Digi Care Project

1. Digital Exclusion for caregivers (women and girls): It is well recognized that digital technology has tremendous potential to empower women and girls- economically, socially and politically. According to UN Women, “digital and internet access enhances women’s economic empowerment, political participation and social inclusion through initiatives that support increased productivity and income generation, mobilization and accountability as well as improved livelihoods and expansion of services’’.  However, access to and use of digital technology is neither universal nor equitable. Women and girls are the most disadvantaged with economic, social, and cultural obstacles both limiting and preventing women and girl’s access to digital technology and the benefits it brings. In Northern Nigeria, around 60% of the female population are not able to access the internet, and research shows that deeply entrenched social, gender, and cultural norms present a significant barrier to women and girls’ access to and use of digital technology and the internet. According to a recent study conducted by the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), 55% of men in Northern Nigeria do not want their wives to use the internet, and 61% of fathers discourage their daughters’ use. While male figures are often the ones controlling access at a household level, data indicates that both sexes have internalized these norms and restrictive behaviors. A recent situation analysis conducted by our organization in Kogi state to ascertain knowledge, attitude and practice of young women and girls in business on digital access indicates that although many young women and girls own and uses mobile phones with occasional access to the internet, however, more than 80% are unaware of the opportunities that exist for economic empowerment and access to services digitally because they lack the capacity to do so. This is largely attributed to the poor knowledge and low practical skill level on digital technology.
2. Financial Exclusion for caregivers (women and girls)

Close to one-third of adults – 1.7 billion – were still unbanked in 2017, according to the latest Findex data (2021 data forthcoming). About half of unbanked people included women poor households in rural areas or out of the workforce. 

According to a recent report, in Nigeria, women are less likely to be financially included than men, while 57 percent of men in Nigeria have a financial account, only 45 percent of women do.  There are limited data on women and girls in micro/small businesses that have bank accounts for their businesses, however, a recent survey conducted by ECCCI indicates that 90% of the women surveyed do not have a business bank account.

Increasing digital access and financial inclusion for community care workers and caregivers (women and girls) in micro and small businesses: 

According to the World Bank, digital financial inclusion has been identified as an enabler for 7 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, pursuant to this, the G20 committed to advance financial inclusion worldwide and reaffirmed its commitment to implement the G20 High-Level Principles. The World Bank Group also considers financial inclusion a key enabler to reduce extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity (https://www.worldbank.org/en/t...)

We are working to increase digital access and financial inclusion for community care workers and caregivers (women and girls) in micro and small businesses by;

1. Using internet and mobile phone technologies to provide business formalization support through access to online business registration services for community care workers and caregivers (women and girls): Formalization and growth of micro and small businesses is a high priority under Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) number 8 target 8.3 where it states; "Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial services". Pursuant to this, we are leveraging the internet and mobile phone technologies to support care workers and caregivers in remote communities to formalize their micro and small businesses. Prior to now, it was a herculean task for a business owner to contemplate registering his business in Nigeria. However, with the advent of the internet and mobile phone technologies, the Nigeria Corporate Affairs Commission has made it easy and cost effective for even micro and small business owners to get this done without requiring the services of a third party professional which most times are not affordable to an average caregiver, yet not many caregivers are aware of this opportunity, through awareness, mobilization, training and coaching support, we are facilitating this process for care workers and caregivers in rural communities.
2. Using internet and mobile phone technologies to provide access to business banking services through agent banking for opening and operating business bank accounts for community care workers and caregivers (women and girls)
3. Trainings on digital and financial inclusion for community care workers and caregivers (women and girls).

Women, girls and men

Majority of women and men in the communities we serve are involved in agriculture, micro and small businesses as their primary means of livelihoods. The level of poverty in these communities is high as many households are not able to afford adequate diet and meals for their children. Many of the native men marry many wives who give birth to children without control and most of the children are usually left for their mothers to take care of including their meals, clothing and education. This leaves many of the women as bread weaner even while their husbands are still alive. Many of these women engage in micro and small businesses to support their families.

The long term expected impact of the project are;

1. Improved access to business, economic and market opportunities for growth and expansion.

2. Improved access to business financial services and ability to use them to grow and expand their businesses, thus improving their wellbeing.

For 9 years, I and my team have worked with these target beneficiaries across different communities. We have lived and interacted with them at various levels while implementing various solutions to improve their wellbeing. 

From 2014 till now, we have consistently and progressively provided educational, health, and economic empowerment services for 7016 (3759M 3257F) vulnerable children including girls and 1800 women and men in 8 communities in this terrain

We have further;

*Trained and graduated 150 girls and boys from vocational training and provided them with startup kits to start their various vocations.

*Trained and Supported 500 women and girls with small business startup grant of $125 each to establish their small businesses.

*Supported 1500 women and men to plant 1500 economic trees as means of livelihood and a climate change action.

*Supported 1500 farming women and men with improved vitamin A fortified cassava seedlings.

*Provided 2000 farming women and men with orange flesh sweet potatoes seedlings. 

*Provided gender inclusion education for 1500 women and men.

Our projects are usually implemented as a response to identified needs of our target beneficiaries. We conduct participatory need assessment that leads to the design and implementation of our projects.

For instance, women and girls were consulted before and while designing this project. The project idea started when our team was mobilizing the communities to participate in a government business empowerment program previously, in the process, we realized that more men and boys met the minimum eligibility criteria of having at least a business name registered with the Nigeria Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and a business bank account opened in the name of the business. We found out that 90% of the women and girls in micro and small businesses in the communities could not meet the minimum eligibility criteria. Challenged by this, our team had scooping meetings with cohort of women and girls who expressed readiness to formalize their individual businesses and to also leverage other digital technology platforms like the social media for marketing and sale of products and services

The community care workers were also involved because they serve as the support hand in the direct delivery of our services to the caregivers (women and girls) at the household levels.

We are seeking for new partnerships; new relationships that can provide us greater leverage to serve our target beneficiaries.

Partnership for change is at the center of the solution we provide as an organization. We have come thus far not so much of how much we have received in fund but because of the partnerships we have developed that have built and strengthened our organizational systems for efficiency and effectiveness. 

In Nigeria, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) contribute 48% of national GDP, account for 96% of businesses and 84% of employment. Despite the significant contribution of MSMEs to the Nigerian economy, the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reports that the informal sector accounts for 99.8% of MSMEs, and only 10% were registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) — primarily as business names. 

In the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 8 target 8.3, the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial services is a major priority.

This makes our solution a highly catalytic solution as it provides opportunity for more of the micro and small businesses to come into the formal sector of the national economy. It has the potential for scaling to transform the whole national economy in Nigeria significantly.

Furthermore, digital technology is changing many things very fast including the way we offer care and do business. Our solution leverages on technology to empower care workers and caregivers (women and girls) to be positioned in offering improved care and support services to those they care for. The solution is expected to drastically reduce the cost of doing business, improve access to market and economic opportunities for care workers and caregivers. It will also improve access to financial services for care workers and caregivers, enable them to grow their businesses and thereby improving their wellbeing and those they care for.

Previously, the average cost of registering a business was $100 but with this solution, care workers and caregivers can have their businesses registered with just $22, which translates to 78% saving in cost.

By every indication, our solution is a major enabler of change both for the national economy and towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Goal: Increase access to market opportunities and financial services for 2500 care workers and caregivers is achieved through digital and financial inclusion by 2027.

The specific measurable objectives are;

1. To provide formalization support for 2500 micro and small businesses for care workers and care givers using the CAC online self-service portal by 2027.

1.1 Carry out 2500 business name search, reservation and registration with the corporate affairs commission (CAC) and small and medium enterprise development agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN)

1.2 Conduct workshops on digital technology for 2500 care workers and caregivers

1.3 Hold outreaches for mobilization, engagement and assessment of beneficiaries

2. To have 2500 micro and small businesses open and operate business bank account for care workers and care givers with a designated commercial bank in Nigeria by 2027.

2.1 Facilitate the opening of business bank account for 2500 community care workers and caregivers

2.2 Conduct workshop on financial inclusion for 2500 community care workers and caregivers 

2.3 Conduct workshop on business plan development for 2500 community care workers and caregivers 

Our monitoring strategies;

1. Process Monitoring: The project will routinely capture program data including key service delivery statistics using mechanisms that measure critical indicators. Staff and volunteers will routinely capture data at service delivery points while the M&E officer will collate the data on monthly basis for storage, analysis and dissemination.
2. Individual-level Monitoring: monitoring will be carried out for each beneficiary throughout the life of the project, and the results be used for targeted case management. Service delivery information will be included in the individual tracking sheet, and used to simplify routine reporting, as well as analyze the relationship between the variety and intensity of services received and key outcomes.
3. Strengthening Data Quality: To ensure that accurate data is generated and reported, the project will; Support capacity building of volunteers and M&E staff in data collection and management, Conduct supportive supervision and provide regular technical assistance for project staff and volunteers.

Monitoring indicators;

Number of micro and small businesses that received formalization support

Number of micro and small businesses that opened and operating business bank accounts.

Number of care workers and caregivers trained on digital inclusion disaggregated by sex.

Number of care workers and caregivers trained on financial inclusion disaggregated by sex.

% of care workers and care givers with increased access to business and market opportunities disaggregated by sex.

% of care workers and caregivers with increased access to financial services disaggregated by sex.

1. Logical Framework

Project Description

Goal: Increase access to market opportunities and financial services for 2500 care workers and caregivers is achieved through digital and financial inclusion by 2027.

outcome

Formalization support provided for 2500 micro and small businesses for care workers and care givers using the CAC online self-service portal by 2027.

2500 micro and small businesses open and operate business bank account for care workers and care givers by 2027

Outputs

2500 care workers and caregivers gains knowledge and skills on digital technology, financial inclusion and business plan development.

2500 business names reserved with the corporate affairs commission and small and medium enterprises development agency of Nigeria

Activities

Facilitate the opening of business bank account for 2500 community care workers and caregivers.

Conduct business name search, reservation and registration with the corporate affairs commission (CAC) and small and medium enterprise development agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN)

Conduct workshops on; Digital technology, financial inclusion and business plan development for 2500 care workers and caregivers.

Hold 4 outreaches for mobilization, engagement and assessment of beneficiaries

Indicators

% of care workers and care givers with increased access to market opportunities disaggregated by sex.

% of care workers and caregivers with increased access to financial services disaggregated by sex.

Number of micro and small businesses that received formalization support

Number of micro and small businesses that opened and operating business bank accounts.

Number of business name search, reservation and registration conducted

Number of care workers and caregivers trained on digital and financial inclusion and business plan development disaggregated by sex.

Number of business bank accounts opened

Number of engagement meetings held with banks

Number of sessions held to facilitate registration

Number of workshops conducted

Number of outreaches conducted

Means of verification

Comparison of baseline assessment with situation assessment 

Verification and assessment report

CAC certificates 

Business bank account numbers Check books

Remitta payment receipt Payment invoice

Training attendance

Training Reports Pictures

Account numbers Check books

Meeting attendance

Reports Pictures

Assumptions

The Nigeria Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) online self-service portal will continue to be available.

Mobile telecom operators will continue to provide internet services that covers rural areas.

Commercial/micro finance banks will provide MSME friendly account packages

The  Nigeria Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) online self-service portal will continue to be available.

Care workers and caregivers will apply the knowledge gained.

2. Theory of change

Increased digital and financial inclusion will lead to increased access to market opportunities and financial services for care workers and caregivers: According to the World Bank, digital financial inclusion has been identified as an enabler for 7 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, pursuant to this, the G20 committed to advance financial inclusion worldwide and reaffirmed its commitment to implement the G20 High-Level Principles. However, close to one-third of adults – 1.7 billion – were still unbanked in 2017, according to the latest Findex data (2021 data forthcoming). About half of unbanked people included women poor households in rural areas or out of the workforce.

Mobile phone technology: Our solution leverages on the application of mobile phone technology to improve the wellbeing of community care workers and household caregivers. Through the use of mobile phone, we are providing access to; business formalization support for community care workers and caregivers right from the comfort of their homes in their various communities and financial services including the opening and operating of business bank accounts and facilitating access to credit and business advisory services.

Internet technology: We are also leveraging on the application of the internet technology to provide access to the wider world for the community care workers and caregivers. This is exposing them to wider market and economic opportunities beyond their immediate communities.

Gender equity and social inclusion is at the root of our work. Our organizational goal right from inception has been to foster social inclusion for the vulnerable and marginalized population especially; women, girls, children and youths.

This is evidenced in the composition of our board and the deliberate representation of women and girls in managerial position in the organization.

In staff recruitment, we are also very deliberate in giving fair and equal chances to women.

We also have equity and inclusion provision in our organization policy documents regarding employment at all levels.

We operate as a not for profit social enterprise. Through participatory need assessment, we identify the need of our target beneficiaries and mobilize resources through grants and donations to meet those needs. Where we are unable to completely pay for the services with grants and donations, we subsidize the cost of services. For instance, in education and health, we use block/bulk granting arrangement with education and health facilities to subsidize the cost of services received by our beneficiaries. We also leverage public private partnership as a strategy to provide access to essential services for our beneficiaries. For instance, we have previously established community farms and food banks for care workers and caregivers through public private partnerships with communities and other corporate entities. We provide direct services to our beneficiaries working with trained community care workers who work with us a volunteers. Our beneficiaries want the services we provide because it meets their needs and offer them value that brings transformation and improvement in their wellbeing.

We are predominantly a grant and donation funded organization. We primarily source for grants through concept paper and proposal development. Our grant funding is complemented by income generating initiatives, through our income generating initiatives, we provide services for fees and sell products for revenue. We combine the integrated and external model for our income generating initiative. 

Thus far, we have received about USD350, 000 in grant funding from the US Embassy in Nigeria, Catholic Relief Services and the Global funds awarded through competitive bidding processes that involved submission of concept paper and proposals.

Through our income generating initiative, we have generated about USD15, 000 as revenue while we have mobilized about USD70, 000 equity funding to run our business arms and to support our operations during periods when we don’t have grants funding running in the organization.