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Project VKC (Village Knowledge Center)
 
Global Foundation in association with NASSCOM Foundation started Village Knowledge Centers in Sindhudurg district, Maharashtra. By spreading literacy among families on public health, sanitation and health measures VKCs are playing pivotal role in social transformation. Global Foundation has converted VKC into a physical space that provides public access to value-added Information and Communication Technologies for educational, personal, social and economic development. At present 6 VKCs are functioning in Pinguli, Shiroda, Aravali, Selal and Kochara in Sindhudurg district and Devrukh in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra. Each VKC has 6 sets of computers, printer and a trainer. All the trainers are young rural woman who have completed basic computer courses like MS-CIT. The trainer teaches school students Microsoft Unlimited Potential (MSUP) package and engage children with Interactive Learning CDs prepared by Azim Premji Foundation.
 
Objectives
 
Giving computer education to school children, women and adolescent girls.
Spreading awareness among the local population on public health issues.
Enabling livelihood activities among women group.
Develop and make available an information source for Governmental schemes, guidelines, procedures etc.
 
Activites
 
The main aims of VKC are to improve academic learning levels of children, attract out-of-school children to join mainstream formal school, provide interactive learning, and facilitate improvement of attendance of children, IT empowerment for women and adolescent girls. All these centers are very well organized and are functioning to its full potential. IT literacy for adolescent girls is the main focus of this training center. Besides this the center regularly conducts classes and group discussion on various health issues and provide training in livelihood program such as tailoring, embroidery etc.
 
Impacts
 
So far the project has impacted around 3000 women.