"There are very few women from rural areas who are able to go into the tech world. But my seniors at Sajhe Sapne showed us the way to use these technologies to do something different and meaningful in life," says Preeti, a diligent coding student at Sajhe Sapne. In October, a young team of six coding students from Sajhe Sapne visited aikyam space for a 5-day tech residency to learn about new FOSS tools for social impact work. Their stories paint a vivid picture of India's digital divide and the transformative power of education.
Finding Their Way to Code
Each of these young women - Kriti, Muskan, Khushboo, Sabnam, Savita, and Preeti - carries a unique journey from their rural roots to the world of technology. In Pathanpura, Bihar, Preeti's family witnessed Sajhe Sapne's impact firsthand; her sister, now a tech professional in Kerala, paved the way. For Savita, leaving her small hamlet of Bhaluwahi in Badlapur, Uttar Pradesh, meant stepping into an entirely unknown world. "In my family, nobody knew of coding," she recalls of her move to Himachal Pradesh.
Khushboo and Sabnam, both from Himachal Pradesh, had different entry points. While Sabnam's father encouraged her to join Sajhe Sapne right after school, Khushboo had never heard of coding growing up in Palampur. "I first experienced the 'magic' of coding here," she shares, reflecting on her journey from struggling with CSS and JavaScript to confidently solving complex coding challenges.
Preeti, Muskan, Kriti (from left to right)
Savita, Sabnam, Khushboo (from left to right)
Discoveries at the Residency
Under the mentorship of aikyam fellows - Shemeer, Anjani, Pooja, Megha, Jinso and Sumi - these young coders discovered new horizons in technology. "We have learned how to make websites. But we never realised why they were being made or who visited them," Preeti reflects. "The tech residency at aikyam helped us find answers to these questions. We are learning about the world beyond through coding, step by step."
The residency brought practical solutions to real challenges. Muskan, who often struggled with website compatibility across devices, found new tools to optimise her designs. "I learned about Ghost here at aikyam," she says excitedly, discovering the potential of no-code, open-source platforms. Kriti echoes this enthusiasm: "Earlier, the task of creating a website would take days. With the tools we learned at aikyam, the whole process is efficient."
Beyond Code: Understanding Impact
The residency went beyond technical skills, teaching the importance of purpose-driven design. "I'll be mindful of the website's target audience," says Savita, who had never considered the strategic aspects of web development before. Khushboo adds, "Impactful content draws in more funders for NGOs. We need to identify them and put forward our content accordingly."
Through platforms like KoboToolbox, BookStack, and Ghost, the team discovered new ways to create meaningful digital solutions. Their exploration of these FOSS tools opened up possibilities for more efficient and impactful work in their futures.
While their backgrounds and skill sets differ, these young women share a common fascination - their first sight of the sea in Kochi. This shared experience mirrors their journey into technology - stepping into vast, unknown territories with curiosity and courage. As they return to Sajhe Sapne, they carry not just new technical skills, but expanded horizons and strengthened confidence.
These young women from Sajhe Sapne, each with their unique story of transformation, are ready to take on the world, one code at a time!
Would you like to be part of our residencies?
Megha
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