Google's Helping Women Get Online (HWGO) program

"A woman is the full circle. Within her is the power to create, nurture and transform."
~Diane Mariechild.

There are no doubts about the fact that internet has the power to transform lives if its full potential is utilized for teaching and entrepreneurship development in rural households and schools but sadly, the implementation of technology in learning and educating has been limited. Even though usage of internet in India is growing at a fast pace, the proportion of female users is less than one third. According to the report "Internet in Rural India" by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and IMRB, the internet penetration in Rural India is 6.7 % is still very slow considering the total rural population is around 889 million.

Google in partnership with Intel, HUL and Axis bank has come with an extremely beneficial program which aims to get 50 million more women internet active by the end of 2014 by the means of few initiatives. This program basically focuses on women as it realizes the need of women empowerment for safety and well as independent sustainability of women. Once educated and aware about the internet usage, the knowledge will spread in family and in coming generations and an overall development can be expected.

The pilot program has been executed in Bhilwara, Rajasthan which witnessed more than fifty percent of women participation. Google's helping women get online (HWGO) program comes with a supporting website and a toll free helpline number to help people with internet related queries. The website is still under construction but later it will contain all the basic knowledge about using computers and using internet, creating email account and chatting, watching and sharing videos online and finding information in one's local language over internet.

The website also contains inspiring stories of women who have used internet to share their knowledge as well as to gain knowledge. These are stories of chefs, teachers and all other women who wanted to do something and used internet as a means to achieve their dreams. If executed well, this program has the potential to touch and change many lives as most of the women are skilled in some way or the other and even possess the will to make a difference but lack the basic means and support to make their dream come true. May they be empowered like never before.

Go to HWGO.COM