It is a family that has been carrying night soil for as long as it can remember. Every generation saw itself wake up to look forward to the dreary job of cleaning toilets for a living. The Chavan family in Kupwad, Maharashtra decided it had had enough of the family occupation and tweaked destiny by getting their children to complete their basic education. That is how Sonal, the Chavan family?s first born went to school and excelled in studies.

After her matriculation, Sonal went a step further. She continued with her studies and finished her Intermediate education. Then marriage beckoned and she was tending to a house. ?My husband Rajesh, a sweeper with Suraj Foundation (an NGO with a tie up with Nasscom Foundation Gram Dhyan Kendra, which helps villagers to be computer literate. Kupwad, part of Sangli-Miraj-Kupwad Corporation, Maharashtra, is a district under the programme.) felt since I was educated, I should learn further.?

After doing a short computer course of three months (MSUP and general personality development), Sonal wanted to become a teacher. When Hajrat Ladley Mashayak Education Society, Kupwad, started pre-primary school and wanted to impart computer education to their children in nursery class, Sonal applied for the job and was selected.

She also works as the clerk at the school office, after classes are over. ?I have enrolled for a graduation course in an open university now,? she said.

Nasscom Foundation (NF), the social development arm of Nasscom (National Association of Software and Service Companies) ? the internationally recognised trade body of the Indian IT industry, aims?to leverage information and communication technologies (ICT) to empower and transform the lives of the underserved.

NF?s initiatives so far have impacted over 30,000 community members, including youth and women, besides promoting?adult literacy, health awareness, IT skills development, micro-enterprises, life skills and women empowerment, informed?Rufina Fernandes, CEO, NF.

NF?s community-centric initiative designed to engage industry, civil society and governments in synergistic interventions through partnership has what it terms the Nasscom Knowledge Network (NKN). This programme hopes?to set up telecentres that are equipped with computers and have connectivity of some sort. ?It is aimed at creating an enabling environment for underserved communities by facilitating access to information and services. The programme has currently extended to a national grid of 140 knowledge centres across 12 states and 75 districts in India,? said Fernandes. ?Our aim is to take it to 500 centres by 2008-09.?

Suraj Foundation, with a tie up with?Nasscom Foundation Gram Dhyan Kendra,?helps villagers in Kupwad to be computer literate. The foundation aims to educate the underprivileged and backward communities in the area?and help them find employment.??We map the centres before we get down to work with the communities,? said NG Kamat, trustee, Suraj Foundation, of the Foundation?s work strategy.

?In Kupwad, our aim is to provide computer literacy and provide a livelihood programme for the underprivileged. We?help locals. who have undergone training, find employment?in companies in and around the area.?

There are numerous case studies of people?such as Sonal and others, informed Kamat, who have been encouraged to come to the Foundation?and avail of technical education. Sonal?s husband, Rajesh,?has now enrolled for the programme. He is being trained in computer hardware and trouble shooting with computers.

?Our Foundation has around 120 computers given to us as donation with initiatives from NF. These machines are being refurbished. Rajesh is being trained in cleaning the computers, replacing RAM chips and hard disks and software installations,? said Kamat. ?

Sonal values her learning and her job. She is now encouraging people in the community to educate themselves. ?When she uses words like ?self reliance?, ?self esteem? to get her message across, I am?struck by her desire to help the community,? said a still-surprised Kamat.

?I had dreamt and I am on the verge of fulfilling my dream,? said Sonal.?She is on the way?to get many others in Kupwad get where she has?? through education leading to self reliance.