Bina Prakash: The Data Entry Operator

Beena (21) had just completed graduation and was enjoying her vacations when her mother, Geetaben, a member of SEWA, got her registered for a computer course in SEWA. The idea was to get her trained in computers during the college holidays. The training centre was exclusively for girls with 19 others learning computer basics there. Beena learnt MS Office, Power Point, Excel for a month and internet for 10 days and this is what got her a job in a Gram Panchayat at Panva, her in-laws’ village in Surendranagar district.

Beena is a Data Entry Operator and earns Rs 4,000 per month. Together with her husband Prakash who is a hardware engineer, she earns enough to lead a comfortable life. She also teaches MS office to several children at her home at a discount (charges Rs 400, Rs 900 less than market price) to add to her income.

The computer education and subsequent jobs have helped Beena and Prakash buy every household item with their hard earned money. “We’ve a computer, a refrigerator, a television and just bought a bike,” she informs. The couple plans to settle in Dhanradaghra, an army area so that they can put their baby daughter Dhruvi into an English school.