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    • Field worker from Haqdarshak (an organisation) showing pink slip to woman-upskilling field workers
    Technology

    Why we need to prioritise skill building of field workers

    Improving the skills and digital literacy of our field workers is useful to them, to the organisation, and to the social sector at large.
    by Aniket Doegar, Madhura Karnik | 7 min read

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    Latest

    Mahendra Pandey and Steven Harris feature as guests on IDR's On the Contrary podcast--well-being in philanthropy
    Season 7
    Rooting philanthropy in well-being
    Two leaders from global philanthropic organisations discuss why well-being should be central to philanthropy, and what it would take to get there.
    13 min read
    a woman looking over a ploughed field._economic valuation
    Environment
    What is the value of commons?
    From livelihoods to ecosystems, commons sustain much more than we see. Here's what economic valuations can do for their protection.
    by Tanupriya Singh, Shreya Adhikari | 10 min read
    two female coppersmiths wearing headscarves in a workshop in kashmir--coppersmiths
    Livelihoods
    Can Pulwama’s new coppersmiths compete with the machines?
    In the dwindling economy of rural Kashmir, coppersmithing is seeing a revival as an alternative source of livelihood for the youth. But will it last?
    by Ilhak Ahmad Tantray, Umer Farooq Zargar | 2 min read
    close up shot of a spider web with water droplets against a red and yellow background--LLMs
    Technology
    The limits of AI in social change
    More actors—from grantmaking to service delivery—are exploring the use of AI. However, the excitement around scale and efficiency often overshadows a critical question: What does it mean to bring machine-generated abstraction into systems built on trust, context, and relationship?
    by Gautam John | 8 min read
    the cover photo of On the Contrary by IDR featuring Paula Moreno and Jean Bosco Niyonzima--well-being
    Season 7
    Centring well-being in conflict: Notes from Colombia and Rwanda
    Paula Moreno, philanthropist and political leader from Colombia, and Dr Jean Bosco Niyonzima, a community-based mental health expert from Rwanda, explore what it takes for communities to heal and sustain well-being during conflict.
    12 min read

    Ground Up

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


    Livelihoods
    photo
    Can Pulwama’s new coppersmiths compete with the machines?
    by Ilhak Ahmad Tantray, Umer Farooq Zargar
    Location Icon Pulwama district, Jammu and Kashmir
    Livelihoods
    photo
    For a Mizoram candy brand, seasonal fruits are both a gift and a gamble
    by Zonunsanga Tlau
    Location Icon Serchhip district, Mizoram
    Environment
    photo
    Solar panels cast a shadow over Rajasthan’s khejri trees
    by Kishanaram Godara
    Location Icon Bikaner district, Rajasthan
    Livelihoods
    photo
    Green gold crisis: The barriers disrupting Kendu leaf trade in Odisha
    by Bidyut Mohanty
    Location Icon Koraput district, Odisha

    Videos

    SEE ALL
    On The Contrary | Episode 3 – Rooting philanthropy in well-being
    Rumours Vs Reality: How misinformation hurts social welfare schemes
    On The Contrary | Episode 2 – Centering well-being in conflict: Notes from Colombia and Rwanda

    A day in the life of

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


    a female forest guard puts out a forest fire in Mewar Biodiversity Park, Udaipur district, Rajasthan--forest guard
    Environment
    Why conservation needs connection: Guarding Rajasthan’s forests
    A day in the life of a forest guard, who navigates gender roles, community needs, and conservation in Rajasthan.
    by Santosh Kunwar Bhati | 5 min read
    Women in a village standing in a group and talking_mental health stigma
    Health & Well-being
    From self to society: Navigating silence and stigma around mental health
    A day in the life of a community health worker in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, who tackles mental health stigma through trust and support—in her own life and for the people she serves.
    by Geeta Shakya | 6 min read
    a teacher coach observing a class in session--government school teachers
    Education
    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.
    by Ketan Tambe | 8 min read

    Failure Files

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    Social change leaders chronicle their failures and lessons learnt.

    Silhouetted birds perched on bare tree_leadership failure
    Leadership & Talent
    Building team culture isn’t optional
    A nonprofit co-founder reflects on how scaling rapidly unintentionally alienated employees, which led to cracks in organisational culture.
    by Vijayalakshmi Mohan | 7 min read
    Aerial shot of women protestors sitting_well-being
    Social Justice
    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.
    by India Development Review | 10 min read
    Barbed wire_nonprofits
    Leadership & Talent
    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.
    by Tanaya Jagtiani, Rachita Vora | 7 min read

    IDR Interviews

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

    The image is an illustration of Devika Singh._Early childhood care
    "You can’t talk about childcare without talking about labour. About migration. About how women work long hours for low wages. About where they live, what they eat, how invisible they are to systems meant to serve them."
    Devika Singh
    9 min read
    an image of Dayamani Barla against a turquoise background-adivasi
    "Activists should go to places where laws are made and also where laws are implemented. If you don’t get into politics, you won’t be able to save the country."
    Dayamani Barla
    3 min read
    Madhu mansuri hasmukh
    "I spoke of the rights of Adivasis in my songs. When the state of Jharkhand was created, we had great aspirations, and  these aspirations are also woven into my songs."
    Madhu Mansuri Hasmukh
    8 min read

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    Sectors

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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 & Well-being
  • Livelihoods
  • Rights
  • Water & Sanitation
    • Mahendra Pandey and Steven Harris feature as guests on IDR's On the Contrary podcast--well-being in philanthropy
    Season 7
    Rooting philanthropy in well-being
    Two leaders from global philanthropic organisations discuss why well-being should be central to philanthropy, and what it would take to get there.
    13 min read
    a woman looking over a ploughed field._economic valuation
    Environment
    What is the value of commons?
    From livelihoods to ecosystems, commons sustain much more than we see. Here's what economic valuations can do for their protection.
    by Tanupriya Singh, Shreya Adhikari | 10 min read
    the cover photo of On the Contrary by IDR featuring Paula Moreno and Jean Bosco Niyonzima--well-being
    Season 7
    Centring well-being in conflict: Notes from Colombia and Rwanda
    Paula Moreno, philanthropist and political leader from Colombia, and Dr Jean Bosco Niyonzima, a community-based mental health expert from Rwanda, explore what it takes for communities to heal and sustain well-being during conflict.
    12 min read

    Themes

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    Approaches and ideas that cut across sectors and counter the dominant narratives around us.

    See all coverage by topic:
  • Advocacy & Government
  • Climate Emergency
  • Collaboration
  • COVID-19
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Ecosystem Development
  • Gender
  • Inequality
  • Philanthropy & CSR
  • Scale
  • Social Business
  • Social Justice
  • Urban
  • Youth
    • Mahendra Pandey and Steven Harris feature as guests on IDR's On the Contrary podcast--well-being in philanthropy
    Season 7
    Rooting philanthropy in well-being
    Two leaders from global philanthropic organisations discuss why well-being should be central to philanthropy, and what it would take to get there.
    13 min read
    the cover photo of On the Contrary by IDR featuring Paula Moreno and Jean Bosco Niyonzima--well-being
    Season 7
    Centring well-being in conflict: Notes from Colombia and Rwanda
    Paula Moreno, philanthropist and political leader from Colombia, and Dr Jean Bosco Niyonzima, a community-based mental health expert from Rwanda, explore what it takes for communities to heal and sustain well-being during conflict.
    12 min read
    The cover photo of On the Contrary by IDR featuring Mar Cabra and Nat Kendall-Taylor
    On the Contrary
    Not always breaking news: Well-being in journalism
    Mar Cabra, a Pulitzer Prize–winning investigative journalist, and Nat Kendall-Taylor, CEO of communications think tank FrameWorks Institute, discuss how the stories we tell can balance truth and care.
    13 min read

    Expertise

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    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
    • close up shot of a spider web with water droplets against a red and yellow background--LLMs
    Technology
    The limits of AI in social change
    More actors—from grantmaking to service delivery—are exploring the use of AI. However, the excitement around scale and efficiency often overshadows a critical question: What does it mean to bring machine-generated abstraction into systems built on trust, context, and relationship?
    by Gautam John | 8 min read
    A hi-res image of a computer laptop and a Lego miniature figure holding the CTRL tab-technology for nonprofits.
    Technology
    Your burning tech questions, answered
    Three nonprofits share insights on what worked for them (and what didn't) as they navigated tough choices around tech.
    by Jasmine Bal, Derrek Xavier | 7 min read
    Colourful shawls lying on top of each other--funding
    Fundraising & Communications
    How to get funding for your organisation’s core costs
    Tweaks in language and systems could persuade donors to pay for costs not directly linked to specific programmes.
    by Girish Nair | 5 min read
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