2. To bridge the digital divide by offering exciting and
effective education and learning experiences through
innovative technologies to the underserved groups.
The Education Imperative
Development is a central imperative in today’s globalized world. But achieving
sustainable all-round development for society requires certain fundamental pillars in
place. Education is one such pillar without which any future growth is inconceivable.
A whole host of developmental issues in fields of healthcare, economic opportunity,
women empowerment and community building can be traced to a lack of
proper education.
Education as a Millennium Development Goal
Out of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) adopted by the United
Nations, the second goal emphasizes the need for Achieving Universal Primary
Education. Most of the other MDGs concerning poverty reduction, gender
equality, and healthcare can only be achieved when today’s children grow up to be
educated citizens.
Sometimes you build walls not to keep people out,
But to see who cares enough to break them

3. Hole-in-the-Wall Education Ltd. (HiWEL) is a joint venture between NIIT Limited
(IT Training & Development Company) and the International Finance Corporation
(a part of the World Bank Group). Initiated as an experiment in 1999 in Kalkaji, New
Delhi and established as an organization in 2001, HiWEL facilitates learning for the
marginalized children, by providing unconditional and public access to computers
through the medium of its Learning Stations.
The Concept
Minimally Invasive Education (MIE) is an original invention composed of significant
innovations in hardware technology, software technology, and cognitive design. It
is the first attempt at applying the principle of self-organising systems to primary
education.
How it Works
• Unsupervised computer Learning Stations typically located in school
playgrounds or in the community
• Installed with rugged, innovative proprietary hardware and monitoring
software in diverse rural and urban slum settings
• Stimulating educational games and content provides the “minimally invasive”
educational inputs
• Educational content mapped with curriculum helps in achieving better
academic outcomes
• Working in self-organized groups and helping each other, children gain
functional computer literacy in a short span of time
• Children’s Increased interest in learning generates positive feedback from
teachers and community
ASIA: India: Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh,
Delhi, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka,
Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra,
Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Rajasthan,
Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh
Bhutan, Cambodia
AFRICA: Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia,
Nigeria, Rwanda, Swaziland,
Uganda, Zambia
TODAY, HiWEL’s 500 LEARNING STATIONS REACH OUT TO MORE THAN
HALF-A-MILLION UNDERSERVED CHILDREN ACROSS ASIA AND AFRICA

4. Innovative
Proprietary Hardware
& Software
Features
• Turn-key projects for efficient implementation and
accountability
• Unrestricted access to computers for children
• Installation of computers in outdoor public locations
• Designed to safeguard from climatic variations
• Facilitates multi-user access
• Provision of interactive multimedia content
Low Cost Modular Enclosure®
&
Innovative Proprietary Hardware and Software Steel and Clear Polymer Panels®
• Low-cost modular enclosure & Steel and Clear Polymer Panels
• Touch Button Mouse (ToBu)
• Automated Power System (Auto.P.Sy)
• Remote Monitoring System (RMS) Software
Pedagogy
Based on constructivism and situated cognition, the Minimally
Touch Button Mouse (ToBu) ®
Invasive Education pedagogy incorporates following features:
• Propagates child-centric approach
• Open and autonomous access to computers
• Freedom to learn and explore, individually and in
heterogeneous groups
• Self-instructional cycle
• Sharing of decision making or perspectives
Automated Power System
Research Findings (Auto.P.Sy)®
• Acquisition of computing skills, almost identical for boys and girls
• Equal benefits to the lower and higher socio-economic groups
• Improvement in academic performance and behavioral skills
• Enhancement in confidence levels and life skills
Assessment
Remote Monitoring System
• Regular monitoring and evaluation
• Focus on assessment of cognitive, behavioral & affective skills
• Standardized tools for qualitative and quantitative assessment
• Intensive community mobilisation and participation
• Needs-based intervention strategy
• 360-Degree feedback from Stakeholders

5. The Double Bottom-Line Alliances
To make investmensts that have To strengthen the services and
both social as well as solutions by alliances with leading
financial returns technology and service partners
Customer Services Integrity
To deliver customized and quality To earn respect and trust through
services to beneficiaries in the honesty and fairness in all
remotest of locations our actions
Innovation People
To pursue the product and service To inspire, empower and nurture
innovations that helps the new generation of
larger society socially-responsible leaders
Government  Department of Social Welfare, Kerala  Jaipur Municipal
Corporation  Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust  Ministry of Communication & IT  Ministry
of Human Resource Development – Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan  Ministry of External Affairs
 Ministry of Tribal Affairs
International Agencies  The Commonwealth  International Finance Corporation (World
Bank)  Michael and Susan Dell Foundation  UNICEF  Child Tuition, Netherlands
Non-Governmental & CSR Organizations  Azim Premji Foundation  ICICI Group
 National Geographic Channel  NIIT  SOS Children’s Village  The Association of Sikh
Professionals  Hindalco Industries  Ambuja Cement Foundation  Ernst & Young Foundation
 Microsoft India
Academic Institutes  National Council of Educational Research and Training
 National Institute of Open Schooling  Delhi School of Social Work

6. “I visited the ‘Hole-in-the-Wall’ [kiosk] at Kalse [Maharashtra] and interacted
with Konkan fishermen there. The ‘Hole-in-the-Wall’ in their village helps
children acquire computer literacy.”
Dr.A.P.J.Abdul Kalam, Former President of India
“It’s not much more than a small kiosk by the side of the track, with two screens
in it. It could be an ATM. But these computers run internet and educational
programs on sanitation, health and basic school learning. The windows of those
small screens are the windows to the world.”
Mr. Don McKinnon–Commonwealth Secretary General
“For a way out, look at NIIT’s famous Hole-in-the-Wall experiment. NIIT placed
a computer in a wall in an urban slum, and found, amazingly, that slum children
quickly learned to operate the computer without instruction. The kids learnt
through experimentation, loved computer games and learned some English.”
Mr. Swaminathan S Aiyar, Eminent Columnist, The Times of India
“I like these learning stations as I have learnt so many new things from it. I have
benefitted tremendously which has helped me in my studies. I never realized
that I could ever work with computers. I feel that all the children of my locality
should learn computers only then can they learn about the new scientific
developments.”
Ms. Rukhsar (15 year old girl student)
“The central idea behind Hole-in-the-Wall innovation is that: Groups of children
learn on their own without any direct information and tutoring from teachers. In
the Ugandan context the objectives of hole in the wall projects are: To facilitate
children, especially from disadvantaged communities, to have access to and use
computers so as to acquire essential skills at the earliest of ages.”
Dr. Ham-Mukasa Mulira – Minister of Information & Technology
– Govt. of Uganda
“Most of the children are interested in games and are learning by doing self.
Some deaf children are very interested than others. It is a good aid to learn
language, science and mathematics. It has helped in improving their behavior.”
Mr. R. Rajan, Caregiver and Teacher, Government Juvenile Home - Kerala

7. AwArdS:
1999 - RAIZADA AWARD By Computer Society of India (CSI), India
2000 - BEST ICT STORY By World Bank
2000 - BEST SOCIAL INNOVATION OF THE YEAR-2000 By Institute of Social
Inventions, UK
2003 - FULL LENGTH DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM ‘THE HOLE IN THE WALL’
(2003), RECEIVED MORE THAN 20 INTERNAL AWARDS AT MAjOR
FILMS FESTIVALS By Gil Rossellini and Global Vision
2005 - DEWANG MEHTA AWARD FOR INNOVATION IN IT By Ministry of IT,
Government of India
2008 - DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY AWARD By World Information Technology and
Services Alliance (WITSA)
2009 - BEST DEVELOPMENT AGENCY INITIATIVE IN DIGITAL LEARNING
By e-India 2009