While I appreciate the insights in the report, I believe that you have, too soon, ruled out considering organizations that work to support people in launching small and medium enterprises that help create jobs for low income individuals and subsequently reduce poverty.
The global Hand in Hand network is a partnership of NGOs who are united by a shared commitment to poverty alleviation through women’s economic empowerment and micro-enterprise development. Launched in 2003 in southern India, their work has trained over 3 million people – 90 percent women – and supported the creation of over 2.9 million enterprises, improving the lives of over 16 million people through strengthened incomes.
They have worked in East Africa since 2010, launching in Nairobi, and expanded into Tanzania in 2018. They also had a three-year joint program in Rwanda with CARE, which concluded in 2016.
The donors you are working with are interested in evidence of impact – and Hand in Hand’s work in Eastern Africa has been consistently validated by independent evaluations. The structures, enterprises, and gains to knowledge and confidence made their projects are sustained far longer than the projects themselves. To this end, I believe they are well worth your consideration for presenting recommendations of worthy NGOs supporting poverty alleviation in sub-Saharan Africa.
1. A 2016 review of a project in Kenya funded by the Swedish government – which created 14,000 jobs – found “the effect of the project in reducing the number of people living below Ksh 3,000 (US $30) has been phenomenal”, with a reduction from 56 percent of members below this poverty level, to only 15 percent. At the same time, the proportion of members earning US $100 or more each month jumped from nine to 27 percent, with retail and services resulting in average monthly sales of US $217 and $191 respectively.
2. As part of an ongoing partnership with Visa Inc. in Kenya, the firm 60 Decibals undertook a rapid response survey polling 170 past project members two years after their project’s closed. Some relevant findings are that:
- Hand in Hand’s training is useful. 95 percent of respondents were still using it in their business.
- Hand in Hand’s training improves people’s lives. 95 percent saw improvements in their quality of life after completing our training. Bigger incomes were the main reason why.
- Hand in Hand goes where other NGOs don’t. 92 percent of respondents said there was no alternative to Hand in Hand where they lived.
- Given a choice, they prefer Hand in Hand. Among respondents who had an alternative, 85 percent said Hand in Hand was better.
3. Again in Kenya, a midline report in a project funded by IKEA Foundation found poverty had been “drastically reduced” for project members at halfway point, with the widespread use of climate resilient practices being a driving factor.
Hello!
While I appreciate the insights in the report, I believe that you have, too soon, ruled out considering organizations that work to support people in launching small and medium enterprises that help create jobs for low income individuals and subsequently reduce poverty.
The global Hand in Hand network is a partnership of NGOs who are united by a shared commitment to poverty alleviation through women’s economic empowerment and micro-enterprise development. Launched in 2003 in southern India, their work has trained over 3 million people – 90 percent women – and supported the creation of over 2.9 million enterprises, improving the lives of over 16 million people through strengthened incomes.
They have worked in East Africa since 2010, launching in Nairobi, and expanded into Tanzania in 2018. They also had a three-year joint program in Rwanda with CARE, which concluded in 2016.
The donors you are working with are interested in evidence of impact – and Hand in Hand’s work in Eastern Africa has been consistently validated by independent evaluations. The structures, enterprises, and gains to knowledge and confidence made their projects are sustained far longer than the projects themselves. To this end, I believe they are well worth your consideration for presenting recommendations of worthy NGOs supporting poverty alleviation in sub-Saharan Africa.
1. A 2016 review of a project in Kenya funded by the Swedish government – which created 14,000 jobs – found “the effect of the project in reducing the number of people living below Ksh 3,000 (US $30) has been phenomenal”, with a reduction from 56 percent of members below this poverty level, to only 15 percent. At the same time, the proportion of members earning US $100 or more each month jumped from nine to 27 percent, with retail and services resulting in average monthly sales of US $217 and $191 respectively.
You can download the full report here: http://www.handinhandinternational.org/hand-in-hand-a-centre-of-excellence-says-review/
2. As part of an ongoing partnership with Visa Inc. in Kenya, the firm 60 Decibals undertook a rapid response survey polling 170 past project members two years after their project’s closed. Some relevant findings are that:
- Hand in Hand’s training is useful. 95 percent of respondents were still using it in their business.
- Hand in Hand’s training improves people’s lives. 95 percent saw improvements in their quality of life after completing our training. Bigger incomes were the main reason why.
- Hand in Hand goes where other NGOs don’t. 92 percent of respondents said there was no alternative to Hand in Hand where they lived.
- Given a choice, they prefer Hand in Hand. Among respondents who had an alternative, 85 percent said Hand in Hand was better.
You can download the full report here: http://www.handinhandinternational.org/95-of-hand-in-hand-members-report-improved-quality-of-life/
3. Again in Kenya, a midline report in a project funded by IKEA Foundation found poverty had been “drastically reduced” for project members at halfway point, with the widespread use of climate resilient practices being a driving factor.
You can download the full report here: http://www.handinhandinternational.org/poverty-drastically-reduced-for-hand-in-hand-members-report/
4. In Rwanda, those groups receiving training from Hand in Hand earned an average 65 percent higher profit than comparison groups.
You can download the full report here: http://www.handinhandinternational.org/10-5-million-opportunities-leveraging-savings-groups-with-business-training-from-hand-in-hand/”
I am happy to provide further details upon request and look forward to connecting further.
Kayuri Bhimani, Friends of Hand in Hand US Office