“I Couldn’t Even Type My Name”

Meet Ambrish Kumar, a 25-year-old from Maharajganj, a small town in Uttar Pradesh. He worked as a clerk in a local shop, managing sales and stocking shelves. But there was one problem: he didn’t know how to use a computer. Not even a little.

Whenever his boss asked him to send an email or type up a report, Ambrish would panic. He’d try to avoid it or quietly ask someone else for help. He had zero computer skills, and it made him feel small, behind, and frankly, a bit ashamed.

“Everyone around me was going digital,” Ambrish recalls. “I didn’t even know how to open Gmail.”

This lack of basic computer knowledge wasn’t just frustrating, it was holding him back from better job opportunities, from growing, from feeling confident in himself. And he wasn’t alone. Many young people in rural India feel the same way: left behind in a world that’s moving forward with technology.

He wanted to learn but didn’t know where to start. YouTube tutorials felt too complicated. Paid courses were out of reach. He needed a space where he could start from zero. Literally.

A New Beginning: Discovering Apni Pathshala’s Learning Pod

One day, during a tea break, a colleague told him about the Apni Pathshala learning program at Samar Welfare Centre, right there in his community.

“They teach you from scratch,” his friend said. “No pressure. It’s free. And you even get a certificate.”

It sounded too good to be true, but Ambrish was curious. He decided to check it out.

From the moment he stepped into the learning pod, he knew he was in the right place. No one laughed at his questions. No one judged his pace. The instructors were kind and patient. There were others like him, beginners who were just as nervous.

That’s what made it different. It wasn’t just a course. It was a safe space to grow.

This was the start of Ambrish’s journey with a basic computer learning course for beginners. The kind that meets you exactly where you are.

90 Days of Transformation: What Ambrish Learned

The course was simple but powerful. Here’s how the digital learning program at Samar Welfare Program changed Ambrish’s life, one month at a time:

Month 1: Mastering the Basics with MS Word

• Opening and navigating MS Word
• Typing documents
• Formatting text
• Inserting images and tables

“It was slow at first,” Ambrish admits. “I kept hitting the wrong keys. But I practised every evening. And soon, I could type a full letter on my own.”

Month 2: Exploring the Internet and Email Like a Pro

• Creating and using an email ID
• Sending professional emails
• Using search engines like Google to find information
• Learning internet safety

Before the course, Ambrish didn’t even know how to click on a link. Now he could find product prices, read the news, and reply to customer emails without hesitation.

Month 3: Getting Confident with PowerPoint and Excel

• Making slide presentations
• Tracking inventory with Excel sheets
• Using formulas to calculate stock and sales

These were game changers. At work, Ambrish used Excel to manage the shop’s inventory and even prepared a presentation for his boss. That’s when his employer realised Ambrish was no longer “just a clerk.”

New Skills, New Life: The Results Speak for Themselves

After completing the course, Ambrish received his certificate. But more than that, he walked out with something far more valuable, confidence.

Today, Ambrish has:

• Been promoted to a managerial position
• Doubled his efficiency at work
• Taken over digital communication and inventory management
• Started training other staff members

His boss trusts him more. Customers respond to him better. And best of all, he trusts himself.

“I feel like I’ve been reborn,” he says. “Learning these computer skills gave me a second chance.”

This is not just a success story of digital education. It’s proof that anyone at any age, from any background, can learn, grow, and lead.

And Ambrish didn’t stop at just growing himself.

He’s now teaching his younger cousins and helping neighbours learn basic computer tasks. The guy who once felt like a digital outsider is now the go-to person for tech help in his village.

You Can Start From Scratch: Just Like Ambrish

If you’re someone who feels behind, who hesitates to even touch a computer, you’re not alone. And you’re not too late.

Ambrish started with no knowledge. Now he’s helping others and excelling at work.

What helped him?

• A beginner-friendly environment
• Step-by-step, hands-on learning
• A supportive community

You’ll find all of that in the Apni Pathshala digital learning program at Samar Welfare Program. It’s not about fancy tech talk. It’s about real skills for real people who want to change their lives.

Whether it’s:

• Typing a resume
• Sending job applications online
• Starting a small business using Excel
• Or just gaining the confidence to explore the internet…

…it all begins with one step.

So, ask yourself: What’s stopping you from learning?

If Ambrish can do it, you can too.

Final Thoughts: The Power of Learning Locally

What happened in Maharajganj is just one example. There are thousands like Ambrish across India waiting for a chance. All they need is access.

Programs like Apni Pathshala, especially through community-driven initiatives like Samar Welfare Program, are closing the digital gap. They’re not just teaching people how to use computers, they’re changing lives, building confidence, and unlocking potential.

This is the future of digital India, and it starts right here, in learning pods, in small towns, with determined learners like Ambrish.

So if you’ve been putting it off, thinking you’re too old, too busy, or not smart enough—stop. You are capable. You just need the right start.

Join the Apni Pathshala learning pod at Samar Welfare Program. It’s free. It’s beginner-friendly. And it might just change your life.