Thibi

India is draining dry its vast supply of groundwater fast. In 2023, India pumped around 241 billion cubic meters of groundwater – more than the United States and China together used. Three in every 20 groundwater blocks slipped into critical or over-exploited condition, where water is being withdrawn faster than rain and surface water can replenish it, leaving no groundwater for next year. Agriculture remains the dominant driver.

Who We Are Thibi is a data and design consultancy that specialises in building interactive web-based data tools and visualizations. Our team has been active in Southeast Asia’s civic tech and open data community for many years, with extensive experience in data visualization, data-driven web development, and data literacy training. We have worked with organizations such as Thomson Reuters Foundation, Internews, Open Knowledge Foundation, and The Asia Foundation.

The team from Thibi shares their process of creating their groundbreaking  data-driven explainer on Myanmar’s “copy thachin” or copy songs movement. This is the first time that Kontinentalist is collaborating with Thibi, a data and design consultancy, on a story. In this article, Thibi breaks down how they pulled it all together. ‍ “Copy thachin”, or copy songs, highlights a lesser-known musical genre that has shaped popular music in Myanmar for more than 50 years. ‍ This is a story of many firsts.

Fellows are set to publish data-driven stories on pressing environmental issues in the Philippines by March 2024. ‍ Fifteen journalists from the Philippines have received grants worth US$2,000 each for their first data story projects on critical environmental issues in the country.

Thibi and the Internews Earth Journalism Network’s Environmental Data Journalism Academy prepares passionate environmental journalists in India for careers in data-driven accountability reporting. In partnership with Internew's Earth Journalism Network The application deadline is extended till April 20, 2024. The intensive six-month Academy has been created for select journalists to produce in-depth data-driven journalism on critical environmental issues in India.