Society for IT Awareness in Rural Areas (SITARA)

Society for IT Awareness in Rural Areas (SITARA)

Organized by

Muhammad Ismail Institute of Information Technology

Sponsored by

Pakistan Science & Engineering Foundation (PakSEF)

Sindh IT Professionals (Sindh-ITP)

VISION:

Use of Information Technology as Poverty Reduction Tool

MISSION:

To work for the marginalized deprived youth of rural areas of Sindh to make them useful citizen of society by providing them ways of finding their jobs / business by acquiring basic Information Technology education, awareness for job hunting according to current market trends.

INTRODUCTION:

Society for IT Awareness in Rural Areas (SITARA) is established with a commitment to disseminate computer literacy in marginalized areas of Sindh to train the unemployed youth of rural areas for meeting the needs of today’s job requirements and to train them in useful IT tools to start their small jobs/business at local level in typing work, graphics designing, and other jobs; to motivate them for educational and informative activities for career development; to provide career counseling for job interviews and competitive examinations; and to educate the public about the participatory activities of Self Help.

BACKGROUND

Due to unavailability of funds and lack of interest of the elected people in the rural areas of Pakistan; people are living miserable life. According to an economist and consultant; ten years ago the person who was offering alms is requesting for getting alms in rural areas of Sindh. Due to most of the reasons the young generation of rural areas is in high margin of depression; they have lost their hearts; they have surrendered theirs wisdom; they are defeated morally. At various occasions State-office bearers Prime Minister and President of Pakistan have plainly told that we can not employ all the jobless youth of Pakistan. Some of the banks and financial institutions have initiated small business loans but few are getting benefits. The deprived people remain deprived even after these small level initiatives of self employment by Government. If agreed that the loans could be distributed in unemployed youth but they really lack in guidance that how to start their business, they are not equipped with the tools and techniques to combat their unemployment ness.

Keeping in view this scenario Society for IT Awareness in Rural Areas (SITARA) is established to combat unemployment by providing basic IT skills in youth of rural Sindh for starting their own jobs in local job market or initiate their own employment

PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION

How project is implemented?

· The project works as Self Help Group

· The project cost is meet by contribution of members of the Society, charities, and donations

· Courses are designed according to the level and need of the youth and local job market

· Community participation is made sure for making sense of ownership and minimizing the monthly running costs of the project.

Basic Principles of the project implementation

· The project works for meeting the vision, mission & goals of the Society

· A very marginal fee (Rs.100/- PM) is charged from participants of the courses for sustainability of the project but female candidates are provided 50 % reduction in fees.

· The Institute works from 3 to 9 (Mon-Sat)

· Separate classes for female students are arranged by female Instructors

· The running expenses and Instructor Salaries are meet from the fees collected by the students and donations from members of society.

· Workshops and community meetings are conducted at small level at the community places and at Institute, raising awareness for education & Information Technology

· An advisory board from community is constituted to look after the activities of the Society

· After the completion of course, a formal test examination, is conducted and participants are awarded certificates and unemployed youth are referred to potential employers for possibility of employment

BENEFICIARIES OF PILOT PROJECT MIIT BHIT SHAH

Beneficiaries of this project are youth of age group 10-35 including male and female in the target area whose population exceeds 50,000.

How this project is benefiting citizens of rural / semi urban areas?

· This project is helping the students, unemployed, and employed youth of rural areas in acquiring I.T education and skills at afford cost and time

· The project introduces educational culture and diversification towards education from unlimited entertainment and free time

· The project will supplement value added knowledge of English language, Computer , Science, and Technical Education for youth of rural / semi urban

· Job oriented courses on IT education would be initiated to develop an IT culture in rural / semi urban areas which will be helpful tool in poverty reduction form the targeted areas of the project

· The research over internet would be conducted and would be reproduced in presentable format, to keep students informed about new trends of the modern age

How this project is benefiting citizens of rural / semi urban areas?

· This project is helping the students, employed individuals of the rural areas in acquiring I.T education at afford cost and time

· The project introduces educational culture and diversification towards education from unlimited entertainment and free time

· The project will supplement value added knowledge of English language, Computer , Science, and Technical Education for youth of rural / semi urban

· Job oriented courses on IT education would be initiated to develop an IT culture in rural / semi urban areas which will be helpful tool in poverty reduction form the targeted areas of the project

· The research over internet would be conducted and would be reproduced in presentable format, to keep students informed about new trends of the modern age

PILOT PROJECT MIIT BHIT SHAH

Muhammad Ismail Institute of Information Technology is the pilot project of SITARA initiative and Co-Sponsored by PakSEF, Sindh-ITP, Sindhi Professionals around world, and Sindh-ITP.

We are currently offering following basic IT awareness courses at MIIT Bhit Shah

COURSES OFFERED:

· Introduction to Computers

· Basics of Operating Systems

· Windows Operations

· Typing Tutor

· MS Word

· MS Excel

· MS PowerPoint

· FrontPage)

· MS Outlook Express

· In Page (Urdu / Sindhi) Composer

· Internet + E-mail

· Photoshop

· Macromedia Flash

COST ANALYSIS FOR RURAL IT CENTRE

Cost Analysis of a Low Cost Rural IT Centre at Village Level
Establishment Cost
ITEM	MAKE	COST	Number	Total Cost
EQUIPMENT
Used P-II Computers	Branded	4000	5	20000
Printer HP DeskJet	HP	3000	1	3000
Scanner	HP / Epson	3000	1	3000
FURNITURE
Chairs	Local Make	350	5	1750
Class rooms Chairs	Local Make	350	20	7000
Lecture Black Board		300	1	300
Tables (Large)	Local Made	1000	1	1000
Electric Work
Lighting Items				500
Electric Fans		1200	2	2400
Electric Work		500	1	500

		Total Amount		39,450

Running Expenses
Head	Item	Cost
Salaries	Computer Instructor, Male	2000
	Lab Attendant Cum Office attendant	1,000
Electricity	Monthly Bill	500
Refilling of Printer Toner	Quarterly	200
Stationary Cost	Monthly Bill	300
Miscellaneous		800
Rent of Building	Dedicated by Community	0
		4,800

PILOT PROJECT (M.I.I.T BHIT SHAH)

Cost Analysis of a Sophisticated Rural IT Centre
Establishment Cost
ITEM	MAKE		COST	Number	Total Cost
EQUIPMENT
Server Computer P-III	Branded		15000	1	15000
Used P-II Computers	Branded		4000	10	40000
Printer HP DeskJet	HP		3000	1	3000
Scanner	HP / Epson		3000	1	3000
Network Switch	Baylan		8,000	1	8000
Telephone Set			500	1	500
Cabling	UTP		100	10	1000
FURNITURE
Chairs	Local Make		350	10	3500
Class rooms Chairs	Local Make		350	50	17500
Chairs Seminar Hall			350	50	17,500
Lecture Board			1000	2	2000
Tables	Local Make		1000	10	10000
Electric Work
Lighting Items					2000
Electric Fans			1200	5	6000
Electric Work			2000	1	2000
			Total Amount		131,000
Running Expenses
Head		Item				Cost
Salaries		Computer Instructor, Male				3000
		Computer Instructor, Female				3000
		Lab Attendant				1,500
		Office Boy				1,500
Refilling of Printer Cartridge		Quarterly				200
Electricity		Monthly Bill				1000
Telephone		Monthly Bill				1000
Stationary Cost		Monthly Bill				300
Internet Charges		Monthly Bill				1000
Rent of Building		Monthly Bill				3,000
Miscellaneous		Monthly				500
		Total Cost				16,000

The Pakistan Science and Engineering Foundation endorsed the SITARA project. We have agreed to sponsor one IT center by December 2006.

Click to visit SITARA’s official site

We require a total of US$ 2000 or PKR 120,000 to fulfill this commitment.

Pakistan Science & Engineering Foundation® (PakSEF™)

Kindling the flame of Progress in Pakistan™