Bridging the Digital Divide

The Citizen Centre serves the twin purpose of creating a revenue generating enterprise and as a hub for the local community to spread awareness on rights and governance. Technology Centres are built around the concept of improving access to information and communication which are pivotal for the economic and social empowerment of the underprivileged in rural India. The social component of this initiative focuses on promoting grass-roots level democracy in villages.

Each Citizen Centre is equipped with computers to train the local population primarily adolescent boys and girls by charging a nominal fee; providing related services of photocopy, scanning, photography; library for dissemination of knowledge and government forms to promote governance and citizen’s rights to access the various Government welfare schemes. Additionally, the Centres are used as forums for conducting meetings, counselling sessions, discussions and deliberations on issues of local importance.

Concept of Citizens’ Centres

The objective of Citizens’ Centres is to mould select SHG members and train them in the digital medium. A couple of select entrepreneurs are handpicked from the Self-Help Groups and provided with credit at an affordable rate to purchase a computer, printer and other accessories. Following this the members are provided with requisite training on the working of CCs, basic computer skills, hardware training, business-orientation training and basic e-services training. The centres are run by local youth who are paid an honorarium for their services.
Another salient feature the Citizens’ Centres is the community volunteer groups called Good Governance Rights Protection Committees (GGRPCs). The GGRPCs spearhead the integrated development of the village by organising awareness camps on government schemes and how to avail them.

Our Presence

CITIZENS’ CENTRES – FAST FACTS*

"Number of Citizens’ Centres"

3,474

"People trained in e-literacy "

8,66,500

"Participants covered under RTI awareness"

3,55,152

"People trained in Job-oriented IT course"

36,233

"Panchayats covered with SD&TC/ CCEs"

990

Open defaecation is a social evil, which cannot be eradicated merely by providing sanitary complexes, but by inculcating a habit of using the toilets among the beneficiaries. A case in point is Saroja Rajendiran from T Puthur village in Musiri Panchayat, Trichy district. Living with her two children, who have well reached the threshold of adulthood, the family still practices open defaecation and their toilet stands stacked with firewood logs to be used for cooking. Owing to this unhygienic practice Saroja suffered from frequent health issues and had to shell out on hospital expenses. However, it was not long before she realised the personal and social ill-effects of open defaecation through a health module training conducted by Sheela, a community organiser of SEED Trust, who highlighted the importance of toilet use. The session created such a huge impact on her that she immediately renovated the toilet built in her home and not only made use of it but also encouraged her children to switch to the good habit.

Bala Abirami from Trichy, proud mother of a toddler and a 5-year-old, shudders to think that she had not gotten her children vaccinated at the right age. It was after attending training on vaccination conducted by the SEED Trust that Bala learnt of the vaccination schedules from birth to adolescence. The module also oriented her on the services available for mothers and children at the Anganwadi. Following the training, Bala is proud and happy that SEED Trust has helped her learn about the importance of vaccination.