women first: an innovative link between income generation and health education in mozambique bethany...
TRANSCRIPT
Women First: An Innovative Link Between
Income Generation and Health Education in Mozambique
Bethany Brown, Cosmin Florescu, Erin Dodson and Ailea Sneller
Today’s Presentation
• GW Capstone project overview• Women First program overview • Mozambique country context• Background research• Fieldwork goals & methodology• Findings • Conclusions • Q & A
Capstone Project Overview
• Part of the Master of Arts program in International Development Studies at the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University
• Teams of graduate students perform background research and fieldwork for development organization partners based on mutual interests and needs
• Emphasis on research design, developing relationships, subject mastery, professional skills development, writing and presenting
Women First: Program Overview Microenterprise, income generation program
focusing on family health outcomes Managed by International Relief & Development
Links income generation and business skills with health knowledge Provides knowledge and means to act on
information Targets at-risk women (generally female heads
of household) Program Benchmarks
2005: Began in Inhambane 2007: Expansion to Zambezia Over 400 participants to date
Program ObjectivesIncrease household
income Reduce HIV/AIDS rate
(via behavior change)Improve basic education
& business skillsImprove household
health & nutrition status
Reinforce healthy decision making skills
Mulheres Primeiro
Functional Program Details
• Targets 22 World Vision women’s groups – Affiliated through Ovata community
advocacy and health programs• Private sector partners sell goods on credit
that are loaned to women to sell in communities and markets through progressive kits
• Sales activities monitored by IRD staff• Weekly health training modules presented
by IRD staff
Participants by Kit
Graduates 33.8%
1st Kit 13.8%
3rd Kit 28.8%
2nd Kit 33.8%
Attendee 10.0%
Value (MT)
Sale Price (MT)
Profit (MT)
Kit 1 500 800 300
Kit 2 750 1300
550
Kit 3 1000
1600
600
Grad
- - -
Mozambique: A Country Context
• Former Portuguese colony– Independence July 25, 1975
• Brutal & protracted civil war lasted from 1975-1992
• Per capita GDP: $900• Population: 19.8 million• Population below the
poverty line: 70%• UN’s Human Development
Index: Ranked 172 out of 177
• GDP growth of 8% in 2007
Background Research• The Intersection Between Health, Education
and Income
– Income helps. Education helps. Income + education helps more.
• Health, Poverty & Gender
– Income in the hands of women has greater impact on family health than in hands of men
• Nutrition Status and HIV/AIDS Mortality
– Negative correlation
Research Goals and Hypotheses
• Evaluating the extent to which the program has achieved its intended health knowledge outcomes;
• Identifying the programmatic strategies that have been employed to ensure the program’s success; and
• Identifying whether two program elements - health and income generation - are effectively connected to strengthen the impacts of both.
Initial Hypotheses
• The Women First program is performing well with respect to its stated health objectives.
• IRD strategies are relevant and effective for achieving Women First program goals
– Ability to identify and address gaps or shortcomings
• The Women First program provides a successful model for incorporating health education into an income generation program
Methodology
• Conducted focus group discussion with 14 groups– One new group and one former group– Asked about:
• Experience with selling products• Community response to program• Opinions of program
• Conducted individual interviews with 90 women– Asked about:
• Demographic data• Health knowledge and behaviors• Program impacts
• Interviewed key staff
Research Challenges
Unable to address: Business model, partnership roles, social cohesion, technical health outcomes
Limited access to baseline data for participants
Limited information available about program operations and objectives
Concerns about objectivity/neutrality
Logistical issues hindered random selection of interviewees
Logistics of interview process - multiple translators, time constraints
Interview Findings
Participant Feedback
Reaction to program overwhelmingly positive 97% of women state program has had positive impact on
their life/health 97% have never considered quitting 99% of women want the program to continue 98% of women are willing to mentor new participants
Community response generally positive Only one group experienced negative reaction from non-
participant market sellers Most groups want more women to be able to
participate
335.45
458.11
535.82 525.25
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
1st Kit 2nd Kit 3rd Kit Graduate
Average Weekly Income by Status
Obvious and expected correlation between higher kits and higher earnings.
Supports women’s assertion that it is harder to continue making money after graduation.
Average Weekly Sales by Group
Marital Status Husband’s Occupation
Fisherman
70% of spouses do not contribute income to
household
The occupation of the husband does not appear to have an impact on the average weekly sales of the wife
Correlation is NOT statistically significant
Number of school eligible-children not attending school, by case
Total children: 355Total not in school: 26
School AttendanceMozambique: 60%*Women First: 93%
School-eligible Children Not in School
* UNICEF, 2000-2006
Othrincome by Graduate
Farm prodOthr busnsNone
0%
100%
0Attendee
First kit2nd kit
3rd kitGraduate
50%
33%
17% 33%33%
67%
13%
53%
55%
17%
28%
None
Other Bus.
Cultivating
Other sources of income, by kit status