Knowledge is of no value unless you put it into practice. – Anton Chekhov.
Meet Balam – Working Towards a Bright Future
Smart Village Movement, October 13, 2022Balamjingsuk Diengdoh
Balamjingsuk Diengdoh is a 10th standard student from Sohrarim Village, Meghalaya. Balam goes to Ramakrishna Mission School in Sohra. He has been coming to Innovation Hub since September 2021. He has been attending all the sessions regularly since then.
“The learning in school is different and what I learn here is more interesting because we do it practically.” says Balam.
Innovation Hub, Sohrarim, Meghalaya
Balam has learned many STEM ( Science, Technology, Electronics, and Mathematics) concepts of electronics, robotics, and 3D-
designing along with the other learners. But, during his winter vacation, he started spending most of this time at Innovation Hub exploring and practicing what he learned.
Balam Fixing his Emergency Lamp
During this time, Balam realized his growing interest in electronics and has always wanted to know more about it. After exploring his career options with knowledge of electronics, he decided he wanted to become an Electrical Engineer in the future. With this vision in mind, he has been working hard to fulfill it by focusing more on his studies. He understands the value of education and the importance of the teachings he gets from the Innovation Hub.
Rechargeable LED Bulb Project
It is very unusual for kids his age in his village to be so sure and definitive about their future goals. Seeing Balam’s dedication to learning also impacted his family and friends, as they could see how Balam was using his knowledge to solve real-life problems. Balam applied his education in real life; he fixed all the damaged emergency lamps at his house and made a LED Rechargeable lamp using a damaged bulb. Seeing this has encouraged other learners in the Innovation hub to practice more and be sincere. Balam’s father works in a small garage, and his mother is a homemaker; learning about Balam’s dream made his family very happy.
Making of Light House Show Piece
Innovation Hub by Curiosity Gym at Sohrarim is a pilot project initiated by Smart Village Movement in collaboration with the Government of Meghalaya. Innovation Hub is a Curiosity Gym’s concept to stimulate STEM learning among students in rural areas.
Smart Village Movement (SVM) seeks to bring more interventions to stimulate STEM learning among rural children across India. See our blog on the need for more STEM exposure in the early years and how it benefits students in their learning and prepares them for this digital age. This technology exposure & project-based hands-on learning is a new concept in the rural education sector & seeks to bring opportunities & skills to students, they had no prior access to.
ABOUT SMART VILLAGE MOVEMENT: The Smart Village Movement is a collaborative process facilitated by the SVM organization with the Berkeley-Haas Center of Growth Markets to create a Smart Village ecosystem. We partner with Government, Academia, Corporations, and Rural Communities to foster independence and sustainable rural development in Indian villages and other emerging markets. Our mission is to empower rural people through digital technologies and open innovation platforms to access global markets.