Over a period of 18 months, WCF and PIF will educate over 10 lakh students about the fundamentals of cybersafety in three phases. In the initial phase, WCF and PIF will shortlist 11 states across India to launch the CyberSmart campaign. PIF’s team for the CyberSmart campaign will comprise nearly 50 members who will mobilize over 20,000 CyberSmart Fellows (teachers) to conduct CyberSmart workshops in schools across the shortlisted states. The campaign will sensitize the students about the risks present in cyberspace, preventive measures to avoid them and actions they must take if they are targeted by cybercriminals.
“Pratham Infotech Foundation has been an integral part of the WCF mission and journey so far. We are pleased to collaborate with them to achieve our objective of empowering every child in the country to safely navigate the virtual world. Since its launch, CyberSmart has empowered nearly 9 lakh learners, including teachers, parents and children, to safely navigate the cyberspace,” said Keshav R. Murugesh, Group CEO, WNS.
“WNS Cares Foundation and Pratham Infotech Foundation are focused on a common goal – leveraging digital platforms and solutions to make equitable opportunities available to children and youth. This collaboration is a logical next step in that direction. With the CyberSmart campaign, we will be enabling students to use the cyberspace with knowledge and empowering them to seize opportunities for growth and development with confidence,” said Prem Yadav, Co-Founder & CEO Pratham InfoTech Foundation.
“Since its launch in May 2020, CyberSmart has been steadily spreading the message of cybersafety across the country through a series of strategic collaborations. This partnership with Pratham Infotech Foundation is a natural extension of our long-standing relationship and we look forward to working together in making the online space safer for children and youth,” said Shamini Murugesh, Honorary Chief Mentor, WCF and Creator, CyberSmart.
PIF, a non-profit organization that works in India to bridge the digital divide, facilitate the adoption of Information Technologies (IT) in education, and equip disadvantaged youths with skills, tools and capabilities that the new global economy demands, is WCF’s oldest implementation partner for its digital programs. Since 2014, PIF has been implementing one of the WCF’ flagship initiatives: Computer-aided Literacy and Digital Literacy as Life Skills.
India’s first holistic cybersecurity education portal, CyberSmart (cybersmart.wnscaresfoundation.org) enables gamified learning using thematic quiz-based modules based on curriculum advisory and challenges that children encounter in cyberspace. It was launched nationally in May 2020 by Shri Ajay Prakash Sawhney, Secretary, MeitY, in partnership with NASSCOM, and is available in ten Indian languages. 
