Inauguration of DU-Lab @ Bareilly Prison, by prison superintendent. Mr. Vipin Kumar Mishra, Jailor Mr. Shailesh Kumar, Mr. Ravi (from IVF) and Mr. Arun Patel from ST Foundation.
We are pleased to have inaugurated a new Introduction to Computer Basics” (ICB) course for inmates of the Bareilly prison in Uttar Pradesh, India, in collaboration with our partner, India Vision Foundation this August. This initiative will contribute to their rehabilitation and, hopefully, reduce the number of recidivisms.
The Digital Unify Program is a promising initiative that aims to reach more prisons and inmates across India. India Vision Foundation and STMicroelectronics Foundation India have taken a commendable step towards the rehabilitation of prisoners by launching the program.
ICB is one of our core learning paths within the Digital Unify offering and was created in 2003 to help e-illiterate people become acquainted with computers through a short 20-hour module.
At the Bareilly prison, we expect to train 350+ inmates. With the ICB course, students are provided with PCs, UPS for power supply, a big screen-TV for display, course content, and a trainer. Students learn how to overcome their fears and reluctance to use computers while approaching the technology independently.
The learning objectives are achieved through different classes of 20 hours that teach the students how to use the Internet as the main source of information and knowledge, email as a communication method, Microsoft Office as a value-adding skill, and social media as a virtual community/information exchange place.
Inauguration of DU-Lab @ Bareilly Prison, by prison superintendent. Mr. Vipin Kumar Mishra, Jailor Mr. Shailesh Kumar, Mr. Ravi (from IVF) and Mr. Arun Patel from ST Foundation.
Inmates attending ICB session @ Bareilly Prison, Uttar Pradesh.
The course has a lasting impact on the participants’ lives long after completing the program, as they often pass along the newly acquired competencies to their immediate families and friends. This is because, after completing the program, they want to share and spread the knowledge that gave them a sense of empowerment.
With access to digital learning and skill development programs, they will soon have the opportunity to acquire new skills and knowledge that will aid in their rehabilitation and reintegration into society.
This is why we, at the ST Foundation, in cooperation with India Vision Foundation, hope to expand our collaboration to reach more prisons and inmates at Bareilly and across India.
We have partnered with India Vision since 2015, working at many prisons across Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Currently, we are running our program in four prisons.
The objective is to provide computer training to inmates at Faridabad, Bulandshahr, Moradabad, and Aligarh prisons, as part of a self-employment and rehabilitation scheme.
We hope that these programs will contribute to the rehabilitation of prisoners and reduce the number of recidivisms. The Digital Unify Lab program is an excellent example of how technology can be used to bring positive change to society.
India Vision Foundation
India Vision Foundation was established in 1994 when the first female police officer of India, Dr. Kiran Bedi, was conferred with the Ramon Magsaysay Award (equivalent to Asia’s Nobel Prize) for forging ‘positive relationships’ between people and the police through creative leadership during her tenure as Inspector General of Tihar Prison, Asia’s largest prison. We seek to carry forward its service in all those areas which were the basis of the award, namely police and prison reforms, and women empowerment. India Vision Foundation has been working for the welfare of prison inmates and their children.