e-Enterprise & Livelihood – 2008

ITShed
DESCRIPTION Government of Sri Lanka’s Gemidiriya project is about empowering the rural poor to take part in their own village and livelihood development, by helping villages access the Internet for information on services, jobs, and market opportunities; and market their village, its infrastructure, labour pool, and products for sale out to a wider audience. It is also known by its brand name called ITShed. Once a village has a page on ITS,  villagers-often the youth-gather and post information about the village, including skills available, job-seekers and products for sale.  For instance, a visitor to the ITS might see that Gemidiriya villages have 13,070 kg of brinjals  (egg plant) for sale. Clicking on the link lets them know that the bulk of   brinjals are available in Badulla district. Therafter, Badulla Federation can be contacted for details. The success of Gemidiriya project has led to an increase in farmer productivity and in the number of economic endeavours the poor are undertaking.

CITATION
Gemidriya Project is all about ICT and digital content intervention with bottom up approach. Uniquely, the community uploads and inform about their products and services and its availability where other peer group access information for their demand to available supplies. Improving the production and building the skills of the poor will not translate into higher incomes unless the poor can link to jobs and markets for their goods and services. Gemidriya’s ITSHED is helping those rural communities and youths forge that link by bridging the information gap that isolates the rural poor in even the most dynamic economies.

Producer
Gamini Batuwitage
Rev. Pattiyawela Mahinda

Organisation
Gemidiriya Foundation

Location
Kottawa, SRI LANKA

Telephone
94 115 5314513

Email
gemidiriya@sltnet.lk
revmahinda@itshed.net

Technology/Medium
Web/Internet

Language
English, Sinhala, Tamil

Giveindia.org

DESCRIPTION
GiveIndia.org is a donation platform that allows donors to support a cause of their choice from a choice of hundreds of NGOs in India that have been scrutinized for transparency and credibility. This way, the GiveIndia website (www.GiveIndia.org) intends to play the role of a “philanthropy marketplace”. The website makes its listed members (NGOs) to release key financial and operational details to be shared with investors (donors) who can then make an informed decision on their social investments. Donors are provided with a range of convenient payment options to make their donations and provided with a tax-deduction receipt. In about 3-4 months’ time, GiveIndia reverts to the donor with a feedback report informing them about how their money was utilised.

CITATION
GiveIndia.org has been able to bring about a social change in terms of demand for and supply of contribution. The concept of donation in India faces various challenges because of lack of transparency and corruption. The use of technology-enabled solutions and an online model for donations and sharing information allows the costs to remain low and ensure at least 90 per cent of a donor’s contribution reaches the seeking organization (as against an average of 60 per cent for the NGO sector). The best part is that the amount of money that is donated is a non-issue; it is the contribution that counts.

Producer
GiveIndia.org

Organisation
GiveIndia

Location
Maharashtra, INDIA

Telephone
91 22 23894944

Email
tarika@giveindia.org

Technology/Medium
Web/Internet

Language
English

Jeeon-IKB – ‘Information for Life’

DESCRIPTION
JEEON-IKB, subtitled ‘Information for Life’, have been developed by Development Research Network in Bangla language. All critical information related to education, agriculture, governance, livelihood, scholarships, libraries, loans, banking, health and so on are aggregated into a CD. The Jeeon CD reaches all and sundry through various tele-centres, kiosks and through internet also. Each CD responds to daily queries made by villagers concerning what, where, who and how in the areas of agriculture, healthcare, non-farm economic activities, appropriate technology, healthcare, education, human rights, awareness and disaster management. Eight thousand entities of data from the database have been included in the CDs.

CITATION
Providing all vital information needs of local communities in one compact format is no less stupendous task in a country like Bangladesh. The Jeeon IKB initiative of D.Net is aimed at addressing this need, by benefiting the masses and making use of the local language. This has surely improved the quality of  life of the poor and underprivileged and helping in poverty alleviation. JEEON-IKB is providing information which is not readily available  and it is accessible through internet and CDs. This is one instance wherein technology has been designed and deployed to reach the marginalized in a way that is popular for the user citizens and helping in meeting day-to-day challenges.

Producer
D.Net

Organisation
D.Net

Location
Dhaka, BANGLADESH

Telephone
88 02 8156772

Email
info@dnet.org.bd

Technology/Medium
CD/DVD

Language
Bangla