During a Pandemic, A Persistence for Knowledge

It is now over five months since the spread of COVID-19 has resulted in nationwide lockdowns and slow re-openings. 

 Many companies and programs have had to problem-solve and adjust to this pandemic, discovering ways to maintain productivity while ensuring the health and safety of individuals. We recognize that a long hiatus from the classroom could risk our students falling behind, and our staff and administrators have been working tirelessly to create solutions that will hopefully carry us through these trying times. In the transition to remote learning, Commit2Change has augmented curriculum delivery with audio conferences and when necessary, sending content via WhatsApp.

Still, in order to address the needs of all the girls C2C serves, a unique challenge has arisen: How do you continue to educate the entire student body on necessary technological skills when a portion of the students lack access to the tools?  

We frequently forget that we have a device with the power of a computer that fits into our pocket: the smartphone. In India, more than 500 million people have a smartphone, and many of the girls involved in C2C live in orphanages or households that possess one. Using WhatsApp, Zoom, and Google Meet, tutors can connect to the students along with passing along assignments and helpful apps the girls can download and play on their devices.

Still, there remains the challenge that a small group of girls do not  have access to a smartphone. So how do we teach students about technology without having the tool at hand? The answer is to go back to basics. The key to learning technology isn’t just in operating the system, but in curating the programming mindset.

To this end, C2C has sent students worksheets via WhatsApp, which they reproduce and complete at home. One worksheet called Decoder consists of two circles: one with the alphabet lined around the border circumference and the other with a variety of images. The girls cut out the two circles and place the smaller on top of the larger, creating their own “code.” With their new code created, they can write words or sentences in what would appear to be gibberish to the untrained eye. They can also send their code via WhatsApp to other girls to decode. While it appears to be a simple game, this practice helps the girls understand that coding is another language, one that they must become comfortable with so they can use it with ease.

As the pandemic continues to affect our daily lives, we must find ways to persevere. The accomplishments we’ve seen with our girls, despite numerous obstacles, have given us hope that we will weather this storm. We look forward to the day the girls return to TechLab in person and we can proudly announce that class is back in session!

COVID-19 Updates

Three months ago, the COVID pandemic sent most of the world into lockdown. While many countries are opening businesses to reinvigorate the economy, this school year has come to an early end. But while we at C2C continue to follow the guidelines of social distancing, our concern is for the health and safety of our young girls in India and finding ways for them to forge ahead in their education while remaining vigilant against this pandemic.

In India, the lockdown has been called one of the harshest in the world, shutting down travel along with businesses, factories, and schools. Starting on March 25th, the orphanage and rescue homes where C2C operates have remained closed until early June. Most of the young women in our program remain onsite and C2C continues to provide critical support for basic necessities like accommodation, food, and clothing. As an economic downturn looms over the horizon, we are working closely with our partners as we expect to see a growing need for essential items.

With school closed during the pandemic, the C2C staff have improvised effective short-term solutions. We are working with the orphanage administrators to mitigate the effects of missed learning on the girls’ future academic performance, graduation rates, and employment prospects. Because of unreliable internet service, virtual learning is not consistently effective in India. In lieu of this, we are engaging the girls in independent learning through worksheets and activities accessible without technology, including some lessons that can be conducted via free telephonic service. Some technological learning has been made available through apps and programs like Mindspark-Maths for STEM subjects and Bolo for English and language skills. We continue regular, virtual trainings for our teachers and we are actively designing lesson plans for the coming year, focusing on any educational gaps caused by the pause in schooling.

Like the rest of us, the girls are doing their best to cope with the quarantine measures and relieve their anxiety over the risk of contracting the disease. From attending seminars about effective handwashing to practicing social distancing, the students have learned how to reduce the chances of contagion. Some of the girls with sewing skills have donated their time to making protective masks for the local hospitals.

These are challenging times that represent an unprecedented risk for girls’ education worldwide. At C2C, our commitment to girls’ education and empowerment remains strong. We will weather this health and economic crisis. We hope you will continue to support us during this difficult time. Rest assured that once this quarantine lifts, C2C will be ready to resume at full speed, providing holistic educational services to the most vulnerable of girls.