Nearly a year ago, as I stood at the cusp of my corporate career, I was passionate and determined to contribute to the social sector. I joined Social Lens as a starry eyed analyst in the impact vertical, and little did I know that over the course of the next few months, I would be a changed person. My journey at Social Lens has been filled with immense learning and enriching experiences. My role as an analyst allowed me to perform multiple, diverse roles and responsibilities. From deep diving into intensive secondary research to creating LFAs and theories of change to conducting primary data collection through interviews and FGDs to analysing data to writing comprehensive impact assessment reports- over the course of the past one year, I had the opportunity to be involved and meaningfully contribute at every stage of an impact project.
Every component of conducting an impact assignment, has had its profound moments, helping me realise why we do, what we do in the social impact domain! While conducting secondary research on an assessment framework, I gained insights on the importance of measuring behaviour change; while conducting interviews of various stakeholders of a project, I gained valuable insights into on-ground realities; while analysing data, I gained evidence-driven insights across sectors such as education, health, WaSH and livelihood; while writing an impact report, I learnt to bring to the forefront untold narratives from the ground.
Working in the impact vertical required me to learn, unlearn and relearn. Our work in the impact vertical is evidence-informed, guided by empathy and sensitivity and a relentless commitment to bring to light the outcomes and impact of various development projects. Being a part of the impact vertical has allowed me to follow my passion, do work that I love and fuel my purpose. While no two days at Impact are the same, amidst the tight deadlines and multiple project stages, everyday brings with it new avenues of learning and opportunities to contribute to the social impact space!
