DEEP-Shaala, a new initiative under AIF’s flagship program-Digital Equalizer (DE), has been approved by the Government of Gujarat! This ground-breaking project is a $3.9 Million partnership with the Desai Sethi Foundation d/b/a Samvid Ventures that aims to significantly enhance learning outcomes of 15,300 students over a period of four years by providing students and relevant teachers in 80 government schools with tablets, developing and delivering free online classes, providing Wi-Fi connectivity for schools, creating content, and training teachers. All activities aim to address the digital divide that currently puts underprivileged children at a meaningful disadvantage in their educational pursuits.

DE has empowered over 5 million children with interactive STEM experiences over the last 15 years and is now a cornerstone of AIF’s mid/long-term COVID recovery work as we continue “Rebuilding Lives.” During the prolonged lockdowns related to the pandemic, we’ve seen significant learning regression, an increase in dropout rates, and the digital divide widening. AIF is working on these issues to get students back in school and work on their grade level competencies. We are very excited about this partnership and thank DSF for their continued commitment to improving educational outcomes for underprivileged children.