By Digital Empowerment Foundation Published on: June 30, 2025 Just 70–75 kilometres from the capital city of Uttar Pradesh, the village of Saidanpur has long remained shadowed by infrastructural gaps and limited opportunities, despite India’s 75 years of independence. Once renowned for its handloom heritage, the village was gradually losing its identity due to neglect,…
By Digital Empowerment Foundation Published on: June 30, 2025 Kumari Pratima first encountered menstruation when she was 6, but the whispers around it began a year earlier when a friend confided in her using a curious euphemism, “Mamaji aa gaye hain” (Uncle has arrived). At the time, this coded language was the only way young…
By Digital Empowerment Foundation Published on: June 30, 2025 People often begin to slow down or think of retirement as they approach the age of sixty. However, that is not the case for Bodhi Devi, a sixty-year-old woman from Tilonia, Rajasthan, who has been actively working with Barefoot College for the past three years, ever…
By Digital Empowerment Foundation Published on: June 30, 2025 “In the village of Ajjipura, Karnataka, Akhil Pasha’s Smartpur-Spoke Centre revolutionised rural life by providing essential services, with his role as a Bank Correspondent of SBI, particularly helping individuals like Girish secure vital insurance coverage, saving them time and money while promoting financial inclusion in rural…
By Digital Empowerment Foundation Published on: June 30, 2025 Across India’s villages, towns, and underserved districts, a silent but powerful transformation is underway, driven by access, powered by information, and made possible through digital empowerment. From menstrual dignity to AI-driven justice, this month’s newsletter explores the ways in which Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) continues to…
By Digital Empowerment Foundation Published on: May 28, 2025 The session delved into the dual-edged nature of end-to-end encrypted (E2E) messaging platforms, highlighting their role in safeguarding human rights and their potential misuse in political manipulation. Mariana Olaizola Rosenblat, Policy Advisor on Technology and Law at the NYU Stern Centre for Business and Human Rights…
By Digital Empowerment Foundation Published on: May 28, 2025 In the remote Gram Panchayat of Bhagwanpura, located in Neemuch district, Madhya Pradesh, 80-year-old Ghisi Gurjar has witnessed a quiet but powerful transformation. Living in a region where education is scarce and agriculture is the mainstay, villagers like Ghisi have long struggled to access essential services…
By Digital Empowerment Foundation Published on: May 28, 2025 Karthika Rajenderan, a resident of Masinaickenpatty in Salem district, Tamil Nadu, has emerged as a strong pillar of empowerment in her community. She was selected as a Soochnapreneur by the Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) and was provided with an e-service centre near her home. This opportunity…
By Digital Empowerment Foundation Published on: May 28, 2025 Elaiya, a nursing diploma holder and 22-year-old mother of two, resides in Pudumund, Ooty. Although well-educated, she has always been passionate about traditional handloom art, particularly the Toda embroidery work she grew up seeing at home and in her community. This craft, passed down through generations,…
By Digital Empowerment Foundation Published on: May 28, 2025 Rosna never imagined that her jute products, once crafted quietly in a corner of her home, would one day be displayed proudly in a pop-up shop in Islampur, Murshidabad. She never imagined strangers would walk in, touch her weaves, ask about the patterns, listen to the…