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Welcome to Kawan—our vibrant community of data heads and storytellers. We’re all about improving data literacy and sharing nuanced stories about Asia. Come hang!
The colours of girlhood — issue #53
Back in primary school, girls in my class used to circulate a dog-eared paperback copy of Judy Blume’s “Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret”, giggling excitedly to the next person in line. I have fond memories of reading about 12-year-old Margaret’s adolescent adventures: getting her period
How media workers can be more gender-sensitive
In October 2023, I had the opportunity to participate in a gender-sensitive reporting workshop with some amazing journalists, media workers, and NGO representatives from five Southeast Asian countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines). It was organised by Public Media Alliance (PMA), a global association of public service media
Dataviz in Asia (March 24')
For this month’s Dataviz in Asia, we’re highlighting works by two of our favourite female data viz practitioners. Shirley Wu and Gurman Bhatia both use data to amplify the contributions of women in the arts and entertainment industries. We’re self-professed patrons of the arts here at Kontinentalist
How we talked about sex (ed), baby
We share our process of creating a microstory about the evolution of sex education policy in Singapore over the past two decades, shedding light on its pivotal role in shaping the nation's attitude towards sexuality—and vice versa. We delve into how we collated and analysed over 200
Dataviz in Asia (Feb 24')
Love is in the air this month, and data’s capturing every moment of it. For this issue of Dataviz in Asia, let’s look at all the creative ways that people are telling their stories of love through data visualisations. First, let's explore the epic love triangle
Love in Singapore: When the third-party is the state
There is a longstanding quirk associated with getting married in Singapore. Instead of proposing to their partner, a Singaporean might ask, “Wanna get BTO?” This entails applying for a public Built-To-Order (BTO) flat under the government’s Fiancè/Fiancèe scheme. It’s a balloting process, as BTOs are highly subsidised
Meet the Community: JP Campos
JP Campos is the founder of Media Commoner, otherwise known as Commoner, a social media-first independent media organisation based in the Philippines. He is also a Multimedia Executive Producer at Provill Studios, a Manila-based film production agency. Amidst a transformative year, JP contemplates the evolving responsibilities of storytellers in the
The stories behind the missing: Reporting on enforced disappearances in Balochistan
Our latest piece, written by freelance journalist Somaiyah Hafeez, highlights the silent epidemic of enforced disappearances in Balochistan. A stealthy, routine occurrence across Pakistan, disappearances are particularly rife in the country’s marginalised province. In this inside look at the story, Somaiyah shares her experiences covering this issue as a
Dataviz in Asia (Jan 24')
Asia has a long history of impactful political and protest movements, a legacy that continues to unfold today. As we navigate through 2024, the biggest election year yet with at least 64 countries set to cast their votes, this month’s Dataviz in Asia spotlights data stories that are helping
Dataviz in Asia (Nov 23')
This month in Dataviz in Asia, we're diving into stories that show us how data visualisations are powerful mediums used to tell important environmental stories in Asia. Our first highlight is an infographic by Ganesh B Varakale for India In Pixels, spotlighting the alarming levels of untreated sewage
Girlmossing 101: A Beginner’s Guide
The term “girlmossing” may have surfaced on the internet just a couple of years ago, but I’ve been embracing this lifestyle long before it had a name. Girlmossing, which is a play on the word “girlbossing”, refers to women making intentional time and space for rest, joy, and self
What role does data play in death?
Over the past few weeks, I’ve seen my social media feeds and television screens flooded with rapidly rising death tolls as a result of the heavy bombardment in Palestine, notably being one of deadliest years since 2005 for those living in the West Bank. As of today, over 8,
Meet the Community: Patchar Duangklad (Fai)
Patchar Duangklad (Fai) is the co-founder and business developer at Punch Up, a Bangkok-based data storytelling studio that creates meaningful conversations with data, design, and stories. Coming from a background in public policy and media, Fai shares her journey in setting up Punch Up, as well as WeVis, a civic
