Digital Divide Project Turning the digital divide into digital dividends – A collaborative project between New Jersey and Nepal

The world today is divided between the ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’ not only by wealth but by a growing number of separations, including the access to knowledge and information which is provided through information technology –known as the digital divide. (While basics such as knowledge of the English language and the technical know-how of using computers are partly the cause of this separation, the heart of the “divide” lies in the financial expense of obtaining computers.

Despite the world today becoming a global village, people in Nepal are deprived of the benefits in the development of information technology. For most in developing countries, a computer is still a luxury. For children in public schools, the computer is in many cases just a word, which exists in books or in pictures. This project is to help and challenge the Nepalese community in New Jersey to reduce the “Digital Divide”.

The First Digital Divide Grant was approved for $16,200 to provide 40 computers to public schools in Patan in 2002-2003 by the Rotary Club of Branchburg and the Rotary Club of Patan in collaboration with Friends of Nepal, New Jersey.

According to project organizer and Chair of the International District 7475 International Service Director, PDG Tulsi R. Maharjan, “It is intended that these computers will provide the missing opportunity for students and teachers to broaden their horizons in many areas. The added facility of the Internet and email should expand the cultural exchange between students in Nepal and New Jersey”. This project has already connected students from Nepal and New Jersey to exchange ideas.
PDG Tulsi R. Maharjan

This year’s intended $50,000 grant project will help to establish 2 schools with complete computer labs with online instruction of Math, science and English where the Rotary Club of Rudramati and New Jersey District clubs will collaborate in this districtwide project. This will be a collaborative project of between Rotary Club in Nepal district, RI District 3292, Nepal and Rotary Clubs in the Rotary District 7475 and the Asha Project- New Jersey.

Intended beneficiaries are approximately 2000 students, 20 teachers of 2 schools and around 10,000 village populations. The final selection of the schools will be based upon the schools’ demonstrated commitment to provide adequate space, furniture, qualified teacher and maintain the labs.