Welcome to the #NokiaC3forChange initiative with The Better India. As part of this campaign, we handpicked 20 changemakers across India.
Kalpana Prem Tamang never got the chance to have a normal childhood. At the age of 13, she was trafficked from Nepal, brought to Mumbai, and forced into prostitution. It took her years of struggle to finally free herself from that life, thanks to a well-wisher’s help.
That well-wisher, Dr. Swati Singh Khan, founder of the NGO Shree Sai Seva Sanstha, has helped hundreds of young girls and women like Kalpana get another shot at life and embrace alternative livelihoods. Today, Kalpana works in the administrative team of the NGO and is taking computer classes to carve a better future for herself.
“I always wanted to study more. Restarting my education was a great way to realise my dreams. These computer classes provided the gateway, but accessing classes online would sometimes pose a challenge as I didn’t have a smartphone,” says Kalpana.
With COVID-19 forcing women like Kalpana to pursue their education and new career ambitions online, Kalpana’s strides towards success came to a halt. However, a recent social initiative changed things for her and for many other women like her.
Here’s what happened.
Dr. Swati Singh Khan was one of the chosen 20 changemakers for the #NokiaC3forChange initiative. Dr. Khan works towards rehabilitating and transforming the lives of **** workers in Mumbai, through various skill-development opportunities, support, and legal aid.
Dr. Swati Khan, through #NokiaC3forChange initiative, distributed smartphones to these women who wanted to pursue education and move into new professions. The women are now using the phone to learn new skills and carve out promising careers across the fields of technology, tailoring, and education. Some of them are also using the phones to start their education afresh.
From using Google maps to being educated about digital literacy, recipients of the smartphones are learning an array of new things that are aiding their professional development.
Kalpana for example, through her computer education, is planning to continue as an admin at the NGO while also completing her higher secondary education.
Another such beneficiary is the 43-year-old Supriya Begum. Originally from Kolkata, Supriya came to Mumbai five years ago to make a better living. “I was still working as a **** worker here but always wanted to be more. I started learning to tailor. And now, the phones have opened up new gates for me. I’ve been watching YouTube videos to learn about stitching techniques, designs, and perfecting my skills. On the internet, there are so many designs, so many new ideas and things to learn from and the phone has made all of it possible to access. I want to be able to start a tailoring workshop soon. Plus, I never had the opportunity to study or go to school and with the smartphone, this seems possible now,” shares Supriya.
Many other women in Dr. Khan’s network are now using smartphones through the #NokiaC3ForChange initiative to learn and pursue a career that they really want and are hoping to realize their dreams of completing their education.
Comments
Nokia C3 is today's generation phone nokia is getting huge respect in smartphones market, I hope nokia will launch its first hoverboard soon
Good to know 🤝
Really A Noble Work Towards Development Of Society & Country #NokiaC3ForChange
feeling proud that i am a nokia fan.❤️
Good work 👍🏻 keep going.
#NokiaC3ForChange