SHILLONG, May 6: A one-day workshop on “An Interactive Trial and Live Demo of Maidful: An App Designed to Connect Housemaids and Employers Through Innovation,” was organised by the Department of Nanotechnology, in collaboration with the Department of Information Technology, North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Shillong, and IIT Bhilai.
The programme was inaugurated by Rangbah Shnong of Mawlai Mawtawar, Cornelius Kharkongor, who was the chief guest of the occasion. Prof Md. Iftekhar Hussain, Dean of the School of Technology, NEHU, attended as guest of honour.
The event featured a live demonstration of the trial version of the Maidful app, where participating domestic workers had the opportunity to explore and use the application first-hand. The demo was presented by Iainehskhem Nongsiej, Research Associate on the project team. The outreach aimed to provide domestic workers with a digital platform to connect with potential employers based on their specific skills and availability.
The Maidful project is led by Dr Davidson Pyngrope as Principal Investigator, with Prof Md Iftekhar Hussain and Dr K Amitab serving as Co-Principal Investigators. The research team also includes Iainehskhem Nongsiej and Skhembor Sohphoh as Research Associates.
In his address, Dr Davidson Pyngrope introduced the app to participants and highlighted the challenges faced by housemaids in securing fair and stable employment. “Maidful will bridge the gap by providing a secure and structured platform that ensures profile verification of both employers and domestic workers, thereby enhancing safety, transparency, and dignity in the hiring process,” he said.
Prof Md Iftekhar Hussain, in his remarks, praised the initiative and acknowledged the scheduling challenges commonly faced by domestic workers. He emphasized that the bilingual interface — available in both Khasi and English — ensures accessibility for the local community. “The education we receive should serve society. This app is a fine example of technology-driven societal upliftment,” he stated.
The programme concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr K Amitab, who expressed gratitude to the Rangbah Shnong, participating domestic workers, and NEHU for their support.
