Free PCs for Learning Pods
We are happy to partner with educational NGOs who want to use technology to help children become self-directed learners by setting up community-based learning centers.
Apnipathshala
You will need to provide the safe space, the staff and the students, and we will provide the PCs in partnership with Selligion. This is how it works.
Please pitch to me as to why you are the right partners for setting up a learning pod. We are looking for NGOs who are trusted by the community because you have been around for 2-3 years, and have been providing a valuable service. My email is malpani@malpaniventures.com
Once we agree to go ahead, Selligion Technologies ( www.selligion.com) will deliver the PCs.
Selligion Praho will provide a computer along with wireless keyboard and mouse, monitor, speaker/headphone and webcam .
Dr Aniruddha Malpani will pay for and finance the subscription for your PC for 12 months . After this ends, we can extend the subscription duration, or get the devices picked up, to be redeployed to other users. The devices also get picked up in case they aren’t being used and remain idle.
You need to do the following:
Ensure that the computers are used for educational purposes in the community. It’s fine if kids watch videos and play games on them – learning is unstructured.
Ensure that the computers are utilised for at least 4 hours a week per machine.
Ensure the physical safety of the devices – so that they can be picked up at the end of the subscription period and redeployed to other deserving users.
Ensure that the learning and educational journey of your students is shared publicly on a website you create for the pod, so we can all learn together.
Steps before Selligion delivers the computers:
1) We do a video call to see the designated place, where we plan to deploy the computers. We are looking to verify the following:
Availability of an internet connection (Generally speaking, 3 Mbps internet speed can support up to 10 students using a computer simultaneously over Wi-Fi).
Availability of 2 electrical sockets/plug points per computer (Extension cords will work as well)
A stable horizontal surface like a table to safely rest the monitor and the computers – each device in general requires at least 2 sq feet of horizontal space.
Seating for users in front of the computers.
The person running the POD on a day to day, having basic understanding of computer use – should be able to connect wires and switch on the device, send emails with attachments, share pictures and videos, attend live video calls independently.
2) We do a basic KYC for you, and the POD.
We conduct a simple KYC (Know Your Customer) process for you and your learning pod to ensure a safe and secure environment for everyone involved. This helps us tailor our resources and support to meet your specific needs effectively.
3) Shipping Process and Timelines
Upon receiving final approval from Dr. Aniruddha Malpani, we promptly dispatch the devices to the specified address. Typically, it takes 2-3 days for the devices to reach their destination.
General FAQs
No. The entrepreneur just needs to be an adult who wants to help children learn
This is optional, and will depend on the entrepreneur ! It’s a good idea to show parents their kids are doing better in school thanks to ApniPathshala as this will inspire more parents to send their kids
Please reach out to us !
We need adult supervision to ensure the system is not abused, that is all
We would encourage you to do so. This ensures parents have skin in the game. Free services are often not valued simply because they are free. You can offer scholarships to deserving students at your discretion.
This is upto you. You can provide a blend of structured learning, mapped to what the kid is learning in school; but give them the freedom to explore what interests them
Yes, of course. Learning should be fun, and they should look forward to coming to the class. Combine games with studies if you so desire.
No, we will not – we want you to be self-sufficient and take the initiative to raise funds for this yourself. We don’t want to create unnecessary dependence on external funding – we want you to stand on your own feet because you are providing a service the parents value
Why so much process and scrutiny?
More than 92% of Indian households with a school going child, have no access to a computer. Our attempt is to simply make computers available to most students – hoping that many among them receive the gift of opportunities, otherwise unavailable to them.
We have limited inventory and resources. We want these computers thus to be used to the most of their potential – impacting as many lives as possible. These computers are costly devices, given out to users on a small subscription fee – we thus need these computers to remain safe and usable for future users as well.
Hope this provides you with more clarity on our operation and work – and aligns us on the same page. Please do feel free to write back or call anytime for more clarity or any other issue. My email is malpani@malpaniventures.com !
We’re excited to partner with you and hope to see a positive difference in your local community because of this endeavour.
- Education
- January 10, 2023
Free PCs for Learning Pods
5 Comments
Good initiative Sir I will let you know for our Play school in Ranchi. Thank you
We, Aryanet Trust, which is a charitable and educational Trust is interested to partner with you in imparting knowledge to the poor people. We have enough space for conducting such programmes as envisaged in your project. Kindly advise us with further steps to be taken.
We, ATMA foundation established in 2006 is an NGO based in Thrissur Kerala. One of our program is based on Digital and Financial Empowerment (DAFEC),for the lower strata of the society. We have launched a series of interactive sessions, and till now around 50 such sessions have been conducted. We have a team of people who have retired from banks, colleges etc as our volunteers.
We have the space required for conducting programs as specified by you, and we would be thrilled to cooperate with you.
Prof PP Premachandran (Rtd Dean Academics/Prof in Mechanical Engg) is with us as Dean of DAFEC.
Thank you for
Thank you Sir working with you I’ll get chance
Sir for giving to me and also for all children’s the knowledge of the computer .And also sir for giving all the opportunities to children’s and for me .And all the children had also increased their knowledge in the computer and they also knew all the basic things of the computer.
So , thank you Sir as what you helped me everything.So I’m being thankfully to you
Thanks for the help.
If we get the PCS the will be provide the poor children for education.
Regards,
Meena Shivaji Kamble
(Savitribai Phule mahila mandal)