Sri Lanka’s e-Library Nenasala Programme (eLNP) won the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation‘s 2014 Access to Learning award of $1 million at a ceremony held in Lyon, France Monday (18).. The award was in recognition of eLNP’s thrust for providing free access to computers and the Internet to underserved Sri Lankans living in remote and rural areas. The Government of Sri Lanka launched the programme as a way to boost digital literacy and encourage economic development throughout the country based on its National Development policy “Mahinda Chinthana”.
The eLNP’s centres, known as Nenasalas (wisdom outlets), have helped Sri Lanka increase its computer usage and IT literacy rate from below 10 percent in 2004 to almost 40 per cent today. Centres are located in rural areas to give residents increased access to high quality equipment, training, and locally tailored information to help them improve their lives. Microsoft, a foundation partner, will make available a donation of software to eLNP, It wll be offered as part of its commitment to bring the benefits of relevant and accessible technology to local communities around the world.
The majority of the Nenasalas are located within religious institutions, which have served as community centres and places of learning for centuries. This strategy has helped the Government earn the confidence and trust of Sri Lanka’s rural residents, who have had little access to technology to date. Whether housed in a Buddhist temple, Hindu kovil, Muslim mosque, or Christian church, each e-Library Nenasala is free and open to people of all religions and income levels.
“The Sri Lankan Government believes that free and easy access to computers and the Internet is essential to helping the most vulnerable people improve their lives. Such access to computers will make their lives more comfortable. through education, entrepreneurship, communication and Government services,” said ICT Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) CEO Reshan Dewapura. . “Having the Nenasalas in religious establishments that are at the heart of every village, the community is more induced to use and sustain them throughout their existence.”
In addition to access, the centres provide training to help people acquire basic computer and Internet skills, and the know-how to use email and social media platforms. Local youth often become volunteer computer trainers at the Nenasalas and are given basic training at the beginning of their service. Their skills are further enhanced through refresher courses, online training programmes, and peer to peer learning opportunities.
Participating in the occasion Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Global Libraries Initiative Director Deborah Jacobsemphasized the impact the of the eLNP: “The e-Library Nenasala Programme is making an impact on the lives of the rural poor throughout Sri Lanka,” “People are getting locally relevant information and hands-on experience in the subject areas that matter to them most. Community members have a real investment in these centres, which promotes their longevity and sustainability for many years to come.”
Nenasalas also provide extensive learning opportunities for school-age children, including a video-based programme for learning English. Women are given specialized content on critical issues facing children and families, including information on nutrition, breast-feeding, safe sanitation, and vaccines. Adults can perform job searches, learn how to create a resume, and access a wide variety of Government services, including passport applications, driver’s license renewals, and Government exams. Migrant workers who make up a significant portion of the Sri Lankan workforce can communicate via Skype with family members they leave behind.
eLNP is an ICTA project forming part of a larger country-wide strategy to “take the dividends of ICT to every village and every citizen. Elaborating on how the award proceeds will be used,ICTA sources listed out the following: (1) upgrading the hardware in the Nenasalas, (2) Introducing tablets that can be loaned to the community, (3) Developing educational software for children living in the most remote areas where good teachers are scarce, and (4) Creating new capacity building programmes for centre operators.
