We never knew that mobile device can be used to educate our kids on generic plants that existed since our childhood" said Mr. Subdhar Tamang a curious man at late 50s.
This time our team had to pack the bags such way that we could fit in laptop and bagpack for 5 days. We were heading to Helambu, Kavrepalanchowk. It was a dream came true for me and was filled with mixed feeling. We had to conduct 16 hours ICT in Education based training to teachers/ educators of 3 Government owned schools with limited connectivity and accessibility. I was acompanied by Ms Sneha Bajracharya, Google certified Educator and EdTech trainer.
We left bit eary with the teams of "Souls of Solsing" , who provided transportation and computers to the school we were visiting. This also included, miss Nepal Anushka Shrestha and her power house team mates. The journey was rough , tough and mind blowing in places where even 4 wheel drive became inadequate to roll. The journey was of 70 km which took us 6 hours to reach the 1800 meters peak. Not justified , but worth it!
The place where we stayed was a type of home stay with homely people and a cozy room. Fair enough for few nights at that terrain. The next day, we woke up early and got busy starring at the mesmerizing view of nature . Lot of pictures and lot of wow-ness inbetween.
Mr Subdhar Tamang was the owner of the home stay. He looked active and willing all the time. A humble person at his late 50s. The day began with a cup of hot tea and sharing of village-city comparative dialouges. We did have few more visitors to listen to our conversation outside the house in a cozy ground. The villegers welcomed us with humbleness and purity.
"The kids know how to connect to internet and are now full time busy with games like Freefire and Pubg" said one of neighbour (Forgot to ask his name) . Then started a journey of sharing ideas on what is gamification, game based education and proper use of technology for kids. I took out my mobile device, opened Google Lens app and started taking pictures of plants that were there in all the corners of house (Remember- its a villege, and lot of grass and flowers glazing at us). Luckly we had wifi bsed internet, somewhat working, but very unstable cell phone connectivity.
I showed them , as Google Lens suggested, the scientific name of few flowers laying around us. Even showed them the info on where else these flowers are available around the globe. Wonderful, the expression of all the villegers who were observing the process, information were speachless. Their happy eyes were asking for more, hoping to solve more problems and relating to their everyday hip-hop battle with their kids.
They were convienced by the way technology, mobile device, can be used in more than one way to educate their kids. The moment was priceless.
Thus they requested us to demonstrate the same to the teachers of school , on the next day training and teach them how to use it properly with their students. We did that and even the teachers were convienced on the impact of Google Lens in education.
The internet was setup by a group of non profit like TFA (Technology for all) who have been working in rural internet connection for more than 2 decades. I felt glad to have known and work with them in this project. Their hard work to design free internet in schools for rural villages and their contribution can be judged by a single picture i clicked at 1804 meters.
Concluding the program, we are heading back to Kathmandu. With lot of memories, learning, experience and ethusiasm toward better facilitation on training and development of schools in rural villege. We are hugely thankful towards the help and support of Digital & Beyond Pvt Ltd , Souls of Solsing, Technology for All, Ichok Villege district office, Ichok Secondary school and all the kind hearts we meet.
Sagun Dhungana
Digital & Beyond
