The cultural settings
The towering minarets of numerous mosques in the area are indicators of the role played by religion and the clergy in the lives of the community. Traditional customs still play a powerful role especially with respect to gender. Women are expected to be good housewives, look after their husbands and in-laws, procreate and take care of children and the house. Education is not considered to be important for them. They are not encouraged to move out of the locality independently and the 'Burqa' (veil) system is prevalent. It may be noted that several studies done in India among other religious communities also suggest very strong gender related norms such as on mobility, marriage and education. Many other traditional practices are also still adhered to like with respect to kinship and arts, handicrafts and learning.

It was considered that for the initiative to make inroads into the lives of the women it may be useful for the ICT centre to be located in their midst. Thus a collaboration was formed with the Babool-Uloom Madrasa. It is a Madrasa (a place of learning) and Masjid (the place where prayer is offered and is also the centre of other religious activities) headed by the Maulana (refers to leader of prayer, Muslim caliph). The Madrasa is not only a place of prayer but also of learning. The Babool-Uloom Madrasa is a religious residential school providing learning to about 200 boys from humble backgrounds. A majority of students aspire to take up advanced religious studies so as to become Imams (teachers). They lead simple frugal lives, living in dormitories that double up as classrooms. The parents are happy in their circumstances of extreme poverty as the basic needs of the child are taken care of and the child is likely to become an Imam in the future.

The Babool- Uloom is also a mosque, where the devout gather five times a day to offer prayers to Allah. Women are not allowed entry into the mosque. However they do come to the Maulana for advice. He arbitrates on social disputes and religious matters. He is also believed to have healing powers.

Permission was sought to start the ICT centre at the Madrasa and for this purpose space was also requested. The factor that played a positive and decisive role was not that the key people viewed ICTs as important but that they felt a strong need to create some opportunities for women in the area. Indeed, it was much later that they began to understand the utility of ICTs.

The ICT center provides an open learning center for girls and women. They receive training on computers and Internet and also obtain information on varied topics. Interactive multimedia content is developed and used to support vocational and life-skills training and provide rights-based information on various areas to poor girls and women. The marginalised women use ICTs to learn marketable skills and build their awareness of health issues, their rights and livelihood opportunities. In contrast, the Madrasa has its own philosophy, where it seems to isolate itself from the outside world and the teachings have little influence of the outside, changing world. Movement of the students is restricted; there is no radio and no television

. For ICTs to establish their appropriateness, an overall evaluation is necessary. In an ideal world, universal access to information would create global information society yet the mode of interpretation will depend on the culture and traditions of the people and societies. A study (Ryckeghem 1995) shows how information technology and culture interact, wherein culture provides the condition for interpreting the utility of information technology. It is also believed that some 'cultural beliefs' are a hindrance to the adoption of ICTs though the reverse may be true in many cases. Computers are a product of industrialised civilisation not from this particular cultural context. Yet the endeavour in community-based interventions has been to be sensitive to cultural differences which was also the point of departure for the present initiative. The decision to set up the ICT centre in the annexe (one room) of the Madrasa gave it immediate legitimacy. Appreciating the socio-cultural scenario and the importance of the Masjid and Maulana in the lives of the community helped to harmonise that with the technological tools.

In today's information age of globalisation, computerisation, Internet and virtual world, there are fears that the global media is fast promoting a global monoculture that denies diverse socio-cultural realities. It is felt that this process of globalisation may swamp the not so strong cultures. English is the predominant language of the information age. The majority of the material on the Internet is from the developed and industrialised countries. Thus, there are fears that the local cultures would be eroded so the tendency is to further isolate themselves.

The global village is not global for most of the world's poor not simply because technology is not available to them but because with or without these technologies the poor are likely to remain marginalised from the benefits of society if they are excluded from the benefits of over-all development. Apart from this is the issue of language and content because of which even if computers may be physically available they may continue to be 'out of reach' in crucial ways.

Thus, the intervention was located within this fraught relationship between the modern-global and the traditional. There is an interesting contrast between the possibilities of globalised culture that the computer/Internet represents while being at a place that fiercely protects the local culture. What have been the experiences?

Cultural adaptations

How the intervention has adapted to cultural values…
It was felt necessary to embed the project in the community taking into account the existing cultural values. Concrete actions are being taken to preserve the local oral culture and propagate the same. For culture to grow, it must be active, contextual and social. ICTs such as videos, TV and multi-media computer software that combine text, sound and colourful images, are used to provide media for expression acting as facilitator.

The ethnographic action research revealed that the women spend a considerable time at home watching soap operas and Hindi movies on television. Seeing the glamorous people on screen, they too are keen to dress well. They want to dance and sing like them. They are also keen to act. The ICT Centre provided them a platform and an opportunity to express their talents. At the Madrasa, singing is taboo. So the girls sing 'Naaths' (odes to God), with their heads covered in reverence. These along with stories, comic skits and plays have been recorded at the ICT centre.

Technological skills have been acquired in the process of expressing talents. Digital photography, downloading on the computer, sound recording are some of the skills learnt in the process. The elderly women are being encouraged to record old songs, lullabies, recipes and home-remedies for illnesses. This initiative is named 'Seelampur Voice'. CD based programmes of this nature are cablecast for wider viewing by the community. The endeavour is not only to preserve the local culture by recording but also to encourage others to come forward to share their experiences, talent and learning acquired through their elders.

The learning of local art and handicraft is being encouraged in the process of learning computers. The girls bring local traditional designs and patterns of embroidery to the centre. These are computerised through the process of scanning or digital photography. Then these pictures are modified, improved and more innovative designs are developed with various colour combinations. Some of the participants download various patterns from the Internet and then evolve their own designs using traditional and modern tools as base. It is the same with the application of intricate Mehendi patterns traditionally made on the hands and feet of women.

Studies have shown that despite its criticality to the success of information technology projects, culture is the most difficult to isolate, define and measure. From the conclusions of their study, every country must have an information technology policy that recognises its culture and ensures that adoption of information technology does not destroy the cultural heritage. The problem arises when there is a difference between the 'culture of an IT product and the culture of its users'. Hence, every possible effort has been taken to develop local content in Seelampur.

It was observed that the girls were keen to acquire certain vocational skills while learning to handle computers. To fulfil this need, CD based vocational skills learning packages were developed in-house where the participants have been actively involved. The packages, with a voice-over option in both English and Hindi, include candle making, liquid soap and phenyl making, henna application and designs, making of soft toys and rag dolls, tailoring etc. also, based on their traditional skills (such as handicrafts) many new avenues are being explored to make these girls have a means for an independent income. Many of the girls eagerly desire to have an independent source of income after coming to the centre and also, to be able to support or help their families financially.

Internet in conjunction with eNRICH, a local web-based browser is being used imaginatively to record and showcase local talent and cultural heritage. At the same time the participants are getting an exposure to other cultures and ideas as well. Thus, computers and the Internet create the possibility for such mutual sharing and learning. E-mail has opened an avenue to have exchanges with people of the same religion, living in different countries. Images from Internet coupled with e-mail exchanges are making the participants aware about the cultural differences and similarities amongst the Muslims living in countries like Malaysia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, West-Asia and the West. Looking at cultural aspects with a sense of enquiry and respect has been a big gain from the ICTs.

The centre also observes Fridays as a holiday, as it is a day (called 'Jumma'; On this special day, Muslims make an extra effort to go to their local masjid to listen to the khutbah -community address - by the Imam -worship leader - and to perform the formal worship with their fellow Muslims.) devoted to offering special congregational prayers among the Muslims. The tutor at the centre is from the same community so the girls feel comfortable. Hindi and Urdu are used along with English to facilitate learning. Some computer based learning programs in the form of Vocational CDs have been developed with voice over and content in Hindi as well as English. This was done for easy comprehension and for the realisation of the importance of English as a link language (especially for using the internet). Above all there is an informality of atmosphere so that the staff and project team members are open to approach.

Sensitivity has also been shown to the fact that the girls from the community are not allowed to move unaccompanied especially outside the confines of Seelampur. Consequently, in any event such as the WSIS meeting or the Knowledge Fair at Global Development Network meet or for the trip to Agra city that adjoins Delhi, adequate travel arrangements were made and it was ensured that the girls were escorted to and fro. Thus, they were not denied the opportunity for the exposure because of these mobility restrictions.

How the community and the clergy have also adapted …
There are the traditional restrictions on mobility. Added to this is the fear of the "anti-social" elements that prohibits parents and husbands in Seelampur from sending women from their homes outside Seelampur. Sexual harassment of girls is quite common in the area and one hears of such cases frequently. The Community ICT Center has gradually emerged as a "nodal" point of social contact in Seelampur as this is perceived as a safe place. Many women state that they feel very happy coming here and want to stay here for longer periods. Some women have profusely thanked the team at the center for providing them an opportunity to "constructively" interact and socialise. Now, older women and men in these families also support them in this interest. Several opportunities have been created such as picnics and other visits to facilitate their mobility even outside the area.

The centre is on the first floor of the annex to the Madrasa with an independent entry from the lane. The second floor of the Madrasa and the annex are interconnected with a passage like an aero-bridge over the lane. Generally someone stays at the ground floor of the annex. For some period, there was no one staying in the annex, thus for security reasons the Maulana was not keen to keep the independent entry open. Financial constraints did not allow hiring a security guard. He then allowed the girls to enter the Madrasa from a side entrance, go up to the second floor, transit through the dormitory being used by the boys and then cross over to the annex. The girls were apprehensive of the arrangements; especially of going through the dormitory, but the arrangement worked. Though girls are not allowed into the Masjid they were permitted to transit through the exclusively boys' zone in this instance.

And there is resistance …
There are occasions when traditional values are too strong and play a decisive role. In such situations, the women may raise a voice or submit to tradition. The centre was to be formally inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Delhi on 26 June, 2003. The girls were enthusiastic and so were guided to organise the centre, make arrangements to receive the honourable guest and present themselves appropriately. The Maulana was the chief co-ordinator. It had been planned that after the formal inauguration of the centre, the Chief Minister would be escorted to a hall that serves as the Madrasa as also the Masjid, where she was to be felicitated publicly. After that she was to address the gathering. Yet despite their efforts because of tradition the girls were not permitted entry into the hall.

Often within the kinship context also, age-old patriarchal values may reinforce themselves even if by taking new forms in the face of these changes. Traditionally, women are seen as having a role only within the house and thus, formal education of any kind may not be seen as valuable and may even be discouraged. Recently in Seelampur girls are being rejected in the process of spouse selection in arranged marriages on the ground that they know computers so will not 'adjust' in their marital family. Similar instances have also come to light about the boy's kin making greater demands for dowry from the girl's family if she is computer literate.. Voices are raised in dissent…

The girls remain in awe of the Maulana because of his status and traditional standing. During the month of Ramadan, he wanted the centre to be closed down. All through the month of Ramadan devout Muslims keep strict fast. Only before sunrise and after sunset do they take food. Early morning as the call for prayer is heard from the mosques, the boys and men set off to offer Namaz (prayers). Women stay at home and recite the Koran. Fasting during the days of Ramadan normally does not affect their daily routine and they go on with their daily chores. Thus the 29 or 30 days of the month of Ramadan pass and the sighting of the new moon brings glad tidings of Eid-ul- Fitr and the end of the month.

The girls were not happy with the decision that the centre be closed down for the month of Ramadan. They were enjoying the learning experience at the centre. They were encouraged by the project staff to go through the relevant web sites to understand the significance and meaning behind the rituals and why Ramadan is observed. Having understood they gathered courage and went to the Maulana to plead their case to keep the centre functioning. They did that convincingly and successfully. The compromise arrived at was that the centre would close down at 4 p.m. instead of at the usual closing time of 5 p.m. Only a few months ago such a dialogue between the Maulana and the girls would have been unthinkable.

Concluding observations
These small steps lead to changing relationships, practices, and adapting of old values to new situations. As we go along, these seemingly small changes may go on to impact the culture. Culture is how we view the events, how we think, how we perceive events, how we react and respond. Culture consists of social norms, group behaviour, respect and authority of decision-makers. This experience shows that while every effort is being made to respect the local culture, the project is also impinging on the participants and the stakeholders, making them think and act a little differently. Earlier there were doubts as to whether the space would continue to be provided by the Madrasa or the centre would have to shift soon. The outcomes of the dynamics are very evident in the fact that now there is a commitment to give the space for the centre for many years to come and an extra room has also been provided for the centre.

The initiative has shown that ICTs can be utilised to understand, preserve, and share cultural heritage. Local culture can be shared with people of different cultures with mutual understanding and respect. The exposure builds confidence in the women due to which they are able to articulate their opinions better. The Seelampur Community ICT initiative has been an interesting learning experience for the community as also for the project team.