2. How do you verify and validate student requests?

For each student request submitted, we have 3 levels of data collection and validation process.

• Level 1: By talking to the referrer

• Level 2: By talking to guardian and student

• Level 3: By talking to student's Faculty/Teacher

This combined data is used to decide if we can proceed with the request.

3. Why should we help students attending private schools?

Students from economically challenging households also attend private schools. They get enrolled in private schools because:

• Students get admission in private schools under RTE (Right To Education) quota.

• Students who get admission in private schools under staff quota. Their parents working as peons, ayahs and helping staff have to pay a fraction of the regular fees.

• Students whose parents can send them to private schools but are unable to buy them devices due to added expenditure.

• Students whose parents lost jobs due to Covid situation and their families are under economic distress.

4. What are the factors considered when arranging for a device. Buying a new one v/s allotting from device pool?

• Faculty/Teacher's recommendation (has high weightage)

• Device meeting the student's requirement should be available in our device pool

• Are there service centres available in and around student's location?

• Does the student have a support system to get the device examined at a service centre when they encounter issues?

• Availability of a DFS volunteer near student's location to help them with on-boarding and setup issues

5. What happens after we handover a device?

Onboarding process:

• • Monitor the setup of the device, SIM card, network connectivity, installation of required apps

  • Make sure the student is all set to attend online classes

Monitoring process:

• • Check after first online class for issues and feedback

  • Post that we touch-base weekly once for a month.

6. How do I know if the student is going to utilize the device properly?

We insist on a referral model based on a known contact/acquaintance/verified source. The student's academic background and economic circumstances would be known to the person referring them. This also helps in the initial handholding and weekly monitoring process after the device is provided.

7. What if they take advantage of our goodwill? What if they collect the device and then sell it to make quick money?

People who are determined to exploit a goodwill gesture will find ways to do that. There is no stopping them. Our process might have loopholes which we will fix as we continue to function. This should not deter us from working for the cause. Lets place our trust in deserving students and the bright future that we can help build for them.

8. Will I get compensated for volunteering?

All volunteering work is Pro bono.

9. Can donor contact the student directly?

Only student requirement details and basic data about the student's education and economic background will be shared. Student's contact details will not be shared with donors. This group will act as the communication channel between them.

10. Why pledge in advance?

After we finish the validation of a student's request, we will first check if any device from the 'device pool' meets the need. If not the next step is to start pooling funds to buy a new device.

Having a list of people who are ready to make a monetary contribution with amount details will help us to get in touch with them and pool funds efficiently.

11. Can a donor directly ship the device to the student's address?

No. The donor will first have to make an entry on our website to donate the device. Post that we contact the donor and collect details. If the device is in acceptable condition then we co-ordinate with the donor to have it shipped to our volunteer closest to the student's location.

We take the long route to ensure:

1. We don't share student's PII (Personally identifiable information) details with donors

2. We do a round of basic testing to ensure that the device meets the student's need.