Testimonials 2024-25 | IT for Change Annual Reports

IT for Change’s work has been essential in advancing feminist and Global South approaches to platform regulation and information governance. I have been closely collaborating with them on numerous initiatives related to feminist social media governance and in shared spaces, such as the UN Internet Governance Forum's dynamic coalitions. I am consistently impressed by IT for Change’s political clarity, academic rigor, and unwavering commitment to digital justice. I deeply value their role in advocacy and shaping critical, intersectional frameworks for more democratic digital futures.

Yasmin Curzi

Professor, FGV Law School, Rio de Janeiro; Postdoctoral Research Associate, Karsh Institute of Democracy (University of Virginia); Co-coordinator, Dynamic Coalition on Platform Responsibility (UN IGF)

I have worked with IT for Change on numerous occasions, and most recently, we jointly collaborated on a project on gender justice and the platform economy. The project was extremely timely and carefully conceived. From developing regional workshops to putting together a high-level event at the UN CSW to finalizing the report, IT for Change displayed a high level of professionalism, and the cooperation went smoothly from the onset and throughout. Thanks to its unique network, IT for Change is not only able to bring relevant people together, but also ensures that the developed policy recommendations reach the target group. Their dedication to feminist transformative work in connection with digital justice is an exceptional approach and makes IT for Change an incomparable partner. Last but not least, IT for Change’s team is simply great, and it is enjoyable to work with all of them.

Katia Schnellecke

Policy Officer for International Gender Justice and Feminism · Berufserfahrung: Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung

My participation in the ‘National Gender Fellowship-2024’, convened by IT for Change, provided me with a unique opportunity to research issues related to women’s work in the platform economy. I deeply appreciated the guidance from my fellowship mentors and the freedom to design and position my research in response to evolving ground realities and conversations, as opposed to a predetermined fellowship agenda. Significantly, being part of a fellowship cohort was more than just a professional experience; it was a sense of belonging to a community of researchers committed to centering women’s rights amidst the challenges of platformization and digitalization. As an early-career researcher, the opportunity to build communities of mutual learning is immensely valuable for me.

Eesha Kunduri

Visiting Research Fellow, Hyderabad Urban Lab

When the information centre Sakhis (infomediaries) refer someone to me, I can act without hesitation. I know the person genuinely needs support and deserves it. Recently, a Sakhi referred a woman who had lost her husband two years prior. She was completely unaware of the pension and other benefits available to her. The Sakhi identified her during a field visit and brought her case to me. I processed her application immediately. The people the info centre identifies are often the most vulnerable—those who slip through administrative cracks and would otherwise remain unserved.
We are currently organizing a Pension Adalat covering 38 villages around Gavadagere. With the Sakhis’ helping us reach eligible beneficiaries, we can ensure support reaches those who truly need it. I value this partnership deeply.

Arun Kumar

Upa Tehsildar, Gavadagere Cluster, Mysore District

IT for Change is an excellent grantee partner in the Empowering Teachers Initiative (ETI), a global programme working to improve equitable access to quality professional development for teachers. Their research approach is robust yet flexible and highly sensitive to the multiple intersecting issues of inequality and exclusion for teachers in public schools. IT for Change researchers are highly committed to the wider ETI agenda and collaboration; their thought-provoking contributions resonate with ETI teams situated across the Global South and move forward our collective thinking and practice.

Freda Wolfenden

Country Research Lead for ETI; Professor of Education and International Development, The Open University, UK

We have had the opportunity to collaborate with IT for Change to implement the ICT Integrated Learning Program for our B.Ed student-teachers. The sessions conducted as part of this program have supported our students in learning how to use digital tools effectively and integrate technology into their teaching practices. Through the program, our student-teachers were introduced to a range of free and open-source resources and encouraged to create digital teaching materials related to their subject areas. The sessions also provided useful ideas on how technology can be meaningfully woven into classroom teaching to improve student engagement and learning outcomes. Importantly, the program helped student-teachers reflect critically on the role and impact of digital technology in education and society.

Sudha H R

Principal, Al Ameen College of Education, Bengaluru

The Kathe Khajane initiative by IT for Change has brought a refreshing change in classroom dynamics. Through engaging audio stories and thoughtfully designed activities, teachers are now able to capture children's attention and encourage active participation. I've observed a noticeable improvement in students’ listening and comprehension skills in our Urdu medium schools. The support provided to teachers, both in terms of training and classroom integration, has been commendable. It's heartening to see technology being used so meaningfully to support foundational language learning.

Sanjeeda Shumaila

Cluster Resource Person, Bengaluru North, Bengaluru

IT for Change is a truly singular organisation, thriving with talent and purpose. From making key UN and G20 interventions to powerfully recalibrating the global vision for Digital Public Infrastructure, this team is deeply committed, rigorous, creative, and values-led. It has been an immense privilege to collaborate closely with IT for Change in charting these domains and especially to be part of its transformative capacity-building program, the extraordinary Residential Institute on Frontiers and Frames for a New Digitality, a game-changer for digital justice.

Prof. Julia Powles

Director, UWA Tech & Policy Lab (2020-25); Executive Director, UCLA Institute for Technology, Law & Policy; Tech Policy Lead, UCLA DataX

Attending the Residential Institute on Frontiers and Frames for a New Digitality 2025, hosted by IT for Change, was my first stab at actually coherently understanding digital justice. IT for Change’s program wasn’t just about lectures—it was a crash course in why digital justice matters. I walked in thinking I’d learn about algorithms and data rights, but instead, I left with a new lens: How do we build a digital world that’s fair, equitable, and human?
The resource persons weren’t just experts; they were storytellers. They broke down complex ideas into relatable truths, like how AI isn’t neutral or how digital policies can either empower or exclude. The institute wasn't just a place of learning — it was a community.

Eqram Bin Mustaqeem

International Climate Policy Analyst, Third World Network

IT for Change has also been very forward-looking in cultivating new spaces for more critical inquiry into digital systems. I’d like to mention the Residential Institute for Frames and Frontiers for the New Digitality 2025. As a cohort member, I’ve seen firsthand how IT for Change creates spaces for diverse thinkers and practitioners from across the world—especially from the Global South—where we can collectively explore justice-oriented frameworks for digital futures.

Rachada B.

Researcher, Chulalongkorn University

The National Gender Fellowship with IT for Change has been an experience of critical reflection and learning for me. Over the past year, the fellowship provided brilliant mentorship both online and in-person during the Bengaluru institute, offering learnings on the varied aspects of digital transformation in women's everyday lives, especially in my own paper on ASHA workers. The fellowship not only gave me intellectual support but also practical resources, a stipend, and other provisions allowing me time and space to carry out my field work and write my paper with ease. Most importantly, I felt part of a brilliant community, committed to feminist and social justice research where my individual identity was given space, my questions heard and engaged with seriously.

Sadaf Masoodi

Researcher, University of Kashmir

Many women in my village wanted to learn tailoring, but no trainers would travel to our remote area. Savita—the Sakhi from our women-led information centre—found a local solution: me. Eager to share my skills, I joined the JSS training institute as a trainer, teaching tailoring and embroidery. Savita played a crucial role in identifying women who needed livelihood opportunities and ensuring their enrollment. Without her persistent efforts in connecting the right information to the right people, many of these women would never have learned about the program.
Over the past year, I have trained nearly 200 women across four villages. Today, I can say with pride that most of the women I've trained are actively using their skills—whether stitching for their families or earning an independent income. Some have even started small tailoring businesses from their homes.

Annapoorna

Skill Training Instructor, JSS Jan Shikshan Kendra

I have visited schools to see how the Kishori Club intervention is on the ground. I have interacted with adolescent girls. They were articulate, confident, and could answer my questions regarding the Kishori Club curriculum. I observed that they do not hesitate to speak. Isn't this what we call adolescent empowerment? Please do not stop your intervention and continue your work in our district, covering all the schools.

Jayanti

Senior Lecturer, District Institute for Educational Training, Mysuru

Since 2023-24, the English Cell at DSERT has been partnering with IT for Change to strengthen language learning in government primary schools. This partnership has supported the Alur Venkatarao Language Skills Centres in the four CTEs of Karnataka, on audio story resource creation and publishing, story-based pedagogy, teacher professional development, and classroom-based research. Our partnership has also enabled us to conduct a state-wide research study on the challenges of language teaching and the needs of language teachers in government schools.
The IT for Change team has brought academic rigor and commitment to the work, which is having a meaningful impact on the ground. We look forward to continued collaboration in the coming years”.

Indira CS

Senior Assistant Director, DSERT, Karnataka

The JLEAP (Jharkhand Language Enrichment and Application Program) program, supported by IT for Change, has been a powerful initiative in strengthening foundational learning, especially listening skills, among pre-primary children. Recognizing that listening is more critical than speaking in early years, we developed over 20+ audio stories in local languages, enriched with sound effects to engage young learners. A key achievement was the capacity building of 10 CInI team members in story writing, audio recording, and editing. This not only enhanced the quality of learning materials but also strengthened CInI’s internal resource pool, enabling us to create contextually relevant and sustainable educational content for rural communities.

Mamura Khan

Area Manager, Jharkhand; Collectives for Integrated Livelihood Initiatives (CInI), Tata Trusts

Testimonials