Creating Opportunities: Empowering Care leavers Through Digital Learning
- 12 September 2023
Hey guys, I’ve got some exciting news to share with you all! Have you heard about the first-ever Digital Marketing and Content Creation course at Dhruva Cafe?
So, let me take you back to the beginning. It all started when we got these cool desktops from Microsoft. We thought, “Hey, why not put it to good use?” And that’s how the idea of Dhruva Cafe was born. We wanted to create a space where care leavers from all backgrounds could come and learn something awesome in the digital world.
Now, let me tell you, it wasn’t a smooth ride from the get-go. When we started brainstorming ideas on how to make Dhruva Cafe a comfortable and welcoming place for care leavers, we faced some challenges. Some of the care leavers weren’t too keen on the timings, convenience fees, and the whole idea in general. But you know what? We didn’t let that discourage us. We were determined to create a cafe where care leavers could learn without feeling held back just because they didn’t have their own computers.
One of the biggest hurdles we faced was gaining the trust of the care leavers and convincing them to join our course. But we managed to get a computer room from MNIT Innovation and Incubation Center to run our program. And let me tell you, that one computer room became a vibrant and lively space. We adorned it with motivational quotes, cozy chairs and tables, a little library, and of course, some snacks to keep everyone fueled up.
Oh, and guess who had the honor of inaugurating our cafe? Ms. Rashmi Handa, the operations lead at Microsoft! Having her with us was truly a special moment.
Now that we had the computers and the space, the next step was finding volunteers who could dedicate their time to teaching the digital marketing course. Thankfully, we found two amazing volunteers who, despite being busy with their own businesses, wanted to do something for underprivileged children. We had our first interaction with them over Zoom, and they didn’t think twice before volunteering to teach the course. Talk about dedication!
Finally, our first batch started with seven enthusiastic care leavers who were eager to learn digital marketing. The course lasted for a month and was led by Eshita Maám, a marketing and content creation expert, and Swati Maám, who specialized in graphic design . At first, the care leavers were a bit shy around them, but as time went on, they became more comfortable and started showing their passion for learning new things. In class, Eshita Maám and Swati Maám would even work on improving the care leavers’ personalities by encouraging them to choose a topic and speak about it. Initially, some were hesitant, but now they speak with confidence!
All in all, starting Dhruva Cafe has been an incredible journey. The success we’ve seen and the skills the care leavers have learned, like using Canva and other amazing software, have been simply mind-blowing. It’s amazing what can happen when you give care leavers the opportunity to explore and grow in the digital world. Dhruva Cafe is just the beginning, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds!
So, if you’re ever in the area, make sure to swing by Dhruva Cafe and see the magic for yourself. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed!
