The Dream Desk project envisions an inclusive digital economy where rural women and girls actively harness the digital as a pathway towards continued education, employment, and empowerment.
Rooted in rural Mysuru, the project addresses the socio-cultural and accessibility barriers that limit women’s and girls’ access and agency on digital platforms, and works towards building and nurturing a women-led information and media ecosystem.
The project pilot has been unfolding in Mulluru village since May 2026, in the Hunsuru block of Mysuru district, and is anchored at the women-led community information centre in the village. 45 young women and adolescents (aged 15 to 30) have been enrolled in the programme through an extensive outreach effort. The pilot aims to introduce structured training and media components through three broad interventions:
1. Dream Desk Information Repository — Compendium of vetted pathways to education, employment, scholarships, training, and government schemes that are contextual and locally relevant.
2. Dream Desk Academy — Structured training spanning digital fluency, cyber safety practices, critical gender perspectives, media literacy, financial literacy, and employment-ready skills.
3. Dream Desk Media — Community media in the local language showcasing the voices and lived realities of young women and adolescent girls.
In June 2026, the project team facilitated a baseline survey to assess participants’ usage patterns, knowledge, and perceptions across six key areas:
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Digital literacy
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Financial literacy
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Gender and patriarchy
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Media and communication
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Careers, education, and aspirations
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Leadership and community voice
Read the report here.