Kanini-making a difference, the e-way

[Dr.Prahalathan KK, BM Chennai]

 

Kanini—making a difference, the e-way

 

Tiny hands wrestle with the mouse while bright eyes eagerly focus on the monitor. Yes, a computer class is in session; but no ordinary session, this. This class is part of an ongoing project to extend computer literacy to children in orphanages across the city—an ambitious and well-planned project that relies on volunteers to satisfy the gleam of curiosity in these young minds.

 

Kanini, as this initiative has been christened, was launched by the Chennai chapter of Bharat Uday Mission (BHUMI) earlier this year and has been steadily working towards its goal of ‘igniting young minds to the endless possibilities of computers’. Anbu Karangal Orphanage, Thiruvanmiyur; SOS Village, Tambaram and Jeroham Orphanage, Madipakkam are some of the orphanages in which the programme has tasted success, and Kanini is set to extend its reach to more orphanages in the near future.

Kanini (which means Computer in Tamil) aims to teach the basics of computer science, achieving this over a few hours of classes every weekend, spread across a period of approximately four months. Kanini’s volunteer-teachers employ a mix of theory, practical and feedback sessions to ensure that the programme has the desired impact on the children. And for these volunteers, the smiles on the children’s faces are reward enough.

If you’d like to participate in this endeavour, here’s what you can do:
• If you have an old computer or even parts of it (even a P3 would do!), you can donate it to one of the orphanages.
• You can join the BHUMI members in the teaching programme (language is not a problem—you can instruct in Tamil/English or both).
• You can help implement the programme at an orphanage or a school for the underprivileged near you.
• You can also help spreading the news about the programme to your friends.

For these volunteer teachers and those teachers who made each one us who we are, the entire Chennaiist team wishes a 'HAPPY TEACHERS' DAY!'

As published on Chennaiist.com: http://www.chennaiist.com/archives/2007/09/kaninimaking_a_difference_the.html

 

Vande Mataram!
 
Prahalathan
http://www.prahalathan.blogspot.com/
www.BhumiChennai.co.nr
 
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