ProAccess

Access to an Identity, Education, Water, Health and Food (the 5BASICS) are fundamental human rights for all global citizens. Free access would mean a resilient social system that support the most vulnerable, disadvantaged persons and aids attainment of the SDGs 1,2,3,4,5,6,10 and 11.

ProAccess uses digitization to address relative poverty by increasing direct benefits to the poor through a concept of national resource rents benefits sharing. Provided through youth led mobile digital technology hubs, the solution builds social compact by closing the disconnect and divide in the digital arena at the local level; dissolves the fragmentation of service delivery to the poor/vulnerable; promotes free or subsidized ongoing access to the 5BASICS; and  presents intersectional approaches to challenge, reduce and address systematic inequalities through robust digital strategies that promote accountability by States to and for citizens. Artificial Intelligence applications provide rapid data insights for improved decision-making capabilities.

The World Bank estimates approximately 10% of the world’s population (734 million people) lived on less than $1.90 a day (in 2015) of which 422 million (are in Africa) and 700,000 (are in Namibia) – this is the ProAccess target population. 

A central reason for poverty is the exclusion of vulnerable persons from benefiting from their country’s natural and mineral resource directly. Intermediary Service delivery responses for the 5BASICS, targeting the vulnerable are generally fragmented, not supported by information and data on outcomes and impacts; lack accountability and transparency; are short term and not always optimal. Yet, at the local level, communities are organised to respond to crises and can participate and be included in the digital transformation process through the vertical and horizontal community support structures that have prevailed in the absence of late,  inadequate, insufficient or total lack of support.

Through incremental steps it is possible to shrink the target numbers through an exponential decay function. The vulnerable and unemployed have no choice but to rely on state benefits. ProAccess emphasizes the role, responsibilities and options for States, philanthropists & development partners and private sector to provide responsive, long-term solutions for ProAccess to the 5BASICS for all. 

ProAccess re-directs service access and delivery, support, development aid, drought relief, food & water donations – to become accessible by vulnerable beneficiaries directly at the local level.

Powered through youth led and driven, local, mobile digital technology hubs and platforms, the solution targets alleviating relative poverty by enabling all vulnerable persons to access the 5BASICS.  Our initial research indicates that the 5BASICS are what (Namibian) communities seek daily, on an ongoing basis.  At the local level, these basics are not readily available.

Decentralization, although in motion, is not always effective. The use of intermediaries presents challenges related to leakages in terms of goods; poor or undelivered services; lack of accountability & transparency and inadequate information flows to inform improved decision making.  ProAccess promotes access through a National Resource Rents Benefits Sharing (NRRBS) Model; it provides digital biometric access to the 5BASICS; assistance to vulnerable families for first time and ongoing access; sustainable access support at the local level; artificial intelligent reporting capabilities & proposes a Secure Central Information System under State maintenance & security. 

A ProAccessFund is suggested, to catalyse direct support from States that resolve to end hunger and poverty for vulnerable families through the NRRBS model. 

The problem is lack of access to the 5BASICS for all vulnerable communities globally (estimated at 734 million). The ProAccess model is replicable across borders.  It reduces vulnerabilities at the local level; enables development initiatives to support vulnerable persons directly & shrinks the vulnerability numbers over time through envisaged spin off activities - e.g. manufacturiing & installation of accessible water tanks in all communities; upscaled local agro-industries to support food demand; TVET jobs (to install water tanks); sustained jobs sin health & education & meaningful participation of young women, men, youth and unemployed graduates in socio-economic development.

ProAccess is innovative since it redefines the boundaries of normal processes and systems through a transformational approach that builds capacities at the local level to send data “upward” and to demand solutions that flow “downwards” in response.  

Public monitoring is implied which raises levels of accountability and transparency thereby prompting states to rethink service delivery practices and strategies for the vulnerable and how they divide and share the country’s wealth among citizens.  Some states are extremely wealthy, yet continue supporting policy processes and obtaining support and aid that does not reach or benefit the most vulnerable persons in society, due to intermediaries and agents used to deliver the services.  

ProAccess proposes NRRBS model that can change the dynamics of poverty and hunger. 

The registration of beneficiaries is a common practice in many countries – our innovation couples registration to a beneficiary electronic wallet (or e-wallet) through which they receive support. The e-wallet is supported by the state, philanthropists, entrepreneurs and development partners and enables each and every vulnerable family to benefit directly from a country’s natural resource wealth. 

Artificial Intelligence will inform of preferences (what the vulnerable buy); frequency (e.g. number of hospital visits) and quantities in relation to the support provided thereby providing intelligent information for decision making and further use.

We are globally relevant as measured against SDGs 1,2,3,4,5,6,10 and 11 to which we respond. ProAccess promotes a transformational digital strategy for countries and promotes the 4BASICS for all vulnerable persons. 

Biometric technology is in use to control security access to commercial, residential and other types of properties.  Biometric access is a safe community identification system since no two fingerprints are alike, and the data can be safely linked to a beneficiary’s profile through other digital avenues (e.g. a ProAccessCard) to provide a unique identity for each individual. It can also be linked to the Beneficiary's virtual or e-wallet through which they receive their direct support.  It is possible to link information for a single user across multiple platforms thereby providing access to participating outlets and programmes.  The loyalty card is one example of a card that makes use of artificial intelligence to better describe the shopper’s preferences, attributes and needs.  The same type of data and information, if adequately collected at the local level, can lead to transformative policy reform processes that can create a more equal society.

Our goal is to enable the identification of vulnerable persons and to end poverty and hunger by enabling their access to the 5BASICS (an identity, water, food, health and education) We aim to achieve this goal by informing digital policy reform processes and through a concept of national resource rents benefits sharing.  

There is evidence that the model works. Namibia was able to reform her fisheries policy through a similar concept and model, (refer to Managing Fisheries with Rights in Namibia: A Minister’s Perspective - A. Iyambo available at http://www.fao.org/3/x7579e/x7579e06.htm) and though the process took several years, subsequently, the sector has created substantial wealth for Namibians.

 The same principle is being advocated through ProAccess but for the 5BASICS of an Identity, Food, Water, Health and Education.  The constitutional and policy structures are already in place to support the implementation of reforms to enable meaningful inclusion and participation at the local level of the 734 million persons living below the poverty line of less than $1,90 (including 700,000 Namibians and 422 million Africans). 

 We envisage various outcomes (1) digitizing and improving business processes to streamline the national identification application process for the vulnerable (2) a virtual, accessible e-wallet for each vulnerable family or household enabling them to obtain (a) food from any retailer or small scale producer (b) healthcare at any healthcare facility (c) education in the form of tuition, fees and books from any school and (d) direct grant benefits through partnerships and networks that the solution  will leverage. At the local level, we expect to create jobs & enterprise opportunities for young women, men, youth and unemployed graduates through the horizontal and vertical pathways of change that ProAccess will enable.

By starting at bottom of the poverty pyramid (and re-articulating the ‘bottom of the pyramid” or BOP approach), ProAccess places a strong emphasis on reforming legal, regulatory, and social mechanisms to protect the poor who are vulnerable, and emphasises the critical role that the state will continue to play in enabling poverty reduction strategies through the introduction of reforms that optimize processes to directly impact and benefit the poor and vulnerable. The vulnerable and unemployed have no choice but to rely on state benefits and, and through incremental steps that should involve inclusion of at least 5% of the target population on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis, it is possible to shrink the vulnerability numbers through an exponential decay function. ProAccess responds to providing a national digital identity in addition to identification, as being vulnerable to receive Food, Water, Education and Health care at the local level.

Our solution is extremely user friendly since it is applicable at the local level whether through assisted mobile teams, or directly by beneficiaries themselves  – by using biometric fingerprint technology and linking it to national identification systems, it will be possible to generate information on the missing data and gaps which require closure through responsive action by Governments and States.  For example, if an entire family is found to be identity-less, the corresponding system should put in place (1) priority actions (2) a temporary ProAccess card or Identity and (3) timelines to indicate a deadline by which the family should be assisted to complete the identification process – thereby enabling them to continue receiving other ProAccess benefits through the mainstream process.

The more challenging part of our solution is the policy reform process to enable our model of national resource rents benefits sharing which will ultimately 

Our solution requires integration access across various platforms and programmes – in some instances, existing service delivery systems (e.g. the current national identity card application and processing system) may be outdated (and in some cases non-existent). Programming will be required to enable the seamless integration of ProAccess with the multiple solutions that already cater for vulnerable persons.

Open APIs will therefore be a feature, to enable forward and backward data linkages and information flows to enable the system to seamlessly integrate. 

We plan on making use of a combination of online and offline data platforms. In remote areas, we will use local mobile technology hubs and stations to bring the services closer to our target beneficiaries.  By making use of a biometric technology,  GPS and GIS platform, we are able to capture the initial digital thumb data of the vulnerable person, link that to an identity (if they have one) or link it to a QR code (in the absence of an identity).  Once the data is stored, it can be integrated once 

The prototype for our local social innovation solution, the ProFoodApp, was recently completed but is not yet hosted. We intend piloting both ProFoodApp and ProAccess solutions in a remote area in the Ohangwena Region in northern Namibia. 

Reportedly, Namibia's Ohangwena Region, home to 12,5 % (or 225,000) of Namibia's 1,8 million people, and growing at an annual rate of 2,6 per cent, is among the poorest regions in the country.  32.4% (or 72,900 persons) in Ohangwena Region are poor of which 9.9% (or 7,217 persons) are extremely poor (http://www.npc.gov.na/?wpfb_dl=225) 

Poverty in the SADC region (with a population of 345 million) is prevalent,  with approximately 50%  of the population (172 million persons) living on less than $1 a day (https://www.sadc.int/themes/poverty-eradication-policy-dialogue/)  

Year 1: Pilot prototype in the Ohangwena (72,900 persons) and 13 other regions of Namibia.

Years 2 - 5: Continue roll out in Namibia. Extend roll out prototype to 15 participating SADC Member States, targeting to reach at least 5% of the vulnerable persons per country), total 8.6 million persons.  

Beneficiaries include: Young women, men, youth, vulnerable persons and the elderly.  Children will be taken care of a the family level.

A robust national strategy will be required for each State, to (1) embrace ProAccess which requires (2) putting in place enabling frameworks and policy reform processes to make the solution work and (3) commit to providing resources through the National Resource Rent Benefits sharing model.

Our goal is to enable the identification of vulnerable persons and to end poverty and hunger by enabling their access to the 5BASICS (an identity, water, food, health and education). We aim to achieve this goal by informing digital policy reform processes and through a concept of national resource rents benefits sharing.  Our impact is increasing identification of persons, providing access to the 5BASICS and reducing poverty and hunger directly, at the local level. 

We aim to scale up the solution to respond to various targets to support the estimated persons living on less than $1.90 a day (globally) and less than $1 per day (in the SADC region). Global estimates are  734 million persons; SADC estimates 345 million and Namibia estimates 700,000 persons.   

Five 5 year targets ProAccess roll out as follows:

Global: 10% or (73 million vulnerable persons)

SADC: 10% or (42 million vulnerable persons)

Namibia 70% or (490,000 vulnerable persons)

Our organisation  will pilot the solution in one Region in Namibia initially. Lessons learnt will improve the solution in preparation for roll out  nationally, regionally, continentally and globally.

We will gain traction, support and interest for upscaling the solution through strategic private / public partnerships in each country that we will pursue by leveraging an initial strong support network, including aligning with existing national processes, programmes and partners that have programmes addressing the 5BASICS, but not through an approach that is making use of technology and pooling resources to promote ease of access more rapidly and directly. 

There are five immediate barriers to our success that we need to address in year 1, namely  

1. Enabling Partnerships - multiple in country identification and support programmes run in parallel, but are not coordinated, are fragmented and do not achieve maximum impact; 

2. National Policy reform processes- are generally lengthy (sometime reforms are in place) but translating these to benefit vulnerable communities at the local level requires strong partnerships and robust and efficient innovation and technology solutions

3. Contextualising and obtaining buy in for the Natural Resources Benefits Sharing Model (NRRBS Model) in country by States will require concerted, coordinated approach and high level buy in from state organs.

5. Technology acquisition and adoption - public sector reforms need to pave way to embrace and enhance technology as a solution to the myriad of access challenges at the local level

5. Capital - rolling out ProAccess will require dedicated resources from States, development partners and private sector.

Roll out in Namibia will face the same set of barriers, and solutions will be used to inform roll out processes across borders and continents. 

Through a grand social media campaign, traction will be gained and the interest to replicate ProAccess regionally, continentaly and internationally will gain momentum.  Replication would be subject to the same set of challenges and would require solutions on a per country basis, hence specific Global and aligned National guidelines for successfully implementing ProAccess would be applicable. 

Global and aligned National guidelines for successfully implementing ProAccess would b e applicable.

Enabling partnerships – ProAccess is open to forging partnerships that believe in creating social impact, and will enable our solution to gain traction. We strive to create linkages through existing networks to gain visibility and attract an interest from partners that can serve our purpose. Partnerships will enable ProAccess to cross borders and regions seamlessly – yet maintaining the basic fundamental principles across the 5BASICS for which the solution stands.

National Policy reform processes – a painfully slow (but possible process) – in our experience States are quick to jump onto the band wagon of a solution that works and that is adopted by neighbouring states.

Contextualising the NRBS model – ProAccess will advocate for States to define processes within their sovereign jurisdiction to align with the model and the solution

Technology Acquisition – we expect strong partnerships with technology firms to provide an enabling technology acquisition platform for ProAccess.

Capital – For Namibia, we secured initial prize funding to roll out ProAccess through a localized version ProFoodApp (https://confidentenamibia.com/creative-social-innovators-rewarded/ ) and as social innovators, we are convinced that capital, finance and funding are interlinked with the grand vision – once an innovation is set in motion, philanthropists and partners that believe in the vision will embrace and support the cause.  We take every funding opportunity seriously and take time to submit our applications, to compete and form strategic alliances with fellow social innovators across global platforms. 

Our operational strategy requires partnerships through hybrid organisations.  For piloting in Namibia's Ohangwena Region, we have established a partnership between Eco Student Villages (Pty) Ltd (a for profit organization) trading as ProAccess and the Ohangwena Development Trust (a non profit organisation) that has established structures in place with the Local Government, to empower communities and support participation at the local level.

Currently, we have Nine (9) team members - all volunteers, all skilled professionals.

2 x Creative Social Innovators

1 x Programming Engineer / ICT expert 

1 x Agribusiness Expert

1 x Community and Social Development Expert

1 x Micro Finance Expert

1 x Legal Expert

1 x Web Developer / Creative Content Editor / Social media management

1 x Administrator

To realise a social innovation requires a multidisciplinary team to provide skills across various social, technical and economic disciplines.  ProAccess Team has skills that cut across Social Innovation; Programming;  Information Communication Technology; Agribusiness development; Community and Social Development; Micro Financing; Legal; Web Development and Social Media Management as well as Administration.  

In addition, we are strategically aligned to various local, regional and international organisations that have additional capacity to provide support required to enable us to reach scale. 

For example, the current pilot being undertaken at the local level was made possible through a grant received through a local #ServiceInnovationHackathon  (https://ictechhub.com/service-innovation-hackathon/)  where our team won first prize https://confidentenamibia.com/creative-social-innovators-rewarded/ .  The Hackathon was sponsored by various organisations who are supporting our course to promote social justice.  We are re-investing this prize money to fund a pilot project, with a view to gaining traction that will spur further interest and support.   

Once we have piloted and stress tested the solution, ProAccess will undoubtedly gain momentum nationally, regionally and beyond. 

For the local solution, we are in partnership with various organisation as follows:-

1. Green Enterprises (https://www.green.com.na/) , a local ICT company currently providing support to strengthen our solution through ICT / Technology back end to enable the solution to be seamless across most of the Government platforms

2.  The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (through the UNDP accelerator lab) who together with other local partners provided seed funding, mentorship, support and assisting us to scale the solution

3.   The Ohangwena Development Trust (ODT), a registered trust enabling us to make use of their database and beneficiaries to pilot the the solution at the local level within a controlled ecosystem providing support.  ODT is in partnership with local and traditional authorities who enable access to the communities, including clarification and translation services for the work being undertaken at the local level.

4.  Business Financial Solutions (http://bfs.com.na/ ) where the team leader is an associate and which company can provide financial advisory services and fund management capacity 

We envisage a growing network of partners through whom we can leverage skills, capacity, support and funding to scale up ProAccess. 

ProAccess has four primary customers to whom we provide specific services

1. Communities & vulnerable persons: we advocate for and promote access  to the 5BASICS of an Identify, Food, Education, Water and Health which are a fundamental and basic human right for each and every person globally.

2.  Small Scale Producers (young women, men and youth):  we provide procurement capacity for their local and traditional food to be uptaken,  marketed and distributed through the ProFoodApp (a local solution,which is aligned to ProAceess) to the vulnerable persons thereby stimulating increased local production capacity; increased agribusiness enterprises and meaningful employment.  We enable small scale producers to become relevant at the local level since communities can procure goods directly from them.

3.  Development partners and Government: obtain a robust solution, information and data to inform improved service delivery (including the safe distribution of food parcels to beneficiaries of food aid programmes) 

4. Commercial clients and the general public (philanthropists) -gain confidence in supporting, donating and directly funding communities and vulnerable persons to enable them to access the 5BASICS. 

The ProAccess solution stimulates socio-economic development, creates jobs across various sectors including ICT, technology and manufacturing for meaningful participation for young women, men, youth and young professionals. 

Sustained revenue streams are essential for ProAccess.  Four (4) potential revenue streams have been identified

1.The first revenue stream is is expected through the National Resource Rents Benefits sharing model (NRRBS model) which places an onus on the State to provide more equitably and efficiently for its citizens.  This revenue is directed at the beneficiaries (communities and vulnerable persons - who have no choice but to rely on state benefits) and is sustainable since it is based on renewable natural resources;

2. The second revenue stream is required to directly to maintain the ProAccess Solution and this is envisaged through the data and information flows where reports and data will be generated for sale;  

3. The third revenue stream is a fee on services offered through the solution, to corporates, development partners and the state and;

4. The fourth revenue stream is through donations and grants which will enable us to roll out the solution to neighbouring countries, regionally and across the globe. 

The team has recently received an award for a local version of ProAccess, (the ProFoodApp) through the #ServiceInnovationHackathon (

(https://ictechhub.com/service-innovation-hackathon/). The prize was a grant to the value of U$5000.

The hackaton was sponsored through a partnership between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Green Enterprise Solutions, Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), the ITECH Hub, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the Government. 

To be sustainable, ProAccess will require dedicated revenue streams from public and private sources. We are developing a  responsive action plan, resource mobilisation and funding strategy to stimulate ongoing private and public sector support to mobilise short, medium and long-term resources and capacity to establish and sustain a ProAccessFund, thereby building resilience for providing access to an identify, food, health, education and water sectors to communities and vulnerable persons.

We propose ProAccessFund, a catalytic Social Fund that leverages public, private and development support to end hunger and poverty in Namibia and to make access to the 5BASICS possible. 

ProAccess seeks to raise funds for the ProAccessFund to the value of U$ 5 million over five (5) years. Funding is a combination of grants, donations and equity. Operational funding is presented below.

ProAccess has a five (5) estimated budget lines and a sixth cost, the ProAccess Fund:-

Estimated Annual Expenses:

1. Perfect solution & prototype & Pilot in 1 Region in Namibia (U$ 30,000 of which U$ 5,000, secured as a grant)

2. Roll out across 14 regions in Namibia (U$ 416,000)

- Overheads; Identity registration; ProAccess cards; Community tanks; installation costs; enabling infrastructure

3. Regional collaborations (U$ 15,000)

- Overheads; Webinars; virutal planning meetings; strategic partnerships; in country kick off support

4. Continental and International collaborations (U$40,000)

- Overheads; Webinars; virutal planning meetings; strategic partnerships; in country kick off support

5.  Monitoring and Evaluation (U$ 25,000)

- Annual; outsourced 

Total Annual expenses for 2020/2021 = U$ 474,000

The ProAccess Fund:

A sixth cost is for establishment of the ProAccess Fund

6. ProAccessFund (we target capitalisation of the Fund at U$ 5 million over a period of 5 years).

- Overheads; Fund Operations

ProAccess is applying to achieve our broad goal to drive Social Justice for attaining the 5BASICS for vulnerable persons globally.

 The Mission Billion Challenge offers an opportunity for us to drive ProAccess to scale by eliminating some or all of the barriers to success, including (1) Enabling Partnerships (2) National Policy reform processes (3) Contextualising and obtaining buy in for the Natural resources benefits sharing model in country by states (4) Technology acquisition and (5) Capital.

Our specific goal is to end hunger and poverty and to provide access to the 5BASICS. ProAccess creates a set of tools that drives multiple horizontal and vertical linkages and pathways that are adaptable within each country's context both from an applicability perspective as well as a revenue generation perspective in terms of the National Resource Rent Benefits sharing model (NRRBS Model).

A win means gaining access to partnerships, resources and capacity to enable scaling up ProAccess rapidly, swiftly, globally.  Scaling up means the ability to support more beneficiaries and vulnerable communities to gain direct access to the 5Basics.  Free access would mean resilient social systems that support the most vulnerable, disadvantaged citizens, and would result in attainment of the SDGs. 

ProAccess is a global solution that welcomes partnerships that are dynamic enough to incorporate, hold and grow our vision; allow us to remain outside our comfort zones; and enable us to achieve social compact.

We are interested in partnerships that can deliver value through a multidisciplinary and intersectional approach, through multiple skills sets across multiple sectors to compliment our skills base and to enable us to leverage the total support required to enable ProAccess to reach scale. 

ProAccess sees no boundaries - we are nationally, regionally and globally applicable within frameworks that can be established in-State through strategic partnerships between private and public sector and with development partners. 

Nationally, we have secured good partnerships with UNDP, NUST, Green Enterprises, the Anti Corruption Commission and Government.

We would like to forge the following partnerships:

Southern African Development Community (SADC) to scale the solution to SADC Member States;

NEPAD /  African Union Commission to scale the solution across the continent;

Global technology and innovation partnerships to enable ProAccess to scale the solution globally;

Regional, Continental and Global Development partners to entrench ProAccess into their Developmental plans, programmes and frameworks.

ProAccess requires ongoing collaboration to reach scale and to enable consistent support to create lasting impact at the local level.