When organizations with a mass base, credible presence and a history of involvement with poor women have engaged with IT, the adaptation of the technology has proven to more meaningful and empowering for women. SEWA, a women’s trade union in Gujarat has been exploring various ways to adapt and appropriate technology to further their on-going activities and strategies. The Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) believes in the philosophy that women’s micro-enterprises can use information technology just as multi-nationals do to increase their output and efficiency. SEWA has been organizing women in the informal sector since 1972 and has a yearly paid u   p membership of 5,35,000 members. SEWA has promoted nearly 101 cooperatives, 9 federations and more than 6000 Self Help Groups of women in order to help them reach mainstream markets. SEWA’s contributions in enabling women demand their status as ‘worker’ are widely recognised.

SEWA’s IT programmes
n Data Management: Since most of SEWA’s data management is done manually, the organization experiences bottlenecks in the assimilation and analysis of data. Efforts to deploy IT in this area have already begun. Dhara Patel of the ICT cell of SEWA mentions, "SEWA has been successful in developing software for database management. This software generates various customised reports such as community-wise artisan members, embroidery- wise member lists, grade-wise member lists etc. This will enable us to know how many artisans are in a better grade as well as how many are getting work, and on that basis we can plan our production." She adds, "We have also successfully been able to develop software for exhibitions as well as shops, which generates customised reports with the help of the bar-coding system. This system helps us in bifurcating products by its size, colour, material, pattern, and embroidery."

n E- Commerce: Many of SEWA’s organizations have recently launched their websites and have their own unique email address (www.banascraft.org, www.kutchcraft.org and www.sewamart.com). Through these efforts, global communication has been made easy. Furthermore, Banascraft and Kutchcraft have recently entered the realm of e-business and have started selling their products in the global virtual market place. The organization has recorded a considerable increase in sales because of its web presence. These web sites are now being upgraded so that that they can be e-commerce compliant.

n Satellite Communication: SEWA has been using the satellite talkback communication system for capacity building of the rural communities. The SATCOM programmes are designed based on the training needs of SEWA members. In order to use this medium optimally, SEWA has trained its women community leaders in collaboration with District Development and Educational Communication Unit of the Indian Space Research Organisation. Satellite technology has been used by SEWA for interactive programmes on reconstruction issues after the Gujarat earthquake, their insurance scheme, for training of women Panchayat members and many other themes that reflect women’s priorities in the areas that it works. Says Dhara, "Our SATCOM programmes are scheduled twice a month and are running successfully."

n Video-Conferencing: Building on the success of the Satellite Communication programmes, in early 2002, SEWA piloted an experiment where it video-linked a round table attended by the Finance Minister of India and Minister of Small Scale Industries and Planning, Government of India. A video-link was established between New Delhi and Ahmedabad and proved to be more advanced in terms of technology and cheaper than the Satcom programme. Through the video-conferencing facility, many of the grassroots communities and leaders were able to directly and interactively participate in the round table. Speaking of the current status of the video conferencing programme Dhara reports, "We have started doing video conferencing, which is two way audio and video. We were able to link 4 SEWA centres when there was an inauguration function of the Computer Learning Centre on this March 29 by President APJ Abdul Kalam."

n Computer Learning Centre of Vigyan SEWA: SEWA’s blueprint for deploying IT is well thought-out. It covers applications for many of their activities: embroidery, salt production, savings and credit and watershed development. The Computer Learning Center focuses on having daily training sessions at the district centres, for Aagewans (spear head team leaders), field workers and organisers. At the same time, Vigyan SEWA will start introducing new microfinance and craft management software at the district centre itself, incorporate the software into the training curriculum, and thus allow members (as well as the field staff) to get familiar with the software, and at the same time give feedback about how the software is working.