From DU trainers in India:

Chhavi Bajpai (working at ST India (ICT) for ~17 years)

• Why did you engage as a volunteer in the Digital Unify program?
  As a person I feel that technology and innovation is very helpful for human evolution however being a working person we have little time available for Human around us especially one which needs evolution and means to grow. When ST offers a possibility to be a volunteer in India was a great opportunity to give my bit of contribution to this program. To help my fellow Indians and contribute towards man-kind I engaged myself. As it was driven by ST confidence, support I needed to contribute, excel and share was even more than expected.
• What kind of benefits did you get from this experience?
  A satisfaction and a feeling that we are a resource for many in the world we live. I feel I became a good human being and help me to stay close to ground realities of man-kind. A de-stressing and enriching experience as a professional as well. Very fulfilling experience overall esp. when I taught in a Orphanage in Thailand. I taught Computers to people with just 1 hand/1 leg and the zeal to learn was very inspiring.
• Do you feel it can have a positive impact on your working life?
  Yes, surely. The simplicity exists in complex technology and world, is my learning of life. Yes it helped me to connect to people easily now. Besides this question participants post and experience they share grow me as a worker as well.
• How does ST help you to succeed in this charity/social initiative?
  By giving training, motivating to contribute, enabling and supporting when you do work for Digital Unify. The recognition we get from peers, management is also quite good.
  

Menka Tangri

•  Why did you engage as a volunteer in the Digital Unify program?
  Whenever I saw grand-parents watching their grandchildren playing games on PC, but afraid to touch PCs thinking they will damage them. Poor children watching someone working on laptop on a roadside and wondering to use. I went to railway station to board my train.. I see a long queue of people for purchasing a ticket… Then I thought that why these people do not buy tickets online… as I have done… Why people wait for the postman for the letters…. The answer was simple… Technology has advanced but a mass population is not aware of this… Then heard of Digital Unify… I felt it is what I wanted to do… So I approached to be a volunteer in the program… and today I can proudly say that I am sharing awareness of computer to people… Digital Unify offers an amazing opportunity to make a real difference to bridge the gap of knowledge and make this world a digitally connected irrespective of the age and status. It’s a great way to make a real difference to some lives in this world. 
• What kind of benefits did you get from this experience?
  Sharing my personal experience, Digital Unify sessions are not all about giving the knowledge, you learn beautiful things from your students. Their enthusiasm is undefined and much more than those who are easily getting the computer learning. I gained confidence in speaking, structuring the things to the extent that it becomes a child play and enjoying class for learners and teachers both. When i see the spirit of elder people of learning computer and new things… It motivates me a lot that if these people and that too at this age are open and enjoying to learn new things… then why sometimes we stop ourselves to work on new things… Now I take each and every new thing as a challenge and try to enjoy it .Past few classes has been the gamut of learning; from my diligent peers, from my fellow teachers, and most importantly the adorable-n-fearless bunch of students. But it is not simple as it seems. It is a challenging experience. Questions fluring from all the corners of class and you want to answer each and every one. As a teacher, you are a leader in your class, where your students are many grade levels below. Pulling them up to a level where they are supposed to be amidst the under resourced environment is quite a task. The skills of planning, critical thinking, resourcefulness and teamwork are something that I have developed and kept on reinforcing.
• Do you feel it can have a positive impact on your working life?
  As an individual, I have become a person who believes in flavor of empathy to make workplace a great place to work. Constant reflection during my work has made me a better judge of my actions. Your capability of understanding other people of different backgrounds and cultures widens, which helps to better support them in return.
  Other gain factors like confidence, enthusiasm, leadership qualities are add-ons to guide one to success in the professional life.
• How does ST help you to succeed in this charity/social initiative?
  For every great work an initiative is required… and ST has not only taken initiative but has provided all kinds of facilities to make this mission successful… Allowing employees to spare time from working hours for teaching… and providing infrastructure (free computers, building, transport, machines… etc) and other logistics to all the students and volunteers… Full time dedicated employees for this activity who are approaching schools in areas where there is need of computer awareness… I believe ST is doing no stone unturned to make this mission this successful and is doing a great JOB…I wish ST a day of full developed concrete bridge of knowledge connected to every person in this world.

Gaurav-hed Sharma

• Why did you engage as a volunteer in the Digital Unify program?
  During my experience with many people I found that people without computer knowledge are dependent on others even for very small work like letter typing, internet surfing, E-mailing. Then I came to know that Digital Unify program which fills the gap between who have computer knowledge and people who doesn't have which motivated me to become volunteer in a  organization where people are learning computer and becoming part of digital world which makes his/her work easy.
• What kind of benefits did you get from this experience?
  As a trainer at DU lab I feel satisfied by sharing my computer knowledge with others. It gives me immense pleasure when I see that many students, women and aged persons of village community who are connected to Digital Unify program are now able to work on computer like they can type letters, students can study and surfing using internet also they can communicate with their friends and others using email and chat.
• Do you feel it can have a positive impact on your working life?
  After office hours and my routine life I feel refreshed when I spent my time with people in sharing computer knowledge. It provides me great experience of interacting with people of different age groups and different backgrounds. Finally, it gives me a feeling of pride and honour that I could engage myself in this kind of activity through organized effort for a noble cause.
• How does ST help you to succeed in this charity/social initiative?
  ST Foundation has supported my NGO “Porsa Talent Community” in setting up a well equipped DU lab in a small town "Porsa", where we are providing free computer education to students, women and other persons. Users of DU Lab got a certificate of completion from ST University which helps them to associate with this program for long term. We have provided free computer education to more than 1,500 students in just 18 months. As a result now most of the population of my hometown Porsa is computer literate.

From the DU coordinator in Morocco:

 Houmad Boukdir

• What is the role of a DU coordinator?

The role of DU coordinator is to ensure that the program is running correctly by:

• To be in Permanent contact with partners in different localities to be informed in real time;
• To support partners by providing DUP's needs (equipments, internet, manuals, diplomas and others);
• To inform and search another potential partners of DU (NGO, Universities, administrations etc.)

• How long do you work at this position, and what kind of benefits did you get from this experience?
  I have been working at this position for 7 years. The benefits I meet from this experience is to learn another manners of working and thinking compared to ST standards and to act with different people belonging to different Moroccan region and from different social level.
• How do you manage locally your collaboration with local partners and community?
  I manage locally my collaboration by applying ST management methodology combined with local culture and my personal experience based on compromise and flexibility…but mainly by the total support of STMicroelectronics Morocco & ST Foundation responsibles.

From a DU trainee in Bolivia:

Noemy Villagómez Nuñez

• How long do you follow this informatics course?
  About four weeks, two hours every day.
• How did you have been informed about this course?
  I study at the Nuestra Señora del Carmen School, the center is landed over there, so, when there is time for a new group they invite us directly.
• What kind of benefits did you get from this course? How would you evaluate this opportunity to be trained on computer basics?
  It was the first time I used a computer, I liked it very much, but the time is very short. I learned a lot, all was new for me.
• Do you see concrete benefits of this course on your daily life? Do you feel it can have a positive impact on your working life?
  Generally, I use the computer to work on my homework and to chat with my family.
  

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