Nandini Singh is 13 years old from Gorakhpur. Abandoned by her father, her single mother makes a living as a cook and wants her daughter to be educated.
Her teacher, 16-year-old Aryaman Sen, says, “It’s rewarding to see that she is a fast learner and could have pushed us forward if she had been given everything we had.”
High school student Aryaman Sen may sound like a regular 16-year-old who attends an elite private school and loves football and gaming. But the campaign to give back to the less fortunate among his peers sets him apart from the other privileged past he may pursue.
He found an able partner in his classmate Arnav Chadha and in November 2021 founded TeachTech, an organization that deals with computer essentials such as file management, Microsoft Office, using the Internet, emailing, and working with six different NGOs. Teaches more than 2000 students. Has received funding from over 50 volunteers across New Delhi and across India and abroad.
He had co-opted over 50 volunteers; Student teachers like her who directly visit schools to play the role of teacher and help students like Nandini complete their education and learn digital life skills that will provide them employment after school.
The pandemic and the lockdown showed how much students rely on online learning and both the students decided that the time had come to help the poor students who were stuck at home without computers or online learning.
However, digital literacy comes at a high cost of resources and teachers, making it unavailable to most disadvantaged students, leaving them in a cycle of poverty. Digital literacy is important because it helps improve interaction and communication and makes learning and teaching more efficient, the two say.
Sen observed that while technologies such as the Internet and digital learning have made information accessible, it still divides vast sections of the population, especially in a country like India.
Students my age and below who are less fortunate have no access to computer learning and internet and access information. I thought I could play a part and help students like me who are left behind due to socio-economic divide
“Students my age and below who are less fortunate have no facilities to learn computers and access internet and access information. I thought I could play a part and help students like me who are left behind due to socio-economic divide,” he says.
With the goal of promoting digital literacy at an early age, this organization teaches students from class 3 to class 12.
To promote inclusivity and diversity in the tech sector, which is dominated by men, about 50 percent of TeachTech’s students and more than 50 percent of the organization’s volunteers are young, motivated girls.
TeachTech teaches students in various NGOs who come from below poverty line families who are involved in labor sector, auto-rickshaw drivers and other working class occupations.
TeachTech also raised funds to build computer labs in its partner schools and to provide resources for schools and enable digital learning.
Sen and Chadha donated computers, laptops and projectors to both schools, built two computer labs at Bagiya School by the Sanshil Foundation as well as the Bhagat Foundation in Gurgaon.
TeachTech is also currently working on a program to offer paid internships to some of its senior students in companies.
“It will give them real-world experience to see how their learning can be implemented in larger organizations”, says Sen.
The boys are also working on a free online course on computer essentials in four different regional languages namely Bengali, Punjabi, Marathi and Telugu to educate the underprivileged across the country and break the language barrier.
TeachTech aims to create digital literacy among the underprivileged and take a step towards reducing poverty by expanding to many more schools across the country over the next few years.
The organization raised funds through crowdfunding with donations from friends, family and well-wishers from around the world.
“We want to show that using your privilege to give back to society can start early. All you need is an idea and the will to see it through,” says Sen.
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