Dubai-based teenagers, Kavin Khanna, partnered with the KCS Foundation to launch digital literacy programme in Bihar
Patna: Kavin Khanna, a 17-year-old Dubai student at Jumeirah College, launched the Skill Leap project, a transformative digital literacy program that has empowered more than 2,700 poor students in rural Bihar. The project aims to bridge the digital divide and promote digital empowerment by setting up advanced computer labs and providing future courses.
The first skill LEAP lab opened in September 2023 in Kaina village in Bihar, equipped with 20 state-of-the-art computers and supported by three full-time local teachers. The program partnered with KCS Foundation, a community-centric nonprofit organization (DARPAN) registered. The foundation provides basic support for identifying schools, staffing and maintaining the program.
Kavin, who leads the initiative remotely from Dubai, has weekly online meetings with students and visited Bihar Center in April 2025 to interact with teachers and students through workshops and motivational courses. His efforts are backed by nearly $10,000 in fundraising efforts from global contributors.
Setting the skills is its structured, future-focused course, negotiated by Kavin with educators and technicians. Students are trained in digital literacy, computer operations, coding, artificial intelligence (AI), and practical financial literacy. These courses integrate basic skills with real-world applications, not only to participate in the digital economy, but also to thrive.
Reflecting on his mission, Kavin Khanna said: “Skill leap is more than just a project, it is a movement driven by the belief in equal opportunity. Watching over 2,700 students in rural Bihar enter the digital classroom for the first time in their lives, the first in their lives, have been deeply humble. We are not only about showing them a part of ourselves in larger technologies; if we can convey our abilities in greater processes. In the future, it’s all worth it.
The Skills LEAP course covers digital literacy, basic computer operations, coding, artificial intelligence and financial skills, and this course specializes in providing students with the knowledge they need to succeed in today’s technology-driven world.
Pankaj Jha, founder of the KCS Foundation, added: “The real influence unfolds when young and changeable people like Kaven join the hands with grass-roots organizations like us. His vision, energy and unwavering commitment helped us bring digital education to the corner of Bihar, who are often forgotten. Bridges are not just the digital divide, it restores confidence and hope in these communities.
With the ongoing expansion plans, the Skill LEAP project aims to replicate its impact in other underdeveloped regions of India. By combining the energy of youth leadership with grass-roots expertise, the project is a compelling model for scalable and sustainable educational change.
