Oracle Supported CRCs

DHAN Foundation joins hands with Oracle, the premier IT Company to fulfill the digital aspirations of the poor and marginalized communities in Dindigul District, Tamil Nadu. Despite the vast and swift expansion of digital opportunities across the globe and in India, small and marginal farmers, poor and illiterate women have been kept out of it. Technology has not percolated to the last mile last post. It was at this background, DHAN–Oracle partnership resulted in establishment of Information & Communication Technology (ICT) enabled Community Resource Centers (CRCs) in Dindigul District to enable the rural women and farmers to reap the benefits of internet-based ICT services. DHAN Foundation has established ICT enabled Community Resource Centers in the remote villages of Natham Block of Dindigul District with the support of Oracle.

Thangasamy, 65 Years old Farmers from Odukkampatti village recalls how the video class room sessions together with 10 farmers he attended at his village CRC benefitted him. “Through this video class room, I learnt to prepare and use Panchakavya, which is our age-old traditional practice to nourish our lands and crops. It has reduced one-eighth of our cost of cultivation. I am expecting an increase in yield this year”, says Thangasamy with pride.

“I would like to bring 100% Digital Literacy in my hilly terrain village” says Ms.Rajathy, The Mobile CRC operator of Malaiyur Village. Malaiyur is one the Hilly Terrain Villages in Natham Block, where there is no road and transport facility to reach the village from the city which is about 10 Kms from the roadside. DHAN-Oracle Malaiyur CRC reaching out three villages in the hill up through a Mobile CRC, where the CRC operator walking across the three villages with Laptop, LCD Projector and spends two days in each village and offer the ICT based services. It is really trying to bring Digital Revolution in the villages.

DHAN –Oracle CRCs also offers video class rooms for livestock and health, digital monitoring of Blood Pressure and Diabetes, accessing government services online, computer education, mobile recharge and so on. DHAN Foundation has established similar ICT enabled CRCs in 11 Villages in Natham Block of Dindigul District. “In the coming year, DHAN has planned to expand this programme in other districts of Tamil Nadu with the support of Oracle”, says Project Executive Mr.Santhosh, who is managing these CRCs.

The Community Resource Centers (CRCs) are the grassroots level centre at Panchayat/village level and each CRCs are reaching out to about 5-6 villages. These centers are managed by trained women from the local community. Each CRC is equipped with two computers, internet connection, printer, UPS, interactive multimedia content in DVDs, web/digital camera, etc. The CRCs are benefiting community through e-services catering to the needs of school going children, youth, women and farmers.

Philanthropically, Oracle is committed to using its resources to advance education, protect the environment and enrich the community life. DHAN Foundation one of the pioneer NGOs using ICT for poverty reduction and community development. Both the Oracle objective of supporting Community Development and DHAN ICT Programme objective of Poverty reduction and Community development has got coincided, merged and got shape as ICT Enabled Community Resource Center project initiative in Natham Block of Dindigul District, TAMIL NADU, INDIA. With the Support of Oracle, DHAN Foundation has established 7 Community Resource Centers and one Coordinating Hub Center in Natham Block of Dindigul District of TAMIL NADU.

CRC Establishment

The Following chart shows the spread of the CRCs in Natham Block of Dindigul District, TAMIL NADU, INDIA

Objectives of the Community Resource Centers (CRCs)

• Creating ICT based Employment Opportunity for the rural poor
• Improving rural livelihood through Knowledge Building by the way of Expert Connectivity, Reducing Cost and time, Timely Information and Support, etc.
• Increasing man days by reducing cost, travel and time.
• Equipping the Rural Poor in Computer Skills
• Improving the educational performance of the rural students through Computer Aided School Education

Launching of CRCs

On the same day (01, July, 2016), the CRCs were got formally launched through Video Conference from a single place (Mahal) in the presence of more than 500 peoples (Farmers and Women from different villages). Dr. Sanjeevi, DGM, NABRAD Launched the Centers through Video Conference from the Mahal. He interacted with villagers at the CRCs through Video Conference. People organized at the Mahal were also felt happy and participated in interaction with the villagers through the e-Conference on that day. The Launching Programme was covered in most of the local news papers.