1. MEASURING THE EMPOWERMENT OF RURAL WOMEN ‘MKUBWA’: THE TANZANIA VIRTUAL BUSINESS INCUBATOR FOR WOMEN PAOLA CIRILLO ‘Expo delle Donne’ Milan, 29 May 2015

2. AIDOS  NGO  Data collected from field projects  Demonstrative projects  Small scale: pilot, budget  Influence government policies based on field experience

3. The economic empowerment of rural women: AIDOS’ approach Since 1995: Palestine Jordan Syria Nepal Tanzania  Innovative business incubation approach ‘without walls’  Target: HoH, economically productive age, basic literacy and numeracy skills, potential and existing entrepreneurs  Holistic and flexible from entrepreneurial orientation to business expansion  Micro & small sized women-led enterprises  Focus on innovation and PD&D  Carefully adapted to local context and needs  RH and GBV integrated

4. MANAGEMENT local partner NGO FUNDING –IFAD / Italian Gov. / EU / Private VBI: a team of ad hoc trained local professionals TECHNICAL EXPERTISE - AIDOS Technical Training Business Planning Product development Marketing Finance facilitation Business Management Training Orientation Village/Virtual Business Incubators (VBI): a tested methodology

5. Mkubwa the ‘BIG’ Tanzanian VBI 2009-2012 Tanzania Gatsby Trust World Bank Italian Gov. AIDOS

6. 817 women from Dar es Salam and Kibaha, randomly selected, assigned to 3 groups CONTROLBASICENHANCED 290271256 Entrepreneurial orientation and business health check Enterprise Management Training Technical Training Specialized technical assistance/ PD&D Individualized coaching/ counseling/ mentoring Micro-finance facilitation Gender Based Violence (GBV), HIV/AIDS, Human Trafficking and handling disabilities. MKUBWA: a variation to AIDOS’ model

7. Two approaches at measuring impact and empowerment  Randomized approach (Probability sampling)  Counterfactuals  Ad hoc survey  Large-scale AIDOS: measuring impact for sustainability WORLD BANK: measuring impact to test a methodology  Focus on enhanced group only (101 women – non probability sampling)  Quantitative/qualitative  Consistent data ‘before /after’  Business performance to date & intra-household/gender dynamics  Establishing trust/ constant follow- up

8. AIDOS: assessing impact for sustainability The case of 101 closely assisted enterprises Business Sector BEFORE MKUBWAAFTER MKUBWA Existing Businesses Start - up Profit increase after MKUBWA Business' contribution to family income Animal husbandry (poultry)9690%61% Handicraft (soap processing; Tailoring; Textile) 28731%45% Food processing1110116%46% Services (food, catering decoration, commercial, trading) 191173%53% Total673475%53%

9. AIDOS: assessing impact for sustainability The case of 101 closely assisted entrepreneurs  More respected in the community  Improved household dynamics  Enhanced self-confidence  Increased peer-support (vs. individualized approach)  Enhanced growth and technology- orientation  Willing to receive more assistance

10. WB: measuring impact to test a methodology the case of BASIC & ENHANCED groups (447 women)  Enhanced training improved business practices (budget/ business plan/ self-paid/ registered/licence/dedicated premises)  Training did not improve revenues on average  Training did not improve profits on average  Entrepreneurs who received enhanced training with 9+ years of tenure and those with loan at baseline benefited the most (25% profits)

11. What conclusion?  Small numbers count! for substantial results and sustainable impact  AIDOS’ personalized, step-by-step approach works  Building trust and accountability between VBI and entrepreneurs, although demanding and time consuming pays off  Already established businesses show results in the short- term vs start ups which need more time  Socio-cultural, economic, political and security factors affect the project’s and businesses’ performance. Each country presents a specific context

12. What approach at measuring empowerment  Consistent baseline – endline data  Relationship of trust - constant monitoring for realiable data  It is not just about profits! (agency, decison making, use of time, mobility, RH, GBV)  Holistic approach in looking at business/household/community dynamics  Involve family and community in systematic and rigorous baseline, mid-term and endline survey

13. What can be done together  NGOs: small scale demonstrative/pilot, qualitative measurement  Int. Institutions: large scale measurement  Together: build narrative to influence donors and government policies for scaling up and women’s rights promotion /implementation

14. To discover more www.aidos.it ‘Promoting women-led small scale enterprises - practices and lessons from business incubators and support centers in developing countries’ AIDOS, IFAD 2012

15. Thank you!