Turpentine, Not Theory: Frugal AI & SEO for Social Impact

Family First
Thank you to everyone who reached out with care and concern. I am happy to share that my mom is doing well, and the whole family is in good health. Your support means a lot to me.

This Week at ISDM: Clarity & Completion
This week at the Indian School of Development Management (ISDM) was defined by a deep dive into Intervention Design. It was a period of intense exchange, bringing a new level of clarity to the program structure.

A major milestone: I successfully designed and delivered the first AI curriculum. Seeing this come to life has been incredibly rewarding.

🪳 Field Notes: What We Can Learn from "Roaches"

This week, I joined 30 resilient founders in Ranthambore for the Roach Mafia retreat.

Why "Roach"? Because while the tech world chases "unicorns" (mythical valuations), this community values resilience, adaptation, and survival. These are traits that every social impact leader knows well.

There is a saying by Pablo Picasso that defines this group:

In the development sector, we often get stuck talking about "Theory of Change" (Form/Structure). But sometimes, we just need turpentine (the cheap, tactical tools that actually get the work done).

Here are the tools I picked up for you:

1. SEO: Make Your Content "Devour-Worthy"

We often write reports for donors, but in 2025, we are also writing for AI. If an AI can't read your impact report, it can't recommend your organization.

• The "Net New" Rule: Don't just repeat general data. Share your unique field insights. AI values "Net New Information" (data that only you have from the ground).

• Structure Matters: AI loves Tables and Markdown. Instead of a long narrative PDF, try publishing a clear comparison table of your intervention vs traditional methods.

• The "Alternative" Strategy: Want more visibility for $0? Write content that answers specific questions your partners are asking (e.g., "Top 5 Free Tools for Rural Education" instead of just "Our Education Program").

2. AI: From "Prompting" to "Context Engineering"

In development, we know that Context is King. A solution that works in Mumbai might fail in a rural village.

• AI Needs Context Too: "Prompt Engineering" is dead. The new skill is Context Engineering.

• The "Thinking Budget": Treat AI like a brilliant intern who knows nothing about your specific community. You must give it the full "Context" (the cultural nuances, the constraints, the local history) before asking for a solution.

• Markdown is the Sanskrit of AI: Feed your context to Claude or ChatGPT using Markdown formatting. It’s the precise language that helps AI understand the structure of your complex problems.

Mindset: The Path
The retreat reinforced my own nature as a individual. The "Roach" mindset (resilience over hype) mirrors the quiet work of the social sector.

Psychological growth and ancient wisdom point to the same truth: choose duty over comfort. My life stabilizes when I stop circling possibilities and simply accept the seat of responsibility.

To support this, I’ve locked in these non-negotiables:

• Fixed wake-up time: Mastering the morning.

• One act of leadership daily: Taking initiative, however small.

• Evening closure: Rest is as important as work.

Building systems, not just chasing goals.

What is your 'Turpentine'?
What is the one low-cost tool or habit that keeps your impact work running when resources are tight?

Reply to this email and let me know. I’d love to hear what's working for you in the field.

See you next week,
Nami 🌊

P.S. Tomorrow is my birthday! 🎂
I’m spending the day reflecting on the year past and the work ahead. If you found value in this newsletter today, I’d love a small birthday gift: just hit reply and say hello. Knowing that this writing helps you is the best present I could ask for.