No items found.
Scaling Impact
Systems Thinking
Technology
20230601
Case Study
Rural Development & Agriculture
,
Dhwani Rural Information Systems: Bridging the Technological Divide

This case study explores the journey of Dhwani Rural Information Systems, a social enterprise founded in 2012 by engineers Sunandan Madan and Swapnil Aggarwal. Focused on integrating technology into social sector organisations without disrupting their core functions, Dhwani has identified and standardised solutions for common technology challenges. The case highlights the need for a hybrid culture balancing development and technology, addressing challenges in talent sourcing, retention, and learning. With over 120 employees and 50+ projects, Dhwani’s experience offers insights for practitioners and researchers on building resilient, mission-driven social enterprises in competition with private sector talent demands.
Related Resources

In Sector
An Urgent Call for Digital Literacy
Scaling Impact
Read More

In Sector
Why India needs to start washing its hands more
Scaling Impact
Read More

In Sector
Double trouble: Why India urgently needs policies to address the challenges of bothits youth, and elderly population
Scaling Impact
Read More

In Sector
Crash Course in Reality: The Road Safety Crisis
Scaling Impact
Read More

Development Management in Practice
A practitioner-built compendium of what development management looks like when it leaves the classroom.
People & Leadership
Technology
Learning & Knowledge
Read More

In Sector
Pune and Mumbai Summary Report: Systems Convening for Philanthropy for Inclusive Development
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
Summary Report: Systems Convening for Philanthropy for Inclusive Development.
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
Fellowship Report Compendium 2024: Driving Social Impact through Innovative Finance Approaches
A year of fellow-led inquiry into how innovative finance is reshaping social impact in India.
Finance
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
Unleashing the Power of Philanthropy for Inclusive Development
What Indian philanthropy could do if it stopped being cautious about who development is really for.
Finance
Partnerships
Fundraising
Read More

In Sector
Outcomes Readiness Framework
People & Leadership
Learning & Knowledge
Scaling Impact
Read More

In Sector
Impact or Illusion: Current Practices and Challenges to Impact Measurement
Operations
Scaling Impact
Read More

In Sector
The framing of sustainability by different stakeholder groups in India: Perspectives, consequences and implications
How different actors in India define sustainability — and why those definitions don't add up.
Scaling Impact
Read More

In Sector
Culture Sustainability through Storytelling: A Study of Patricia Riley’s “Wisteria” and “Damping Down the Road”
A literary lens on how stories carry — and sometimes save — the cultures they come from.
Systems Thinking
Scaling Impact
Read More

In Sector
What AI Thinks About Sustainability
Technology
Read More

In Sector
Strengthening Governance, Deepening Impact
A case study on how stronger governance translates, eventually, into stronger work on the ground.
Finance
Scaling Impact
Read More

In Sector
From Chikankari to Kalamkari: How ‘Slow Fashion’ Contributes To Sustainability
Scaling Impact
Read More

Impact Assessment and Evaluation Guide
Scaling Impact
Read More

In Sector
Outcomes Readiness Tool
A diagnostic that tells you whether your organisation is actually ready to deliver on outcomes.
Operations
Technology
Read More

In Sector
Impact Assessment & Evaluation Guide
A working guide to assessing impact without flattening what actually changed on the ground.
Governance
Operations
Scaling Impact
Read More

In Sector
WoB-Governance Article Published
Finance
Scaling Impact
Read More

In Sector
Bolstering Gender Equity on Boards of Non Profits
Finance
Scaling Impact
Read More

In Sector
First Cohort of Women on Boards Program for Senior Women Leaders by ISDM Concludes
Finance
Scaling Impact
Read More

In Sector
ISDM Completes the First Batch of Women on Boards (WOB) Program for Senior Women Leaders from Corporate World to Join Boards of Social Sector Organisations
Finance
Scaling Impact
Read More

In Sector
AI for Good: Strengthening SPOs through Data and Responsible AI Innovation
Technology
Read More

In Sector
Tech for Good: Leveraging open data to advance the SDGs
Technology
Read More

In Sector
Data analytics: The key to improving education outcomes
Systems Thinking
Technology
Read More

In Sector
State of the Sector: A Report on the Data Maturity of Social Purpose Organisations in India
The first comprehensive picture of where Indian social organisations actually sit on the data curve.
Operations
Learning & Knowledge
Technology
Read More

In Sector
Data Maturity Assessment (DMA)
Learning & Knowledge
Systems Thinking
Technology
Read More

In Sector
Ask, and they receive
Learning & Knowledge
Scaling Impact
Technology
Read More

In Sector
Data Quality Review
Technology
Read More

In Sector
Development Impact Bonds support quality education in India
Finance
Scaling Impact
Read More

In Sector
Blended finance in the SDG Era
Governance
Finance
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
Blended Finance in the Private Sector Context
Finance
Partnerships
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
Better Finance Better World
Finance
Partnerships
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
Data Preparation, Enrichment, and Performance
Technology
Read More

In Sector
Recommended Practices for Data Management and Quality
Technology
Read More

In Sector
Defining an Ecosystem for Social Finance
Systems Thinking
Read More
.avif)
In Sector
Developing Tools and Evidence to Deliver Prosperity Evaluating the World's First Development Impact Bond in the Education Sector
Scaling Impact
Read More
.avif)
In Sector
Defining and Conceptualizing Impact Investing: Attractive Nuisance or Catalyst?
Scaling Impact
Read More
.avif)
In Sector
Conversations About Measurement and Evaluation in Impact Investing
Scaling Impact
Read More

In Sector
Examining the Promise and Challenges of Blended Finance for Social Impact
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
Impact Investing: Roots & Branches
Scaling Impact
Read More

In Sector
Social Finance -leveraging Crypto Assets in India
Technology
Read More

In Sector
Blended Finance for Development -bridging the Sustainable Development Finance Gap
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
Delineating Social Finance
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
Blended Finance and Its Potential for Development Cooperation
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
Developing an Ecosystem of Social Finance: Québec’s Experience
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
Blended Finance in Action in Asia
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
Base Alternatives and the Paradigm of Impact Investing Development in the Coordinates of Globalisation Changes and Euro Integration
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
Fixing Fictions Through Blended Finance: the Entrepreneurial Ensemble and Risk Interpretation in the Blue Economy
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
The Geographies of Social Finance: Poverty Regulation Through the ‘invisible Heart’ of Markets
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
Assessing Mission Drift at Venture Capital Impact Investors
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
Increasing Positive Climate Impact by Combining Anti Consumption and Consumption Changes with Impact Investing
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
The Architecture of Social Finance
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
Annual Reports: Dfi Working Group on Blended Concessional Finance for Private Sector Projects
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
The Allure of Finance: Social Impact Investing and the Challenges of Assetization in Financialised Capitalism
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
Integrating the Social Dimension in Climate Transition Under G20’s Sustainable Finance Working Group
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
The 'stuff' of Markets: an Institutional Analysis of Impact Investing
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
Alternative to Private Finance of the Welfare State: a Global Analysis of Social Impact Bond, Pay-for-success and Development Impact Bond Projects
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
Social Finance as Cultural Evolution, Transmission Bias, and Market Dynamics
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
Sustainable Investing : Shaping the Future of Finance
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
Social Finance
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
The Mythology of the Social Impact Bond. a Critical Assessment From a Concerned Observer
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
A Theory of Social Impact Bonds
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
Social and Economic Development
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
Sustainable Investing -revolutions in Theory and Practice
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
The Promise of Impact Investing
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
Sdg Costing and Financing for Low Income Developing Countries
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
A Theory of Social Finance
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
Sustainable Finance
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
Results-based Financing
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
The Spaces of Social Finance: Poverty Regulation Through the "invisible Heart" of Markets
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
Regional Differences in Impact Investment: a Theory of Impact Investing Ecosystems
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
A Proposed Framework to Analyse the Impact Investing Ecosystem in a Cross-country Perspective
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
Sustainable Asset Valuation (savi) of Senegal’s Saloum Delta
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
Performance of Impact Investing: a Value Creation Approach
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
The Structuring of Social Finance
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
Socially Responsible/impact Investing: Theoretical and Empirical Issues
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
Of Principle and Principal: Value Plurality in the Market of Impact Investing
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
Narratives of Promise, Narratives of Caution: a Review of the Literature on Social Impact Bonds
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
Social Outcomes Contracts & System Strengthening: a Conceptual Framework
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
Towards a Global Framework for Impact Investing
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
A Literature Review About the Landscape of Social Finance
Systems Thinking
Read More

In Sector
Impact Investing in Disadvantaged Urban Areas
Scaling Impact
Read More

In Sector
Impact Investing at the Base of the Pyramid: Unitus Seed Fund
Scaling Impact
Read More

In Sector
Impact Investing as a "basic Innovation" for the Global Economy and Finance System Post-crisis Transformation
Scaling Impact
Read More

In Sector
Lessons From a Development Impact Bond
Scaling Impact
Read More

In Sector
Impact Investing: Transforming How We Make Money While Making a Difference
Scaling Impact
Read More

In Sector
Innovations: Technology, Governance, Globalisation
Scaling Impact
Read More

In Sector
Impact Investing and Sustainable Market Transformations: the Role of Venture Capital Funds
Scaling Impact
Read More

In Sector
Impact Investing: Harnessing Capital Markets to Solve Problems at Scale
Scaling Impact
Read More

In Sector
Impact Investing and Inclusive Business Development in Africa: a Research Agenda
Scaling Impact
Read More

In Sector
Effectiveness of Impact-investing at the Base of the Pyramid: an Empirical Study From India
Scaling Impact
Read More

In Sector
HOW WILL WATER MANAGEMENT LOOK IN 2030 USING DATA ANALYTICS?
Operations
Systems Thinking
Technology
Read More

In Sector
How Is Data Science Being Used to Tackle the Global Problem of Clean Water?
Operations
Systems Thinking
Technology
Read More

In Sector
How Data Science is Reshaping Health Care
Operations
Systems Thinking
Technology
Read More

In Sector
Competing on Talent Analytics
Technology
Read More

In Sector
Social Finance: a Primer
Scaling Impact
Read More

In Sector
Data Analytics in the Electricity Sector
Technology
Read More

In Sector
Can Data Science Help Develop Clean and Renewable Energy?
Technology
Read More