People at OnionDev Technologies

Gram Vaani provides voice-based (multi – channel accessible) interactive media services to underserved populations in developing regions. Even poorly literate people are able to use the service through low-end mobile phones to access and share useful information which empowers them both economically and socially. Gram Vaani (Registered as OnionDev Technologies Pvt. Ltd.) is an Indian social technology enterprise with a mission to reverse the flow of information. We believe in developing and using appropriate technologies and people driven processes to build participatory media networks that can empower communities. Our Theory of Change has organically evolved from the ground up and is based on our experience of working in the rural Information, Communication and Technology space over the last seven years. Our Mobile Vaani platforms connect (through measurable ways) Corporate, Government Agencies, Non-Governmental Organizations, and Social Enterprises to their target groups not touched by other media channels. Over 150 social development organizations across 6 countries have used our platforms. Mobile Vaani is Gram Vaani’s answer to building a free social media platform equivalent to twitter for rural areas, accessible using a basic feature phone. For this, we built an intelligent IVR (interactive voice response) system that allows people to call a number and leave a message about their community or listen to messages left by others. Our flagship deployments operating in over 25+ districts across multiple states service over 100,000 monthly unique users engaging and discussing regularly on culture, local updates and announcements, government schemes and information sharing. Our users include people from marginal socio-economic groups from remote locations, including illiterate and semi iterate populace.