Jayanti is a next-door young woman of 23 years, living in Nipaniya village of Harichandanpur Block in Kendujhar district, Odisha. She hails from a marginalized family and her husband – who is a truck driver – is the only earning member with an inadequate income to support the expenses of a five-member family. She had always in mind to be a self-dependent and support her husband and increase the household income, though she was spearheading a SHG group in her village.

Meantime, she became mother a child. Life became more hazardous with new responsibilities. When she was in quest of new opportunity and a way to get connected to the outer-world, she came to know about the Internet Saathi programme of CYSD. It was really a great moment of her life when she was offered to work as an Internet Saathi, which was the great time for her change.

Internet Saathi programme being an innovative digital literacy campaign to connect rural women with the Digital World, Jayanti was trained to use the platform. Quickly she learnt the art of connecting with the digital field. While imparting internet education to the rural women, she also started surfing different websites for livelihoods and income opportunities in rural areas. She got to know more about the remunerative vegetable cultivation and post-production management. She also mobilized the other group members of her SHG to join hands with her. The group started Organic Vegetable production. They learnt the new way of farming from YouTube and started organic manure production and natural farming. The digital connectivity also helped them know about more the demand of organic vegetables and now the SHG has started establishing linkage with organic product traders.

Now, Jayanti’s family members are happy with her getting the opportunity of learning something new, that helped Jayati lead a life with dignity and support the family in long run. The Internet Saathi helped explore the inner-quality of her. She is now an entrepreneur. She adds on an average of Rs 2500 per month in her family income. “Internet Saathi has showed me a new initiative, I wish to fly high” – said Jayanti. She is now learning multi-layer farming system from YouTube to earn more from limited land. Truly, she is one of the active Saathis in the Harichandanpur Block, also a very committed worker and passionate about her work.