Here’s what I’ll be writing about

Hello! So do you already know about my newsletter? 🙂

It gives me much joy to tell you that it is nearly setup, enough for me to make a small humble start.

In my first post today, I’m simply going to tell you about TWO key ideas that I’m working on. Expect to see more on both in the coming weeks. Read on!

1. Vidarbha Diaries

My first set of writings, Vidarbha Diaries, will be based on the digital awareness workshops that I conducted while living and working in Nagpur. For the unfamiliar, Nagpur is the capital of a region called Vidarbha in central India.

As the lockdowns subsided, I designed and developed a 90-minute curriculum in local languages. Theme – how to stay safe in this digital world. With a small group of volunteers, I delivered several trainings across colleges, schools, slums and rural areas. Having trained over 1000 people through in-person sessions, I then trained a pool of 40 Master Trainers who continue to work on the ground today.

I simply refrained from writing or speaking about any of it in public.

But the truth is that all of it deserves to be seen and read by you!

Why, you ask?

These workshops in local languages were full of insights, not just for the participant groups, but for anyone willing to listen to them. Our tell-me-a-story approach towards technological topics helped ease common people into speaking out freely. Grassroots and Global have both been important to me, and this was a period of time that I was lucky to work simultaneously at both levels. It allowed me to bring out the best from everyone, and to demand the most from myself.

Through this series I want to highlight how the pandemic-induced technology adoption was received by the people that I met or trained or interacted with.

In summary,

Who is Vidarbha Diaries for?

• anyone interested in first-hand accounts of digital impact on people
• those curious about Vidarbh, which amongst many other things, is one of the most economically backward regions of the country
• anyone looking to read stories of common people – of how they use mobile devices, what problems they encounter and how they tackle them in limited resource conditions, given the altered realities of post-pandemic life

2. Development Decoded

I plan a series of writings titled Development Decoded to focus on how development sector is really using technology in it’s large-scale programs.

Be it Education, Livelihoods or Health, the landscape in international programming is changing drastically with funders and donors wanting to know how implementing agencies and local NGOs plan to use technology to address social problems.

While Vidarbha Diaries will bring in the grassroots and local aspects of people/communities, Development Decoded will play a complementary role, I hope, by trying to look at trends in the larger sector and the big picture.

Who is Development Decoded for?

• if you’re curious about or already working in the technology + non-profit space
• if you are a donor or a funding agency across any portfolio of programs
• readers, researchers, practitioners, community-activists or anyone interested in the broader field of ICT4D

Amongst other things…

• I’m looking for a suitable name for this newsletter. There is a shortlist under review. 🙂 If you would like to know about it or help me choose one, do get in touch. I would be delighted.
• I am learning a new language (not a programming language!) and enjoy devoting a few hours every day to grammar, syntax, phonetic and new sounds.
• Plenty of tinkering with my Kobo ereader is underway

Do subscribe to hear from me next week. I’m eager to know your thoughts, feedback or suggestions.

See you next week!

Janani