Mukti Jain Campion visits 5 pioneering projects that are bringing the internet to rural communities on the Indian subcontinent.
Kiosk operator in the village of Patinettankudi relays pictures of a
farmer's eyes to a specialist hospital 40km away. |
Programme One: Putting the I See into ICT
A tiny village internet kiosk has been set up beside the sugar cane fields of Melur district. Outside a bullock cart goes by, inside the one-roomed, palm-thatched hut, the kiosk operator (a young local woman) is using a webcam that relays pictures of a villager's fogged eye to the world-famous Aravind Eye Hospital in Madurai. A few days later, using the net conferencing facility, the doctors in Madurai call through with their diagnosis and suggested treatment. This is just one of the many ways in which the internet kiosk is helping villagers get access to information and healthcare that previously only
wealthier urban people could enjoy.
The picture shows Dr G Venkatasamy, founder of the Aravind Eye Hospital in
Madurai.
Useful Links
Outline of the SARI project by two Harvard researchers
Information on 'SARI' - the 'Sustainable Access in Rural India' project
Email the programme maker: muktijain@hotmail.com
Listen again to Programme One
Programme Two: Making Waves>>
Back to the E-Villages homepage>>
