustainability as well. Since they know the community they are dealing with better so they accordingly charge courses. Some charge Rs 500 for a three-month course and some other charge Rs 150 per month. In any case the fees is very nominal. If a person is not in a position then there is no fess. Usually women and children are given free training."

Manju Singh, a 26 years old widow who lives in a nearby slum in Delhi with her three children was thrown out of her in-law's home after her husband's death. She had to seek shelter at her father's house. Manju said, "One day I came to know about Microsoft-Udayan care CTLC. In the beginning, I was not sure, but I enrolled myself. After completing the three-month Unlimited Potential course today, I am teaching computers as well as some other subjects to primary classes in a neighboring private school, and earn Rs. 2500 per month." These days, Manju is busy learning Web-designing.

There are many other success stories where the computer training by Microsoft's CTLCs has helped people support their families in very stringent conditions. Such initiatives will also support the proliferation of e-governance because without computing knowledge, there is no point in deploying IT infrastructure across the country.

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