Tech route to transformation

In this digitalised world, everyone is on a constant move. Mobile phones dominate our lives leading to an unknown vacuum of human presence. Kids today are more attached to technology than to an adult. But aren’t these technologies invented for our betterment, quizzed Anoop Singh Rawat and Manish Manohar. Thus came into existence an unique initiative called Take5 aiming to build a network of trust for kids through telecommunication.

They use technology as a medium for social change. “The idea was to build a communication channel using technology for kids to reach out to adults and speak about their day-to-day activities and issues,” states Anoop, adding, “The thought came while volunteering for Teach For India project in an under-resourced school, I realised that a few kids from my school spent their afternoons wandering around and did not like to be home. With our initiative, we gave them a reason to stay at home and do their chores while waiting for a call from us.”

The aim was to help these young minds to think creatively and innovatively with the help of an adult confidant. Since time was a constraint, we utilised mobile technology as a source to connect, shares Manish. “We work with kids from marginalised communities who spend most of the time alone or with their siblings. Adults played a very minimal role in their lives. We conceptualised Take5 based on the belief that all children deserve a caring adult in their lives who can guide, advice and motivate them as they uncover their potential,” states Manish, elaborating further, “It was an effort towards providing neglected children from underserved communities lacking opportunities in life with adults capable of mentoring them and keeping them on a trajectory of personal growth and success.”

They began their journey in 2014 by piloting the programme with a few mentor-mentee pairs. Manish says, “We firmly believe that there are plenty of people who not only want to give back to society but help shape a new one. The initiative is our first step towards shaping the society. So, we came up with the idea that the mentor can spend five minutes from their everyday schedule to help these kids. In this process, the child feels secured and connected. The channel is very easy and we are getting more and more volunteers willing to participate.”

Talking about the model, Manish shares, “We pair each needy kid with a caring mentor. The mentors speak to the kid over the phone and are expected to meet him/her at least once a month through monthly meet-ups organised by us. We provide ongoing training and support to mentors as they take on this massive responsibility of serving as a child’s friend, confidant and support system. The programme seeks to build resilience and cultivate literacy skills among its students by helping them analyse and find solutions to their problems.”

Each and every child is tracked on a regular basis, be it with respect to attendance or learning outcomes. This has not just helped them focus their energy in the right areas but also helped them grow faster. Talking about the challenges, Manish says, “When you work with a kid, there are numerous challenges. Trust building is one important huddle to overcome while exploring their potential and encouraging them to do what they are best at. Also, making the parents understand the need of the child and our role in the process. We learned a great deal in our first phase and are ready to apply our learning in the next phase.”

Going forward, Manish and team want to spread their wings to other cities. “We want to build a channel of mentors across the country and use telephone as a tool for change.”