Hey! 👋
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!
no better way to make sambal — issue #63
Ever since I can remember, the first day of Syawal, or Hari Raya, was not complete without a steaming, spicy bowl of kuah chelok in my late grandmother’s house. The traditional tangy soup was closely linked to our Boyan heritage, a word derived from Bawean Island in East Java,
Carrying memory through kitchen tools
How is cooking a symbol of community, memory, and cultural expression? In this behind-the-scenes article, writer Taahira Ayoob and designer Griselda Gabriele walk us through their process of crafting our latest story on natural utensils in Tamil kitchens. This story is based on Taahira’s research trip to Sri Lanka,
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
Applying visual metaphors: How we visualised period poverty in Asia
This microstory came about when Singaporean period care company Blood launched its “Period-Positive Workplaces” movement in 2022. A communications agency had sent over a press release of the initiative, which included survey findings on period shaming at work. Having never experienced bullying or pressure of any kind related to my
Love, interrupted — issue #52
February means many things to us. For some, it’s a month of love which centres on that special day on the 14th. For others, it’s just another 29 days, each one not any more special than the other. For those of us who celebrate Chinese New Year, it’
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
Popping our bubble of convenience — issue #51
Last April, I met a Ukrainian journalist at the International Journalism Festival in Perugia, Italy. I thought my near-20 hours of commute to Rome was long, but she had travelled 24 hours to be there despite hailing from the same continent. What struck me was her steadfastness. Despite how disrupted
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
Boycotts: A call for connection — issue #50
Recent calls to boycott have got me thinking about how intricately connected we are to each other. Each day, I depend on my iPhone to get updates on what goes on in the world, and communicate with family and friends miles away. With digital media, I have easy access to