On 14 August 2026, we spent a day in Ezhikkara Grama Panchayat with EQUINOCT, NPOC and the Lanka community. This is a note about what we saw. It is also a note about why the model EQUINOCT is running here is different from what usually gets built in the coastal resilience space, and why we think it is worth backing even where the extra effort shows.
We spent a week in Bihar, visiting Musahar tolas across three districts: Patna, Bhojpur, and Gaya. The Musahar are one of India’s most marginalised communities, classified as Mahadalits. We went to see the actual living conditions of the community, and to speak with the NGOs working alongside them, so we could think about how to help through those partners.
We use the word “public” often. This is a note on what we mean by it, and what we do not mean. Two versions of “public” circulate in the social sector, and they sit uncomfortably next to each other.