Economic Empowerment for Minority Muslims in India through ICT

The project is undertaken by Datamation Foundation with support from United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural

Organization (UNESCO). In March 2003, Community Multimedia Centre (CMC) was established in Babul-uloom-Madarasa which is located in Seelampur- Zaffrabad in the outskirts of North-East Delhi. Muslim community forms the majority of the population in this economically backward region and the monthly income of a family averages INR 4000-5000 per month. Women are the most disadvantaged segment with higher dropouts from the schools, purdah system and early marriage still being followed in this community.

Datamation Foundation collaborated with the Madarasa to set up this centre and the basic amenities were provided by the Madarasa while the machines and software(s) were funded by Datamation Foundation. The initiative provides the youth especially girls with basic computer education in order to create employment options through the use of ICT. The centre doesn’t have any restriction for admission and is open for all caste, religion and sex. The nominal fee for admission in the centre is charged at INR 100 a month and different classes are conducted for girls and boys.

‘Economic Empowerment for Minority Muslims in India through ICT’ is a unique initiative where a NGO and Madarasa have collaborated irrespective of the difference in religion. The ICT deployment in this community has been able to empower the young Muslim women by bringing them to the mainstream of today’s modern workforce in the male dominated society.