OneWorld.net (U.S.)

The Open Knowledge Network (OKN) is an attempt towards connecting communities and empowering people. OKN is a human network, which collects, shares and disseminates local knowledge and is supported by flexible technical solutions. Earlier, in 2002, the OKN concept was tested in a short pilot with the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) in South India. In 2004, the concept moved on to North India and Sri Lanka. Drishtee is one of the models, which OneWorld South Asia(OWSA) has partnered with, for setting up OKNs in the districts of Sirsa in Haryana and Madhubani in Bihar. Latest in the field of OKN initiatives is Open eNRICH, a community software solution for networking rural communities that is being developed by National Informatics Centre, New Delhi in association with OWSA and UNESCO.

Subhash Chandra Saharan manages the information centre (Soochna Kendra) run by Drishtee in village Poharka, block Ellenabad in district Sirsa. He provides access to information related to e-governance, basic health, education and local services like driving license, ration card etc. Babli, a computer teacher at the Drishtee Soochna Kendra teaches basic computers to adolescents and children. Both are working hard to reach out to the villagers especially to the youth and the children to make them computer literate.