The Elusive Model of Technology, Media, Social Development, and Financial Sustainability

TL;DR

This paper recounts the decade-long journey of Gram Vaani, a social enterprise developing ICTs for participatory media in rural areas, highlighting strategic pivots and the ongoing challenge of achieving financial sustainability.

Contribution

It provides insights into the strategic adaptations and challenges faced by social enterprises like Gram Vaani in balancing social impact with financial sustainability.

Findings

Strategic pivots were necessary for Gram Vaani's survival.

Achieving a robust financial sustainability model remains elusive.

All enterprises should have an ethical foundation regardless of their type.

Abstract

We recount in this essay the decade-long story of Gram Vaani, a social enterprise with a vision to build appropriate ICTs (Information and Communication Technologies) for participatory media in rural and low-income settings, to bring about social development and community empowerment. Other social enterprises will relate to the learning gained and the strategic pivots that Gram Vaani had to undertake to survive and deliver on its mission, while searching for a robust financial sustainability model. While we believe the ideal model still remains elusive, we conclude this essay with an open question about the reason to differentiate between different kinds of enterprises - commercial or social, for-profit or not-for-profit - and argue that all enterprises should have an ethical underpinning to their work.