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Latest

A person walking with an umbrella on a flooded street_climate crisis

The climate crisis is impacting those working to solve it
Nonprofits must address climate risks within their organisational structures to protect employees, especially those on the front lines of climate action.
Group discussion at a rural setting_impact evaluations

Six tips to share null impacts of development programmes
Impact evaluations don’t always show success. When results are null or negative, communicating them can be tricky. Here’s how to do it effectively.
swarathma band performing on stage-renewable energy

Turning up the volume, turning down emissions
In 2024, Indian band Swarathma ditched diesel gensets and powered their tour with solar energy. Here’s why that could be a game-changer for live events.
by Jishnu Dasgupta | 8 min read
Woman using waste materials for outdoor cooking fire_waste management

Photo essay: The myths of rural waste management
Waste is predominantly perceived as an urban problem. The data gap on rural waste management obfuscates the scale of this challenge.
by Aarti Sachdeva | 3 min read
the hobbits frodo baggins, samwise gamgee, peregrin took, and meriadoc brandybuck as part of the fellowship of the ring in the misty mountains--nonprofit humour

A social sector fellowship with no takers
Not all those who wander are lost.
by Debojit Dutta | 2 min read

Bite-sized stories from the people closest to the action.



A day in the life of


Frontline workers and first responders share their insights from working at the grassroots.


Women in a village standing in a group and talking_mental health stigma
From self to society: Navigating silence and stigma around mental health
A day in the life of a community health worker in Dehradun, Uttrakhand, who tackles mental health stigma through trust and support—in her own life and for the people she serves.
a teacher coach observing a class in session--government school teachers

Observing classrooms, building capacities
A day in the life of an educator, who uses a technology-enabled approach to coach government school teachers in Palghar, Maharashtra.
Women microentreprenuers sitting in an office working
Sales and sisterhood: What drives a small-scale business in Pune
A day in the lives of two women microentrepreneurs, who combine their marketing and product design skills to craft a winning formula for their social enterprise.


Social change leaders chronicle their failures and lessons learnt.

Aerial shot of women protestors sitting_well-being
Preparing for a marathon, not a sprint 
Dalit civil rights activist Thenmozhi Soundararajan on why failure is an opportunity to build power, how systems of oppression affect well-being, and what healing looks like for individuals and communities.
Barbed wire_nonprofits
Why don’t nonprofits talk about their failures?
A number of risks, both real and perceived, stop nonprofits from talking about failure. Here's how various stakeholders can work together to overcome them.
rural women take part in a boat race in west bengal-leadership
The road to recovery
In Part II of a conversation with Dream a Dream CEO Suchetha Bhat and co-founder Vishal Talreja learn about what it took to rebuild an organisation in crisis, and why it needed a new kind of leadership.


Conversations with visionaries on their life's work, and their efforts to challenge the status quo in our country.

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Insights and analysis of specific sectors in the development arena—what works, what doesn't, and what needs to change.

See all coverage by topic:
  • Agriculture
  • Education
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Livelihoods
  • Rights
  • Water & Sanitation

  • Turning up the volume, turning down emissions
    In 2024, Indian band Swarathma ditched diesel gensets and powered their tour with solar energy. Here’s why that could be a game-changer for live events.

    Photo essay: The myths of rural waste management
    Waste is predominantly perceived as an urban problem. The data gap on rural waste management obfuscates the scale of this challenge.

    Destruction to development: How Adivasi groups organised for land and fishing rights
    The construction of Dimbhe Dam had upended the lives of Pune’s Adivasi communities. Here's how they transformed dispossession into development.


    The climate crisis is impacting those working to solve it
    Nonprofits must address climate risks within their organisational structures to protect employees, especially those on the front lines of climate action.

    Turning up the volume, turning down emissions
    In 2024, Indian band Swarathma ditched diesel gensets and powered their tour with solar energy. Here’s why that could be a game-changer for live events.

    Destruction to development: How Adivasi groups organised for land and fishing rights
    The construction of Dimbhe Dam had upended the lives of Pune’s Adivasi communities. Here's how they transformed dispossession into development.

    Skills and functions that are core to growing programmes and organisations.

    See all coverage by topic:
  • Board & Governance
  • Fundraising & Communications
  • Leadership & Talent
  • Monitoring & Evaluation
  • Programme
  • Technology

  • Six tips to share null impacts of development programmes
    Impact evaluations don’t always show success. When results are null or negative, communicating them can be tricky. Here’s how to do it effectively.

    What nonprofits need from capacity building programmes
    Nonprofits in India face many barriers to capacity building. Based on insights from more than 100 nonprofits, a report by Social Lens suggests ways to improve programmes and build effective support.

    The education sector can build leaders for tomorrow
    To facilitate holistic learning, the education sector needs to allow children and educators to be key decision-makers in the system.