May 29That voice in your ear? It’s Community.Establishing community as a pillar for moral decision making in East Africa — by Salim Kombo “A man who calls his kinsmen to a feast does not do so to save them from starving. They all have food in their own homes. When we gather together in the moonlit village ground it is not because of the moon. Every man can see it…Moral Foundations Theory6 min readMoral Foundations Theory6 min read
Apr 28Assembly line of successFrom the low-hanging fruit to long-term social change — by Jaspreet Singh, Ritika Divekar Imagine waking up one morning with a burning desire to bring about social change in the developing world (for some of us, all over again). How many ways can you think of doing this? Would you want to be a part of designing policies, starting…Social Change4 min readSocial Change4 min read
Mar 27Impact is an inclusive goal — Part 2.Research participants have the answers, you just need to listen. — by Joel Wambua, Krittika Gorur, Shalin Desai and Patrick S. Forscher The path to understanding is perilous. Marie Curie, for example, shared a Nobel Prize for pioneering work in developing a theory of radioactivity in 1903. It wasn’t until 1920 that she realized her own work was poisoning her and…Ethical Research4 min readEthical Research4 min read
Mar 20Impact is an inclusive goal — Part 1Working with pre-prints to increase access to research. — by Shalin Desai, Krittika Gorur, Joel Wambua and Patrick S. Forscher Whether it is increasing access to reliable information in the wake of a pandemic or ensuring more farmers use agricultural insurance, our ultimate aim is to make people’s lives better in real and tangible ways that matter to them…Impact4 min readImpact4 min read
Mar 13Can TV teach children comprehension?Learning to teach literacy with Ubongo — by Anushka Ghosh and Edel Koki The things we believe about something, whether true or untrue, define our approach towards it. In Europe, for example, the tomato was considered poisonous in the 1700s as it was believed that aristocrats got sick after eating them and died. …Education5 min readEducation5 min read
Mar 8The process is the outcome.Testing whether gendered processes create cultural distance for women in the workplace. — by Thommie Thompson and Anisha Singh Women’s day often brings with it a resurgence of disheartening statistics such as only 1% of venture capital in Africa has gone to female founders, women fill less than 20% of US tech jobs and only hold 14% of positions at board level. …Womens Day9 min readWomens Day9 min read
Mar 2Five priority health areas for the next Nigeria government — and how behavioral economics can help achieve themby Mohammed Alhaji, PhD Health is the base of every prosperous, economically productive nation yet it was not a prominent feature in the conversation leading up to the recent presidential election in Nigeria. Now, with campaigns largely behind us, the new leaders must set their priorities, setting forward the roadmap…Health5 min readHealth5 min read
Jan 16Speaking truthHow focus group discussions enrich communication campaigns — by Monica Kay and Alina Ojha Conversations have an interesting effect on your mood, your thought process, and even your behavior. If the discussions are engaging enough, you might offer your own words of wisdom and change someone else’s perspective. Conversation is a dance, but it’s also music. Our series…Low Cost Testing4 min readLow Cost Testing4 min read
Dec 20, 2022When the measure is broken the solution is wrong — Part 2.A project on intimate partner violence in Nairobi shows why choosing the right measure matters. — by Shalin Desai, Krittika Gorur, Joel Wambua and Patrick Forscher Measures enable us to estimate behavior change due to a particular intervention. In research settings, reliable and valid measures are a prerequisite to answer research questions and draw conclusions about the world. …Behavioral Science5 min readBehavioral Science5 min read
Dec 16, 2022When the measure is broken the solution is wrong — Part 1Building measures that are contextually relevant in India. — by Krittika Gorur , Shalin Desai, Joel Wambua and Patrick Forscher It is impossible to say whether or not an intervention works if we cannot measure it effectively. Measures enable us to estimate behavior change due to a particular intervention. If the measures are broken, then the process may be…Behavioral Science3 min readBehavioral Science3 min read
