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\n \n \n On 25 September 2026, I attended Glific Connect 2026 at the Bangalore Gate Hotel, Bengaluru, with Arjun, representing Avni at an event for the first time. I was excited to learn about Glific and its NGO partners, learn from their experiences, understand how organisations are thinking about adopting technology and see if there are NGO partners for whom Avni can be useful and connecting with people working across the development sector.
\nThe event brought together NGO leaders, funders, foundation representatives, practitioners and technology partners. There were two main spaces: one for the conference sessions and another for the NGO showcase. It was encouraging to see people from different parts of the ecosystem come together to discuss what works, what does not, and what organisations need when they pilot and scale digital solutions.
\nOne thing I appreciated was how smoothly the day ran. The event started at 9:00 a.m., and the sessions followed the schedule, finishing on time.
\nWe set up the Avni stall alongside the Fractional CxO team of Project Tech4dev. We had an Avni standee, brochures, a feedback diary and a QR code visitors could scan to learn more about the platform. It felt good to represent Avni in person and talk to people about how it can support fieldwork, data collection and programme monitoring.
\nA lot of people visited the stall, looked through the materials and asked questions. I also visited other stalls to understand the work of different organisations. I met a couple of organisations already using Avni, including Durga India and People's Action for Development (PAD), and met the Glific, Dalgo and Tech4Dev teams in person for the first time. These conversations helped me see Avni as part of a wider ecosystem working to make technology useful for social impact.
\nThe opening and keynote conversations, including Rekha Koita's remarks from Koita Foundation, made me think about a simple question: before an NGO adopts a platform, what outcome is it hoping to achieve? The 'Voices from the Ground' session added to this perspective, with two implementing organisations sharing experiences of piloting and scaling technology.
\nTheir experiences reminded me that an authentic conversation with an NGO should begin with its programme goals, existing workflows and challenges. This is relevant to Avni too. Before discussing features, we need to understand what the organisation is trying to improve and whether a digital platform is the right fit.
\nThe panel on making conversational technology work at the last mile discussed adoption, cost, internal capability and sustainability. Technology is not successful just because it is available. Organisations need the right people, processes and support to use it consistently.
\nFor Avni, this is a reminder to understand the capacity of field teams, how they work on the ground, the support they need and whether the organisation can sustain the new process. A solution should fit the programme's reality, not just look good in a demonstration.
\nThe Glific 2.0 session introduced developments around WhatsApp-based engagement and forms. The wider discussions around conversational technology, chatbots and AI raised useful questions about relevance, language, trust and the kind of interaction that should be automated.
\nAvni and Glific have a different primary use case. Avni proves more useful when internet connectivity is absent or not reliable and a fieldwork programme management information system is required by NGOs. WhatsApp chatbots prove more useful when there is internet connectivity and either fieldworkers or beneficiaries face some repetitive questions. However, the underlying lesson is similar: digital tools should make work easier for the people using them. We should design around users' context and needs instead of expecting people to adjust to a system that does not fit their work.
\nI participated in the workshop 'Is a Chatbot Right for Your Programme?' Our group of six to seven people worked through a fictional case about Jeevan Sakhi and discussed whether a WhatsApp chatbot was the right response. We considered the problem, the volume of conversations, trust, ownership, sustainability and how success could be measured.
\n\n \n \n \n \n \n Scoring the use case together gave everyone a shared way to discuss the problem. We heard different viewpoints, questioned our assumptions and reached a more considered view as a group. The exercise showed me that a technology decision should not be made just because a tool is available. Sometimes the right next step is to address gaps in programme readiness, trust or ownership before building anything.
\nIn Anto's financial-planning workshop, we explored how an NGO can assess a technology investment. The discussion encouraged us to start with a real programme problem and then consider the organisation's budget, internal capacity, ownership and ability to sustain the solution. It also helped connect technology choices to the value they may create for programme delivery, operations, measurement and reporting.
\nFor Avni, this is useful when speaking with NGOs: we should explain not only what the platform can do but also how it relates to their programme priorities and what it may help them improve.
\nThe showcase gave me an opportunity to speak about Avni beyond online meetings and calls. Seeing people explore the platform and ask questions reminded me that introducing technology is only one part of the work. We also need to listen carefully, understand the problem behind each question and help organisations assess whether the platform fits their programme.
\nThis was my first event representing Avni, and I left with a broader understanding of the development sector and the way NGOs, funders and technology partners approach digitisation. I learnt that technology adoption is as much about people and organisational readiness as it is about software. In future conversations with NGOs, I want to ask better questions about programme outcomes, field workflows, data needs, follow-ups, reporting and the team's capacity to use a system. I also want to be more thoughtful about helping organisations understand the value of digitisation before moving into features or configuration. Glific Connect was exciting not only because I could represent Avni, but also because I met people doing different kinds of work across the sector. I came away with new connections, useful perspectives and a clearer sense of how we can make our conversations about technology more grounded in the realities of NGO programmes.What I will take back to my work
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