Photo: Arsalan Bukhari/EGAB.
Nomadic young people attend a computer class in a tent in the Kashmiri mountains.
Whatever we may think nowadays about technology going too far, it’s such a big part of life that it would be unfair to leave anyone who is interested out of it. And judging from today’s story, Nomadic children in Kashmir are definitely interested.
Arsalan Bukhari at the Christian Science Monitor describes recent efforts to help these young people get up to speed on computers.
“Fifteen-year-old Shabaz Ali keeps one eye on his wristwatch and the other on the dirt path winding through a meadow in his highland town, Tangmarg.
“ ‘Three, two, one. It’s 5 o’clock!’ he calls out. ‘Where’s Shabir?’
“For members of the nomadic Bakarwal communities in Indian-administered Kashmir, timekeeping means survival. Children like Shabaz earn hourly wages for shepherding animals, gathering firewood, or loading trucks with goods for sale.
“Today, Shabaz isn’t tracking time for wages. A rumble echoes through the valley. … Shabir Khatana, Shabaz’s friend who runs a shop in town, pulls up on an old red motorcycle. Shabaz snatches up Mr. Khatana’s cellphone – their shared lifeline – and dashes into the Ali family’s large tent.
“The internet connection is strongest in the back corner, so Shabaz crouches there and opens the Zoom app. Aamir Sir, a volunteer mentor from the city of Srinagar, some 55 kilometers (35 miles) away, is waiting onscreen to teach animation and video editing to Shabaz and other students. …
“For generations, education has been a distant dream for the tribal Bakarwal families who migrate with livestock between summer pastures and winter shelters. … Most Bakarwal children, especially girls, grow up herding animals, working as dishwashers, or begging on streets.
“But since mid-2024, an initiative led by urban young people across India has begun connecting Bakarwal children to digital training in animation, coding, and web design. It’s about more than education; it’s about fulfilling the children’s ambitions, developing their confidence, and in some cases, generating income for their families.
“The transformation began when Zubair Lone, who recently graduated from college in Chandigarh, saw Bakarwal children washing dishes at his sister’s wedding.
“ ‘Little children, some no older than 7, were cleaning up the wedding venue,’ he recalls. ‘When I spoke with them, they told me something that stunned me: This was continuous. Both boys and girls saw working in people’s homes as just life. … That night, I called my friends and said, “If we don’t do this, no one will.” ‘
“He reached out to nearly 18 people, forming a group committed to change through volunteer work. ‘God has given us so much in terms of money and information,’ he told them. ‘Our one or two hours a day can mean a lot for someone.’
“The group, called Sukoon Digital, now has 14 active volunteers. … They include computer science students as well as graphic designers and other professionals who run digital training sessions across nomadic settlements in Baramulla, Budgam, and Kupwara districts.
“The first week of classes, the challenge seemed overwhelming to Mr. Lone. … ‘I have to start from the very beginning,’ Mr. Lone says. …
“The concept is straightforward: Children borrow smartphones from shops, siblings, or Sukoon’s volunteer teachers, and then join Zoom sessions in which mentors guide them through designing websites, creating digital artwork, and even setting up freelancer profiles. Classes are held on weekends and evenings, after the children’s work tasks are complete.
“Seventeen-year-old Bilquees Jan used to spend her days tending sheep and decorating mud walls with floral patterns. ‘I thought I’d never do anything beyond making tea and applying henna,’ she says.
“After more than 35 Sukoon sessions on graphic design, she has begun taking freelance orders, including to create social media ads for a Srinagar-based café. Her instructor, Afifa Qadri, teaches remotely from Mumbai’s rural outskirts, sometimes on patchy networks powered by solar panels.
“ ‘There’s something incredibly powerful about watching a girl who never saw a computer start using [design tools] Canva or Figma,’ says Ms. Qadri. …
“Another success story is 19-year-old Zahid Ahmed, who creates short cartoons on YouTube featuring village jokes, stories about nomadic life, and videos promoting safety. In 12 months, Zahid says, he has earned more than $1,000 from freelance work and ad revenue. (A typical Bakarwal family’s annual income ranges between $600 and $800.) …
“While helping children earn money motivates participation, volunteers focus on the children’s sense of their own possibilities.
“ ‘The idea of a career beyond labor doesn’t exist when you live your entire life on the move,’ says Mr. Sir, the volunteer in Srinagar, who makes a living teaching social media marketing. ‘Our goal is to change that perspective – to convey that you are important and your creativity is valuable.’ “
More at the Monitor, here.
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