WHO WE ARE

We are a hub of researchers and storytellers, innovators and collaborators, creative problem solvers and practitioners. Our team is as diverse and inclusive as the communities we serve.

Together, we are OTHERwise: A social enterprise that conducts research, evaluates programs, and delivers strategic advisory services in fragile and data-scarce contexts. We partner with governments, international organisations, civil society, communities, and the private sector to generate evidence that informs action. Our work strengthens local capacity and amplifies community voices to advance equitable and sustainable progress worldwide.

WHAT WE DO

We help clients make better decisions by grounding evidence in the realities of the people they serve.

We work where systems are strained, data is scarce, and lived experience matters most, bringing together field-rooted research and cross-disciplinary insight. Whether shaping strategy, designing programs, or informing policy, we deliver evidence that is rigorous, responsible, and radically useful in humanitarian and development contexts.

But that’s only part of what we do.

We nurture the next generation of researchers, building critical skills, fostering a supportive learning environment, and providing the means to knowledge workers to make a living, helping people thrive in places where research is too often extractive and transactional.

We invest in bridging digital and knowledge divides between global South and North, so evidence isn’t just gathered, but it is co-created, diffused and acted on. And we work alongside communities, not just to document their realities, but to help them understand and shape the decisions that affect their lives.

Our work doesn't stop at the final report.

Research is our means to build community, strengthen connection, and shift power toward more just and grounded ways of knowing and acting.

OUR VISION

We envision a future where knowledge is a global public good, and where inclusive, ethical, and accountable research drives decision-making that truly serves both people and the planet.

We work at the intersection of science and community, bridging the gap between research and practice, and aim to:

- Integrate scientific and locally rooted knowledge systems
- Advance research inquiry for social change
- Redistribute knowledge equitably
- Empower communities to shape the decisions that affect their lives

OUR MISSION

Our mission is to make a difference - however incremental - through research grounded in care: for data integrity, our team’s wellbeing, and the communities we serve.

We commit to:

1. Creating a supportive research environment where our teams can thrive.
2. Democratizing knowledge by equipping underserved communities with the tools and knowledge to generate and use evidence.
3. Partnering across sectors to inform development through grounded, actionable insight.

OUR PRINCIPLES

Candor & Clarity

We communicate openly and honestly, even when issues are complex or challenging. We prioritize clarity in our findings so that decision-makers can act with confidence.

Care & Collaboration

We cultivate trust with our partners and participants through empathy, humility, and deep respect for lived experience. Collaboration—across disciplines, borders, and perspectives—is at the heart of our practice.

Competence & Conscientiousness

We never stop learning. Our teams combine academic rigor with operational agility, delivering research that is methodologically sound and ethically grounded.

Creativity & Curiosity

We approach problems with curiosity and creativity, pushing the boundaries of conventional research to design adaptive, locally relevant solutions.

Courage & Consistency

We uphold the highest standards in evidence generation, even under pressure. From insecure settings to politically sensitive topics, we conduct our work with integrity and resilience.

OUR VALUES IN ACTION

We are a social enterprise

We reinvest in the communities we work with, and the causes we care deeply about. Each year, we dedicate a portion of our profits to directly support initiatives aligned with our mission to strengthen locally-grounded knowledge systems.

For 2025-26, our focus is education in South Sudan

With over 2.8 million children out of school and less than 10% of girls completing primary education, South Sudan has one of the world’s lowest education indicators. In response, we commit to go beyond research: Investing in local initiatives that expand access, strengthen learning environments, and support communities to shape their own educational futures.

Share our values?

Join our team

Evidence-based research, evaluation, and capacity building in fragile contexts.

OUR GLOBAL FOOTPRINT

OUR PARTNERS

CO-CREATED FROM THE GROUND UP

REFERENCES

What our partners say about working with us

World Vision

Despite difficult conditions, including security risks, logistical hurdles, and shifting security dynamics, OTHERwise showed adaptability, clarity of focus, and a high level of professionalism. They brought innovative thinking to a complex research project, maintained open and responsive communication, and delivered all outputs on time and to an exceptional standard. The final report is already shaping our strategic programming and was shared at a major donor evidence workshop.

‘Relief, Recovery and Resilience: A study of World Vision Nexus Programming in Northern Bahr el Ghazal, South Sudan’.

Solidarités International

We highly recommend OTHERwise Research for their outstanding work. The team was professional, detail-oriented and showed andstrong contextual awareness. The research design was inclusive and prioritized community voices, especially those of marginalised groups. They navigated the challenging operational environment in Upper Nile with ease, maintained consistent communication, and delivered actionable, high-quality insights on time allowing us to engage donors in a timely manner..

‘Final evaluation: “Supporting Community Resilience and Non-Violent Conflict Management in Conflict and Flood Affected Areas of Upper Nile, South Sudan’.

IFRC

OTHERwise conducted the final evaluation of the Red Ready program, covering nine Asia-Pacific countries. They applied a multi-method qualitative approach, blending Outcomes Harvesting, Most Significant Change, with stakeholder interviews and group discussions. Despite the complexities of a fully remote setup, they delivered a comprehensive final report, rife with actionable insights on localization, partnership-building, and institutional readiness that will directly inform IFRC’s preparedness strategies.”

‘Final evaluation for the ‘Red Ready’ program in Indonesia, Lao, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam’.