In Bangalore, scholarship students, mostly from the slums and supported in their schooling by the Daughters of Charity, were the first to be affected by the digital divide. The health crisis linked to Covid-19 having led to the closure of schools in India, the WhatsApp application has become the preferred tool of teachers to compensate for the cessation of face-to-face classes.

A Rosalie project at the heart of digital technology

With this Rosalie project "All to School in Bangalore", the acquisition of tablets, smartphones and laptops allowed them to follow the courses online and to continue to progress in their learning by remaining connected with their teachers. The project went well, even if the students could not be accommodated for the duration in the space run by the Sisters' community in Bangalore.

"Some of us were indeed affected by the virus and were hospitalised for weeks. When the money arrived, there was also a severe lockdown. No shops were opened, except for the essentials. This was a real obstacle to buying items" says Sister Saleena. 

Digital tools: a miracle for beneficiaries

This Rosalie project directly benefited 66 pupils.  18 of them were able to use the smartphones provided to them. Four laptops were provided to students and two more are now available at the hostel where 20 rag-picker children live. Another laptop was donated to the training house where 22 aspirants are doing their university studies. 

«Nandakumar and Praveenkumar are orphaned siblings, studying in 10th and 11th grades respectively. They are being brought up by their grandmother and we are helping them to study in a hostel. With the coronavirus, the hostel closed and asked all the students to go home. The grandmother also lost her job as a maid in the house where she worked, as the owner of the house was afraid of the spread of the Covid-19 virus. The two children could not attend classes for a few months because they could not afford to buy a smartphone. We provided them with one and they were able to attend classes online and take their exams. »

Thanks to the Donors for making this possible