Posts by month
August 2015
My name is Richa and I recently joined the SocialCops team in a “Resident Entrepreneur” role. Seriously. I was told to create my own title when I joined, and so I did. Having worked as an associate at a consulting firm for two years conducting primary research and randomised controlled…
We Bet You Don’t Know Why the Indian Census Was Created
This post is the first post in our Decoding Open Data series. It provides context around the Census – how it was created, how it is conducted, and how it has developed over time. Read the other posts here: We Bet You Don’t Know Why the Indian Census Was Created, Why…
Expecting the Unexpected: My First Week in Business Development at SocialCops
Given my experience the last time I interned, it was no surprise I decided to come back to SocialCops. Unlike the first-day jitters when I entered in March 2014, I thought I knew the drill this time around. After all, there’s only so much a place can change in a…
What Does DLHS Show About India’s Health Data?
During an event, the founder of an NGO working with migrant labourers was asked how her approach to care had evolved over the years. In reply, she described how she used to give away high-quality personal care products without realising that they were not impacting the beneficiaries’ quality of life…
7 Scenarios of Data Use in the Development Sector
Who does data matter to in the development space, and how do those people use data? Though organizations and funders vary greatly, data can play a role in the decisions of all key actors in development funding and organizations. Data in Development Funding Funders keep the money flowing and programs running,…
Himsagar Fellowship Travelogue: Six States. Five Months. Solo Travel.
I remember sitting on what was then my first train journey on the Fellowship – the Mumbai-Delhi Rajdhani on the 4th of January 2015. Winter in Mumbai was at one extreme in comparison to the one that awaited me in Delhi. Anything below 20 degrees Celsius was unnatural for an inhabitant…