Indego Africa is committed to an outcome-based approach to poverty reduction. The primary tool for acting on this results-driven orientation is a comprehensive social impact assessment undertaken by Indego Africa each year with our partner cooperatives. Beginning in 2008, Indego Africa’s field team has conducted a comprehensive survey each March that compiles developmental information for each artisan: from quantitative metrics like demographics, income, education levels, and food security, to qualitative indicators like in-depth self perceptions and interviews. This data then forms the basis for benchmarking how effectively our programming is achieving its intended objectives.
2009-2010 Social Impact Report
Indego Africa's 2009-2010 Social Impact Report reflects findings from Indego Africa's third annual social impact assessment, which was conducted in March 2010.
Key areas of year-on-year improvement during the period from March 2009 to March 2010:
Increased Income - 111% increase in the number of women earning $1 a day or more
Greater Food Security - 517% increase in the number of families eating at least 3 meals per day
Higher Child Education Rate - 800% increase in the number of women reporting that most of the children they care for attend school on a regular basis
Better Access to Running Water - 330% increase in the number of households with running water
More Women Using a Household Budget - 158% increase in the number of women setting and following a household budget
Adequacy of Income Improvement - 760% increase in the number of women who described their income as adequate with respect to their basic needs
Improvement from March 2008 to March 2010 is even more pronounced:
Increased Bank Account Ownership - 254% increase in the number of women who have a bank account
Better Housing - 269% increase in the number of women who described their housing situation as adequate
Better Access to Running Water - 411% increase in the number of households with running water
Better Quality of Life - 630% increase in the number of women who reported to be satisfied with their quality of life
Increased Income - 821% increase in the number of women earning $1 a day or more
If you are looking for reason for further optimism, look no farther than the fact that the 2009-2010 Social Impact Report does not even reflect social impact during the period since March 2010, a period of dramatic across-the-organization growth and which includes for example over half of the aggregate income generated by our artisan partners to date. Never content to rest on our laurels, even at this early date we at Indego Africa are already eagerly awaiting compilation and publication of the results of our fourth annual social impact assessment!
The first assessment, conducted in March 2008, established baseline data to measure future growth and consisted of response data from 44 women from two of Indego Africa’s partner cooperatives, Cocoki and Covanya. In March 2009, Indego Africa conducted its second social impact assessment and received response data from 37 women from Cocoki and Covanya. In March 2010, Indego Africa expanded its social impact survey to a third partner cooperative, Twiyubake. As a result, the 2010 survey includes response data from 65 women from Cocoki, Covanya, and Twiyubake. Since 2010 represents the baseline year for Twiyubake, their data is analyzed in a separate section on page 10 of this report, while the data from 43 women surveyed from Cocoki and Covanya demonstrates Indego Africa’s year on year social impact.
The March 2010 survey included a questionnaire with 31 multiple-choice questions. Results obtained from the surveys are presented and compared for each question at an aggregate level by combining the results from both the Cocoki and Covanya cooperatives. Fluctuations in the composition of the population, due to changes in the cooperatives’ membership, require the use of weighted averages.
Key results from our 2009 Social Impact Report (published June 2010):
Enhanced Quality of Life: 585% increase in the number of women who are satisfied/very satisfied with their quality of life.
Increased Income: 336% increase in the number of women earning more than $1 per day.
Greater Food Security: 96% increase in the number of families eating at least twice per day.
Higher Child Education Rate: 17% increase in the number of women reporting some or all of their children attend school.
Better Housing Conditions: 42% reduction in the number of women with no permanent residence and 26% increase in the number of households with beds for all residents.
More Bank Accounts: 153% increase in bank account ownership.
Better Access to Communication: 138% increase in the number of households with a telephone.
In February 2008, six months after Indego Africa made its first handicraft order (August 2007) and five months before it commenced its Hand Up training programs (July 2008), Indego Africa instituted a base-line assessment focused on four categories: Personal Security, Education, IT Skills, and Fair Trade. Sixteen women from Cocoki and 28 women from Covanya participated. The survey included a questionnaire with 31 multiple choice questions and two open-ended questions. In March 2009, Indego Africa conducted a follow-up assessment. Seventeen women from Cocoki and 20 women from Covanya participated. Despite some slight differences between the two questionnaires, the general structure was maintained to allow comparison.
Methodology
The Indego Africa social value measurement plan relies on a logic model and evaluation plan built with Point K tools from the Innovation Network, a leader in the field. These tools assess key impact indicators using various data collection methods, such as interviews, surveys and expert reviews. The Logic Model and Evaluation Plan outline the assumptions and specifications upon which the Innovation Network plan has been built.
Social Impact Goals
Ten-fold increase in the number of women earning more than $1 per day (from 10% to 100%)
New high-value skills with which each woman can earn additional income in her community – whether in a cooperative, at another employer, or with her own business
Households that are entirely free of hunger, inadequate housing, and school absenteeism
Cooperatives that reach and service the local and export market without Indego Africa's assistance
Cooperatives that are fiscally responsible and dynamic community centers.
SOCIAL IMPACT Straight from the Artisans
In this video interview, Melanie Nyirambanza of Cocoki cooperative talks about her life and Indego Africa's impact:
Other Indego Africa partner artisans share their thoughts:
"On my personal opinion, things are improving well and we had some mismanagement but now things are better because Indego is teaching us and training us in management. And those who don’t know how to read and write in Kinyarwanda are now being taught. We are really happy with the Indego partnership." - Theresa Mutekereze, 54, master weaver at Covanya.
"I’m proud of the partnership because it helps me a lot. My wish is that Indego will help us to diversify to other new products and have people train us so that we can be able to sustain ourselves." - Daphrose Mukamugema, 56, master weaver at Covanya.
"When the cooperative was being started people came at my home and told me about the cooperative. They told me that they would train me on how to use the sewing machine. I needed something to do to support myself and sustain my family. So I joined the cooperative and I learned how to use the sewing machine and Indego promised to give us the sewing machine which they did later on. And they started to give us orders and this helped me to overcome some challenges of my daily life." - Marie-Francine Ugiriwabo, 24, master seamstress at Cocoki.
Verifiable social impact
Increased Income - 111% increase in the number of women earning $1 a day or more
