My blog

The Impact Sourcing Industry aligns perfectly well with the conviction to promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all, which is Goal 8 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.  One of the main challenges in this line of business is to recruit, train and sustain employees. With limited access to education in rural areas, many times, these employees are assigned work that they have no prior exposure or knowledge. Hence, it is crucial to provide a good foundation of skills to train specifically for each job role at a later stage. With ten years of experience in the Impact Sourcing Industry,…

Outsourcing used to be a dirty word. The practice called to mind an image of employees on the other side of the world working in cramped conditions for little pay, and of businesses who prioritized cost-cutting measures over employee welfare. However, over the last decade the practice of outsourcing, and the world of work at-large have changed. The call-center model of the early 2000s has been largely replaced by one of complex, digital microwork. And the welfare of sourced employees is an increasingly important consideration for buyers and suppliers alike. Impact sourcing has risen in popularity by marrying impact for workers with returns for businesses. And in the aftermath of…

Our Girls Who Code Clubs program is an intervention that helps us reach kids in govt schools beyond technical skills, and go deep into areas like personality development and gender issues. We decided to launch the #LearnFromHome campaign to help our kids stay on track even while at home. When the whole world was busy adjusting to WFH as the new norm, we were trying hard to make the transition smooth for kids, who have also had to adapt to a remote learning situation. In collaboration with our partner @girlswhocode we created an activity packet that entails a combination of tech and personality based skills that we will continue to…

Though the acceleration of technology penetration – accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic –  has taken place across many sectors, there are some areas in which the digital divide has been felt most acutely. Here are three examples: Education As schools, colleges and universities shuttered at the start of the nationwide lockdown, many parents and students found their  usual in-class learning taking place primarily at home.  Educational technology, or edtech, has long been seen as the future for a country in which education is largely viewed as a pathway to self-improvement. While India saw the launch of 4,450 edtech startups from 2014 to 2019, COVID-19 proved to be an accelerant for…

These four individuals and organizations throughout different sectors of Indian society are stepping up to #DoingTheRightThing in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic     Individual: Barkha Dutt When COVID-19 started spreading around India in mid-March, Barkha Dutt and her four-person team were called to act and investigate the emerging crisis. Over the last 86 days, the journalist and author has been on the road, travelling to ten different states across India to cover the impacts of the nationwide lockdown and the humanitarian  crisis of stranded migrant workers. Dutt’s on-ground reports, posted on Twitter and her independent YouTube news outlet, Mojo Story, called attention to the widespread struggles of low-income…

Over the last three months, many of us have felt the increased penetration of technology in our daily lives. In-person meetings have been replaced with video conference calls. Children’s lessons are now carried out through some combination of online learning, Whatsapp groups and phone calls. Social media networks have become more vital than ever to stay in touch with loved ones both near and far. Though the role of technology in our daily lives has been increasing steadily over the past decade, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated this transformation to an unprecedented pace. According to Microsoft, the number of users utilizing its online software for collaboration climbed nearly 40% in a…

“Working from home made me realize how important regular and honest communication is, both with colleagues and family members. I can recommend to everyone to clarify doubts and misunderstandings quickly then it is easier to move forward. I am grateful for being able to spend more time with my family.” – Keerthi “Now I can value our good living conditions and hygienic standards. I am glad that we are able to make sure to follow the rules and regulations given by the government to avoid spreading of the virus.” – Hemima “I am very grateful to have my family around, especially in these challenging times. For me it is very…

As COVID-19 ravages cities and towns across India, millions suffer in silence from high levels of stress, anxiety, depression and other severe mental health issues COVID-19 is undoubtedly the health crisis of our time. But while much attention has been paid to the virus’ physical health impacts and the economic toll of the nationwide lockdown, another crisis has been quietly spreading under the surface: that of poor mental health. Mental health helplines operated by government and NGOs have recently received a deluge of calls, with individuals reporting high levels of anxiety, stress and depression. A study released by the Indian Psychiatry Society on March 25, revealed a 20% increase in…

India has undoubtedly grown into an important force in the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry. BPOs are the fastest growing segment in India’s Information Technology Enabled Services sector, credited to the easy availability of a large pool of skilled workforce. According to a NASSCOM study, the BPO sector in India achieved a 54 per cent growth in 2003-04, and created job opportunities for 74,000 personnel in the same year. While BPOs are traditionally associated with low-tech services, the growing number of AI companies have driven BPOs across the globe to adapt and transform the services they provide. Leading BPOs now provide the human input for millions of images, videos, and…

Hi Everyone, I hope all of you and your loved ones are staying safe and healthy. It would be an understatement to say that these last few weeks have been a disruption to work and life as we know it. And there is still so much uncertainty everywhere – across countries and the worldwide economy. During these testing times, I wanted to reach out and connect with you –  share what we have been up to and why I remain hopeful for the future. At IndiVillage it is definitely not business as usual for us. These past few weeks have been focussed on how to best protect and support our…