Flagship Programmes
Community Information Resource Centres (CIRC)
Access & Infrastructure
Community Information Resource Centres (CIRCs) are community-oriented infrastructure and information hubs designed to create digitally literate, information-empowered, and equitable communities across the country.
Digital Didi
Education & Empowerment
In rural India, menstruation remains shrouded in myths and misinformation, restricting women’s mobility, education, and economic opportunities. Many girls learn about menstruation only at puberty, leading to social stigma and poor ...
SoochnaPreneur
Governance & Citizen Services
The SoochnaPreneur programme is a pioneering initiative by the Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) that addresses one of India’s most pressing challenges — the digital and information divide in rural areas.
Social Innovation
Internet in a Box
Education & Empowerment
Internet in a Box is a portable, plug-and-play connectivity solution developed by the Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) to provide last-mile internet access in rural, remote, and telecom-dark regions of India. Designed for communities that are not served by conventional Internet Service Providers...
Bytes Beyond Bandwidth (3B) – Mobile Comm Centre
Access & Infrastructure
The Bytes Beyond Bandwidth (3B) Mobile Comm Centre is a cutting-edge, all-terrain vehicle designed to provide 24x7 emergency communication in remote, rural, and underserved areas. Developed to ensure meaningful connectivity during disasters, emergencies, or in regions with poor network...
MIL@@P: Media Information Literacy Awareness and Action Programme
Research & Advocacy
MILaap: Media Information Literacy Awareness and Action Programme is Digital Empowerment Foundation’s flagship initiative aimed at tackling the growing challenges of misinformation and digital exclusion, particularly at the grassroots level in India.
Museum of Digital Society
Access & Infrastructure
Digital is a 21st Century tool of communication, media, business, governance, activism and social norms. Digital isn’t merely technology—it’s life, a medium, innovation, and marketing. Yet, critical questions arise: who controls and benefits from this digital existence?
MIL Kit for the Multiverse of Digital Fallacies
Education & Empowerment
The Humara MIL Kit for the Multiverse of Digital Fallacies is a part of Digital Empowerment Foundation’s Media and Information Literacy (MIL) initiatives to enable people to interpret and make informed judgments as users of information and media, as well as to become skillful creators and producers of information...
DEF’s Programme Vertical
Uttarakhand Wireless Aid Community Network
The Uttarakhand Wireless Aid Community Network, initiated by the Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) in collaboration with the Internet Society Foundation...
Totopara Internet Connectivity Project
The Totopara Internet Connectivity Project, led by the Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) with support from 48percent.org was a pioneering initiative aimed at bridging...
YuWaah is a transformative initiative focused on equipping young people aged 15–27 with job-relevant skills through high-quality learning content and education technology solutions.
The Luminous Advanced Mentoring Programme (LAMP), initiated by the Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF), is a transformative initiative designed to equip children...
Going Online As Leaders (GOAL)
The Going Online As Leaders (GOAL) programme is a mentoring initiative by the Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) aimed at bridging the digital gender divide and empowering young...
START is a digital learning toolkit developed through years of experience in imparting functional digital literacy via hands-on training and workshops in rural and tribal communities.
Digital Sarthak was a national digital entrepreneurship and empowerment programme of the Digital Empowerment Foundation, supported by USAID and DAI.
India is home to a diverse population exceeding 1.4 billion people, with an estimated 90 million individuals living with some form of disability.
In an era where big data and digital governance drive decision-making, millions in rural India remain unaware of the critical information and welfare schemes designed for their well-being.
Smartpur, a pioneering initiative by the Digital Empowerment Foundation in collaboration with Nokia, is redefining the concept of smart villages by integrating technology with social, economic, and ecological transformation.
Digital Cluster Development Programme for GI Destinations in Tamil Nadu
2025 | By Mili Dangwal
This report outlines the impact of the program empowering artisans through digital literacy, entrepreneurship, etc. It highlights how digital transformation increased visibility, improved digital skills and income for artisans, while preserving traditional GI-tagged crafts and fostering economic resilience in rural communities.
DCDP–DIGI (Digital Cluster Development Programme for GI Destinations in Tamil Nadu)
The Digital Cluster Development Programme (DCDP) is a transformative initiative launched in collaboration...
In rural India, women are not just caregivers, they are economic anchors, driving micro-enterprises that make up 20% of all MSMEs and employ 22–27 million people.
The Just AI Awards, launched in 2024, is an annual programme that recognises innovative and ethical AI solutions. Initiated by the Digital Empowerment Foundation in collaboration with the Emerging Technologies Wing, Government of Telangana, the Awards are supported by esteemed partners including T-Hub...
Rural Entrepreneurship and Digital Empowerment Festival (ReDEF 2024)
The Rural Entrepreneurship and Digital Empowerment Festival (ReDEF) 2024 is a historical festival to showcase DEF’s commitment to digital empowerment and rural entrepreneurship in India.
India’s artisan community, comprising over 200 million people, plays a vital role in the country’s cultural and economic fabric. The handloom sector alone employs more than 3.5 million workers, mostly women, across 470 clusters.
Enabling Communities in Jharkhand in India to Diversify in Economic Opportunities
Jharkhand, a resource-rich yet economically vulnerable state in eastern India, has long been dependent on coal mining...
Art and Collectives for Digital Empowerment
In a world driven by change, where collaboration and creativity converge, a collective emerges to harness the transformative potential of the arts.