[The author is director of Nabanna, an information and communication technology (ICT) project being undertaken by Change Initiatives, a Kolkata-based NGO. This news article has been especially written for the Newsletter by her in her efforts to bring forth the work being done by Change Initiatives in the area of ICTs in development in West Bengal, India. Change Initiatives, which was initiated in collaboration with University of Manchester with funding from DFID, has been promoting ICT-based enterprises in West Bengal for almost two years. Activities include localizing and translating a handbook in Bengali, organizing workshops and helping women to set up enterprises. See http://www.change-initiatives-india.ibfx.nl/ictbasedenterprise.htm and http://community.telecentre.org/en-tc/blog/597 for information about projects being undertaken by this organization.]  

Buoyed by the falling cost of technology and a growing demand, women of West Bengal are breaking the digital divide through ICT-based enterprises. The women, keen to explore new opportunities to break away from the confines of their daily lives, have sensed great opportunities in desk-top processing (DTP), training, word processing, photo-copying and phone facilities. Meet Kakoli, Sarama, Pranati, Manasi and Madhusree from Rasapunja in the South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. The five, coming from less privileged backgrounds, have set up Digital Graphics which is into its sixth month of operation. Digital Graphics offers DTP and digital photography services. Within the short span of its existence, the outfit has notched up revenues of around ten thousand rupees.

“This is a small plant now. We want to see it as a big tree. And we are doing everything we need to do to make our dream happen.”

Manasi and others are part of a facilitation process being undertaken by Change Initiatives to promote ICT-based enterprises in West Bengal. They were emboldened to set up the enterprise after attending a workshop conducted by Change Initiatives. These women, whose educational attainment ranges from matriculation to post graduation, were short-listed from among ten candidates to set up this enterprise. They are associated with the Jeevika Development Society, which is Change Initiatives’ partner in the setting up of Digital Graphics. Training in enterprise development, personality development along with DTP and digital photography followed. After this on the basis of a consensus, the five were chosen to set up the enterprise. They received equipment support in the form of two computers, one inkjet printer, one laser printer, one scanner and a digital camera. The laser printer, scanner and digital camera were provided by Anudip, which also imparted computer skills to the women. A room was rented by the five entrepreneurs. They painted the room and organized the office equipment for their activities. The inauguration was done in May 2007 and from then it was a story of orders for passport photographs, typing in English and Bengal, designing of visiting cards and many more.  

Meanwhile, another group of women belonging to the Howrah Municipal Corporation, also in West Bengal, are gearing up to set their ICT-based enterprise. Change Initiatives had organized a workshop at the municipality, from where four women have decided to set up an enterprise to provide DTP and phone facilities. The municipality has already allotted a room, and a public telephone booth is on its way. Change Initiatives would provide equipment and entrepreneurial development support to the DTP centre. In another initiative, Soumyadyuti Koyal is expanding her small computer training business with the help of Change Initiatives. After attending a workshop, she was given a used computer and printer for her training centre and financial support for publicity. She then proceeded to give training at various workshops, including some government training programmes. She has a total of thirty-five students and an average income of rupees six thousand per month.