DEVI Sansthan and SBI Foundation have joined hands to implement the ‘Global Dreamshaala Web-Based Literacy Project’
DEVI Sansthan and SBI Foundation have joined hands to implement the ‘Global Dreamshaala Web-Based Literacy Project’. The one-year project aims to impact 10,000 out-of-school and adults who are illiterate and make them literate in Hindi at the foundational (grade 3) level. The project will be implemented in Uttar Pradesh with focus on Lucknow.
As part of the project, DEVI Sansthan will partner with schools and train 10,000 student volunteers in using the Global Dreamshaala web app to teach literacy. Each volunteer will have free access to the app and will adopt an illiterate learner. The volunteers will register their learner on the app and conduct a pre-test. They will then conduct daily 15 minute learning sessions with their learners using the course content in the app. On completion, the volunteer will conduct a post-test to confirm if the learner is able to read and write at grade 3 level. Volunteers will also be able to request another volunteer to verify their learner’s reading and writing skills on the app.
Dr. Sunita Gandhi, CEO of DEVI Sansthan said, “We want to tap into the idealism of the young students to be agents of change for literacy. Many children in our country have lost foundational literacy skills during the pandemic and are out of school. India also has 37% of the world’s adult illiterate population. If every student adopts an illiterate learner, India can become fully literate in 5 years and not 50.”
She further added, “We are grateful to SBI Foundation for supporting this project. The Global Dreamshaala app being developed has videos and interactive games that help learners pick up reading skills in a very short time and in an enjoyable way. Students can find someone in their home or neighbourhood who is unable to read and get going. It could also be someone who works at their home. The learning is mostly self-lead by the learner. The volunteer has to be there as a facilitator and motivator.”
volunteer literacy tutor, Kurauni village
“There’s no greater joy than being able to share my knowledge to serve others – whether they be of my own caste, or some other caste, it makes no difference. Even people who have never gone to school don’t have any difficulty learning.”
volunteer literacy tutor, Kurauni village
“The first day only 3 people came (to my classes), but gradually it increased to 15 people coming daily, as they discovered the joy of reading. They initially asked me ‘How much are you earning for this?’, but I explained that I’m not earning anything, I’m just doing it to serve society.”