Job Location: Wardha, Maharashtra
Internship Duration: 3 Months
About The/Nudge:
The/Nudge is an action institute building resilient livelihoods to alleviate poverty. We work with women, farmers, tribals and youth on rural development, agriculture, skilling and economic inclusion, along with 15+ central and state government partners. Our economic inclusion journey for 25 million Indians, has reached 10 states with $250M of government funding to cover 1.25M people. Our incubator, accelerator and grand challenges have supported 200+ social entrepreneurs including 17 Forbes 30U30, 3 EarthShot Prize winners, 1 Time Magazine cover and more.
Set up with support from 90+ eminent philanthropists , 40+ corporates and 15+ foundations including Gates, Mackenzie Scott, Vinod Khosla, Nandan Nilekani, Tata Trusts, Skoll, Meta, LinkedIn, HDFC, Mphasis, KPMG and L'Oreal, we are contributing towards a "poverty-free India, within our lifetime". About the Insight Program :
Who are we solving for?
We are solving for millions of adults in India, especially in rural communities, living with uncorrected presbyopia, a near-vision impairment affecting 1 in 3 people over 30. Without timely access to simple solutions like reading glasses, they face barriers to work and income, despite evidence showing such interventions can boost productivity by 34% and income by 20%.
What are we solving for?
Millions in India experience uncorrected presbyopia, a near-vision impairment affecting one in three people over 30, with cases now appearing as early as 35. Globally, presbyopia is the most common cause of vision impairment, impacting over 800 million people. In India alone, 300 million people live with this condition, contributing to $14 billion in lost productivity each year.
For many, especially in rural communities, clear near vision is essential for work and daily activities. Without access to timely solutions, individuals may face challenges in earning a livelihood. However, studies from Assam and Bangladesh show that a simple intervention—reading glasses—can increase productivity by 34% and boost income by 20%.
Despite the clear benefits, several factors have made it difficult for people to access reading glasses at scale:
With only one trained optometrist per 180,000 people, access to professional eye care remains a challenge in many areas.
Many individuals aren’t aware that their near-vision difficulties can be easily corrected, and some hesitate to wear glasses due to social and cultural perceptions.
Bringing reading glasses to remote and rural areas requires innovative and community-driven approaches to ensure affordability and reach.
Through InSight Program, The/Nudge Institute is collaborating with central and state governments to make India presbyopia-free using a community-led model. What will you do:
About the Role:
The intern will support the State Project Management Unit (SPMU) in Wardha in implementing the InSight Program in collaboration with the Government of Maharashtra. The role will focus on coordination, documentation, field support, and basic program tracking to ensure smooth execution of screening and distribution of near-vision glasses.
This is a learning-oriented role designed for individuals interested in rural development and government partnerships.
Key Responsibilities:
- Support State Leads in day-to-day program coordination activities
- Assist in tracking implementation of project activities as per the Project Implementation Plan (PIP) and Standard Operating Procedures (SoP)
- Coordinate with district and block-level teams for follow-ups and data collection
- Provide logistical and coordination support for training sessions and capacity-building activities
- Assist in organizing district or regional-level meetings and events
- Support documentation of field visits, meetings, and program updates
- Help with data entry, compilation, and basic reporting
- Support monitoring and evaluation activities through data collection and verification
- Assist during official visits and stakeholder meetings as required
- Maintain organized records of program documents and reports
Learning Opportunities:
- Exposure to government program implementation at the state and district level
- Hands-on experience in community-led models
- Experience in stakeholder coordination and field operations
- Practical exposure to monitoring, reporting, and documentation processes
Who are we looking for in this role ?
- Graduate or final-year student in Rural Development, Rural Management, Public Health, Social Work, Development Studies, or related fields
- More than 6 months of experience (freshers with relevant internships may apply)
- Strong communication skills in Marathi; working knowledge of English preferred
- Comfortable with field travel within the district
- Proficiency in MS Excel and documentation
- Organized and detail-oriented
- Willingness to learn and work in rural field settings
- Good coordination and follow-up skills
- Ability to work under guidance and as part of a team
What’s in it for you?
- Own your growth: An impact-led learning environment encourages Nudgesters to invest in their learning and capacity building needs through initiatives and policies, including L&D wallet, individual development plan and internal role change opportunities.
- Find your tribe: Our hiring philosophy emphasises intent, attitude, smarts and skills, in that order, to build a cohesive environment for Nudgesters. The organisation is committed to curating people-centric policies, enhancing how employees experience life at The/Nudge.
- Take big bets: Organisational initiatives are intended to facilitate Nudgesters with a view to the big picture, illustrated by our impact across 50000+ households, 15+ governments, 200+ social enterprises and Charcha: India’s largest social sector convening forum.
- Make it happen: A product-based approach in an action-biased environment empowers Nudgesters to implement audacious plans. Driven to fail fast, we endeavour to optimise resources in favour of programs that align with our scale ambition.
You can learn more about what we do and how we do it through this deck. We aspire to be an inclusive and diverse organization and encourage qualified individuals irrespective of their religion, caste, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, ethnicity, age, or any other dimension of identity, to apply.
