Survey

A.3 Togo Rural Business

Please find details about the TestE method here.
Testing the strength of Evidence.

Click here

Dates of field visits

Milohum: 2020, 2021, 2022.

Elisabeth: 2020.

Renaud: This event is marked as R1. As part of the achievement of the before mentioned objectives, a monitoring team from HR&S proceeded this Wednesday, June 29, 2022 to a raid on the arenas of Agbélouvé and some of its surrounding villages in order to collect informations and get to grips with the realities on the field. What improvements on the social, economic level, child care, HR&S credits induce? Some answers in this article.

Togo_ A.3 M Yawo

Test_E parameters

Collected TestE parameters in meetings with PMPs and TPs
when developing and adjusting the Survey manual and when making the surveys.

Ambitions

Ambitions of the Programme manager partner (PMP)

  • Help people to do something and get money for all the family.
    • Reach 200 business owners.
    • Provide the size of loan that the business owners requests. (how much?)
    • Offer coaching.
      • Visit weekly to give advice, address challenges and collect pay-back money.
      • Give out loans every six month for a period of six months with weekly pay-back.
      • Give T-shirts to Target partners.
  • PMP business: Cover programme costs and earn salary.
    • Cover transportation costs, motorbike.
    • Cover cellphone and airtime.
    • Salary
    • Work with a management team that also earn salary.

Ambition as expressed by the survey manager: “Reduce poverty by helping vulnerable groups to obtain sustainable, stable incomes and to save in order to be independent later; this is the objective pursued by HR&S/Action10 by granting microcredits to vulnerable populations, the majority of which are headed by women, so that they can find a place within their community.”

Assessment of PMP intrinsic motivation

  • Yawo is in favour of the programme and willing to work hard for it. (Milohum 2021)
  • Mr. Yawo thanks you for your support and says he is ready to work with you at any time and wherever the need arises.(Renaud 2022).

Outcome challenges

Defined by PMP

  • Poor condition of his motorcycle which can no longer really ensure travel in these different villages, especially since the roads are impassable

Progress Markers defined

  • Defined by PMP.
  • Defined by Branch.
  • Defined by HQ
    • Income to balance (or exceed) costs.

R1. During this survey, several grievances were submitted, among others

  • An increase in the credits granted
  • The establishment of a structure or premises serving as an office where women can go at any time for the various operations or concerns.
  • It should be noted that around fifty women come to seek this financial support and invite me to plead their case with HR&S.
  • Certain difficulties were encountered during travelling. The roads, which were mostly impassable, made it a little difficult for us to access certain villages.
  • The greatest difficulty related to travelling was Mr. Yawo’s motorcycle, a motorcycle whose shock absorbers did not hold more because it is a little old. Each time it goes out, we had to push it for several meters before it started up again.We even had a puncture and we push the ride on a very long distance before getting in touch with a vulcanizer. This is the place for a solution to be found to this motoride in order to allow Mr. Yawo work under better conditions.

Defined by HR&S

  • The sustainability aspect is difficult in these villages.

  • The cost for the motorbike bought for M Yawo should be deducted from his salary over a period of time. Then it is his motorbike and M. Yaweo pays the service and maintenance from his salary.
    Whereas, the fuel is a cost for the business, and shall be covered by the income.
  • M. Yawo to explain to the Target partners that their new loans are delayed as some of the capital was used for his motorbike.
  • It would have been better if Yawo had been saving from his salary before, then taking a loan from the capital. This is the new way of thinking that we want to introduce.
  • We want Yawo to come to realise that he is not employed by HR&S, but the Director of his own social enterprise.
  • And as it is in partnership with HR&S, HR&S regulates the interest rate and the conditions for the Target partners so that the deal is fair.
    Sometimes poor people are exploited, because they are poor and do not have another alternative. But HR&S does not exploit poor people, on the contrary. This is why we are not a Microfinance programme but we are equal partners. The interest rate per year is 14%, if the loan period is six months.
  • Besides a fair interest rate, Yawo can take a fee for the services he and his team provide, as we have discussed before. That he visits every week, collect the payment so the money is safe, give training and helps sort out challenges. How much is  a fair and reasonable fee?

Activities

R1 Every Wednesday is market day in Agbélouvé, several km of road from Lomé. Then about twenty women also gathers in a meeting community around the actions of HR&S/Action10. Mr. Yawo, our programme manager partner, comes to educate the beneficiaries of the ActionInvets on the strategies to adopt in order to quickly finish the payment. He also assists them in choosing the activities to undertake.

Lesson learned & informed decision The loan-takers take it as evidence for the reason to pay back, that new and larger loans are disbursed without problem, after a loan has been paid back. Informed decision It is crucial that enough capital is available to give larger loans. Thus programmes that work well shall have priority when transferring funds, and that we have capital enough to meet the request of loan-takers paying back.

R1. Mr Yawo has developed a number of staged all the stages of a the process to be eligible to obtain credit. 

Lesson learned & informed decision Action No x Resilience is key. “Initially, we thought that the HR&S credit was “a fun,” she admits. But time will do its work and changed this illusion, as HR&S has transformed the lives of many women. We must recognize that the HR&S credit has truly improved the conditions of women in our community on all fronts. It has made it possible to develop our capacities and to get us out of poverty confesses the one who is now a successful entrepreneur.” Initially the Target partner may not believe in the sustainability of the programme, but wit time they will start to develop trust. CEO reflection, maybe many aid programmes have come and gone or other programmes have failed.  Thus HR&S must always stay strong and resilient

Lesson learned & informed decisions The HR&S-Action10 attention matters “Your visit and especially your various questions about our difficulties that we are experiencing really give us the strength and the courage to move forward and give the best of ourselves so that this initiative goes forward. We ask you to always come for this follow-up.” Informed decision: Kind surveys will also empower the respondents as they feel the attention and that they matter. For example when we ask about their challenges and appreciate their success.

Business plan

Develop and maintain a business plan

Expected costs per year (FCFA)

    • Programme manager reimbursement:
      420,000 (EUR 640) in 2021 (35,000 FCFA per month)
      960,000 (EUR 1,500) in 2022 (80,000 FCFA per month)
    • Service and maintenance of motorbike, Programme manager
      40,000 according to Yawo Jul 2022
      300,000 according to Milohum in 2021
    • Fuel for motorbike
      20 / 30,000 (accoding to Yawo / Milohum)
    • Management team reimbursement: 5,000 per month
      60,000
    • Service and maintenance smartphone and air time, Programme manager
      50,000
    • Book and contract sheet:
      30,000
    • Mobile Money Transfer cost: per week 3,000
      156,000
    • Bank fees ?
    • Survey management xx
    • Auditing xx
    • RISE membership fee
      32,000 (EUR 50)
    • 10% interest 8,000,000:
      800,000 (EUR 1,200)

TOTAL Approximately FCFA 2,000,000
The increased salary in 2020 shall also cover the service and maintenance of the motorbike, and the cost for a new. Maybe the interest rate paid to Branch Togo is less than 10 %

Expected Income per year  (FCFA)

  • Assume 200 loan takers who in average borrows 40,000 per six months (30,000, 40,000 up to ?), thus a capital of FCFA 8,000,000 (EUR 12,200 target 13,000), 14 % interest
    960,000
  • Coaching fee, 100 per target partner and week (100x200x52)
    1,040,000

TOTAL FCFA 2,000,000 (EUR 3,000)

Input

ActionInvest
EUR 10,000 has been transferred to L&D from ActionInvest during 2020 and 2021. During the first half of 2022 EUR 2,000 was transferred and in August about 2,000 is planned for.
TOTAL FCFA 8,000,000 (EUR 12,000) per June 2022
Thus the capital expected to generate sustainability has been transferred.

Lesson learned. The business is not sustainable despite the transfer of capital and 100% pay-back by the target partners, while no interest has been paid to HR&S Branch Togo. It is time to identify the missing outcome challenges.

Outcome

R1 Every Wednesday is market day in Agbélouvé, then about twenty women also gathers in a meeting community around the actions of HR&S/Action10.

R1 Testimony Our interpreter also proudly shares with us the improvement that credit has brought to her life. “Thanks to the profits I generate from the sale of the drink, I manage to ensure the well-being of my family, including schooling, health care, as well as all other basic needs. The Credit has contributed in more ways than one to improving my living and working conditions. “

R1. A group of about ten women, rediscover the heritage of their ancestors: the sale of Tchoukoutou (local drink made from sorghum) with great satisfaction. At the age of forty, Madam Moulaba is struggling to put away her smile, visibly happy with her small business. She says: ” The sale of Tchoukoutou is a profession that our grandparents passed on to us.”

R1. At Agbelouvé and its surrounding villages, there are countless HR&S strategies and plans for the development of women.

R1. At the age of forty, Madam Moulaba is struggling to put away her smile, visibly happy with her small business. She says: And as you can imagine, I had trouble realizing myself because I was not in charge of my own business. When we learned of the start-up of the HR&S Fund, on several occasions, we received it in our village, Mr. Yawo who comes to educate us on the background of HR&S. With my sisters in the village, we mobilized and followed all the stages of the process to finally obtain credit. I had a first installment of 30,000 F CFA, a second of 40,000 F CFA and this sum allowed me to do a lot of things because my children eat and go to school thanks to this fund. Thanks to this credit, we are able to supply ourselves with all kinds of basic necessities.

R1. HR&S/Action10 has managed to make impressive progress in gender equality. This is how many women beneficiaries of HR&S Credits manage to rise very high in entrepreneurship. 

R1. When we approach the question of reimbursements with Madam Moulaba, it is also with great conviction that she replies “Very early on, I understood that the sustainability of our business lies in the proper repayment of loans. And on this, Mr. Yawo made us very aware. The proof is because we are up to date in all our reimbursements that we have been able to obtain the other credits without difficulty. Thanks to HR&S, we are financially independent but please you should increase our credits because things are expensive now on the market.”

R1. About by SOTOWOU Ami in Foulanikondji. “Her fame speaks for herself. She is the prototype of the woman destined for certain success. From dawn to dusk, the brave lady invests body and soul in her general food sales activities. Determined and committed, she firmly believes in the future. The HR&S, which she crossed paths with, will be her greatest opportunity to develop and increase her many talents, qualities and skills. Initially, we thought that the HR&S credit was “a fun,” she admits. But time will do its work and change this illusion, as HR&S has transformed the lives of many women. We must recognize that the HR&S credit has truly improved the conditions of women in our community on all fronts. It has made it possible to develop our capacities and to get us out of poverty confesses the one who is now a successful entrepreneur.”

R1. In the village of Agbodjékpo, 27 km from Agbélouvé, we notice with joy the enthusiasm of some of the women in front of their displays of all kinds. What is most surprising and admirable is the fact that everyone wants to take charge of herself by carrying out a generative activity. It is lady AGBESSIME ADJOA who crystallizes our attention. ” With my savings that I obtained with my small business, I managed to set up this little hut that you see. My astonishment was spectacular, and for good reason, the HR&S did not leave me on the road at the end of the cycle, it was precisely to allow me to be able to scale up the exercise of my income-generating activity. A fund that aims precisely to enable beneficiaries to gradually become independent. I then read the conditions for obtaining it and I complied with all the requirements. This is how I was then granted a loan. This sum allowed me to be able to buy cheap bags and ladies’ shoes as well as thrift stores that I display here for sale. And since then, I managed to satisfy the customers and my business is going pretty well. But please tell your superiors to increase our credits. I also grab this opportunity to address my heartfelt thanks to HR&S/Action10 for all they do.

R1. Lady AGBESSIME ADJOA in Agbodjékpo. “Your visit and especially your various questions about our difficulties that we are experiencing really give us the strength and the courage to move forward and give the best of ourselves so that this initiative goes forward. We ask you to always come for this follow-up.

R1. Testimony interpreter Today her business is flourishing and the income she generates allows her to meet loan repayments and take care of her needs as well as those of her family. “For a while I have felt more fulfilled because I manage to take charge of myself and contribute alongside my husband to taking care of the needs of our family. I have no difficulty with loan repayments. As I was already used to the refund, I manage to pay without difficulty. It’s really a good experience that HR&S is currently giving me.”

Impact

Empowering local food and drinks that has been passed on by grandparents.

  • Tchoukoutou (local drink made from sorghum)

Mindset around business management & loan pay-back

  • “Very early on, I understood that the sustainability of our business lies in the proper repayment of loans, on this, Mr. Yawo made us very aware. “
  • “The proof is because we are up to date in all our reimbursements that we have been able to obtain the other credits without difficulty.”
  • Thanks to HR&S, we are financially independent but please you should increase our credits because things are expensive now on the market.”
  • “Initially, we thought that the HR&S credit was “a fun,” she admits. But time will do its work and changed this illusion, as HR&S has transformed the lives of many women. We must recognize that the HR&S credit has truly improved the conditions of women in our community on all fronts. It has made it possible to develop our capacities and to get us out of poverty confesses the one who is now a successful entrepreneur.”
  • My astonishment was spectacular, and for good reason, the HR&S did not leave me on the road at the end of the cycle, it was precisely to allow me to be able to scale up the exercise of my income-generating activity. A fund that aims precisely to enable beneficiaries to gradually become independent.
  • “Your visit and especially your various questions about our difficulties that we are experiencing really give us the strength and the courage to move forward and give the best of ourselves so that this initiative goes forward. We ask you to always come for this follow-up.”

Empowering businesses

  • Persons who had an ambition to do business have become able to realise their ambition and run a business.

Local meetings

Every Wednesday is market day in Agbélouvé, then about twenty women also gathers in a meeting community around the actions of HR&S/Action10.

Child support

  • Children eat better
  • Children go to school

Family support

  • Testimony ” We are able to supply ourselves with all kinds of basic necessities”
  • Healht care

Business woman support

  • Testimony ” The Credit has contributed in more ways than one to improving my living and working conditions. “

Gender equality

  • HR&S/Action10 has managed to make impressive progress in gender equality. This is how many women beneficiaries of HR&S Credits manage to rise very high in entrepreneurship. 
  • “For a while I have felt more fulfilled because I manage to take charge of myself and contribute alongside my husband to taking care of the needs of our family.”

Respondents

The respondents are identified and presented with: names, title, telephone numbers, level of education, home location, and family status. Also GDPR consent is collected if the respondent’s agree.

  1. PMP
    • Team-leader: M Yawo xxx
    • Management team: xxx
  2. Target Partners
    How are Target Partner representatives selected, randomization or not.
    Possible randomization: The survey team shows up in-announced and and asks the Target Partners that are present.
    • Individuals: xxx
    • Focus groups: xxx
  3. Customers of Target Partners
    How are customers representatives selected, randomization or not.
    • Individuals: xxx
    • Focus groups: xxx
  4. Other stakeholders, such as:
    • Chief of the village.
    • Family members.
    • Teachers.
    • Head masters.
    • Other.

Set-up

  1. Individual interviews, specific and open-ended, with
    • The PMP.
    • Management team members.
    • Each loan-taker present.
    • Family members present.
  2. Focal group interviews, with
    • Management team and PMP together.
    • All loan-takers of the village, who are present,  together.
  3. Collect testimonies, from a number of persons randomly chosen.
  4. Take photos.
  5. Record videos.
  6. Record interviews.

  7. Take notes in a dedicated notebook about everything that happens.

Micro data Survey questions

Social impact

 

Sustainable social impact refers to reaching the social good ambitions in a sustainable manner.

Measure twice a year since the start of the programme.

Social Good _ Direct Impact

Respondent: PMP

  • Compilation of the products that we offer:
    1. Business loans;
      Number of loans, size of loans, total capital. 
    2. Other
  • Compilation of the services that we offer:
    1. Weekly visits to collect refunds, coach and address challenges.
      1. type of coaching
      2. type of challenges
    2. Other
  • Number of Target partner business owners: xxx
  • PMP business generate profit.
    • Size of profit: xxx

Respondent: Target Partners

  • Compilation of the products that our Target Partners offer to their customers: xxx
    • Number of customer per product: xxx
  • Compilation of the services that our Target Partners offer to their customers: xxx
    • Number of customers per service: xxx
  • Target partner business owners generate profit.
    • Size of profit per TP: xxx

Respondent: Customers (customer survey)

  • Are customers content with products?

  • Are customers content with services?

Social Good _ Indirect Impact

Respondent: Target Partners & families.

  • Children well-being
    Children of the women who manages HR&S small-scale businesses.
    • Number of meals per day increased.
      From one to two or three.
      • Number of children: xxx
    • Education
      Tuition fee paid and school attendance made possible.
      • Number of children: xxx
  • Women well-being
    • The status of the women in the families has improved as the contribute with income.

Respondent: Customers (customer survey)

xxx

Institutional capacity

Respondent: PMP

Accounting

  • Bookkeeping of international standards; compiling all receipts and invoices, perform bank reconciliation.
  • Annual auditing.
  • Respond to management reports from the auditor.

 

  • Who is in charge of the bookkeeping?
  • Who is doing the auditing?
  • What do the management reports look like?
  • Can we please see the books?

Project management

  • Are the number of Target Partners included, as expected? xxx.
  • Does the target partners deliver as expected? xxx.
  • Do you have regular meetings with the management team, if so, how often? xxx.
    • Do you take notes which are  included in the annual report?xxx.

Transparency & Efficiency

  • Communication between PMP and HR&S.
    • Maybe monthly reflections from PMP on WhatsApp. xxx.
  • Information from target partners on their satisfaction, needs, expectations. xxx.
    • To be written down and shared.
  • Share notes from the local management meetings. xxx.

Annual report

Due 15 February.

Target partner services

Ensure continuous feed-back from Target Partners. Information about their satisfaction, needs, expectations, xxx. Specially ask about their views on the ethics of the programme.

TP training, coaching & team building

  1. Training sessions: xxx
  2. Coaching sessions: xxx
  3. HR&S / Action10 T-shirts “women themselves have submitted a complaint, that of offering them HR&S/Action10 t-shirts that they will often wear at each meeting.”

Financial sustainability

Sustainable economy is when income, without donations, sustainably exceeds costs.

  1. When can a sustainable economy be expected ?
  2. What is the size of the required capital?
  3. Compile sources and levels of income?
  4. Compile sources and levels of expenses?

Sustainable business mind-set

  • ?

Does the income exceed the expenses?

  • No, lack of funds to cover the cost for PPM’s transportation (June 2022).

Survey team & visit

PMP comment: Wednesdays, market day, are the only days suitable for meeting women and following up with them.

Who

  1. The survey team consist of: Renaud, Elisabeth, Milohum, Yawo. 
  2. The team leader is: Renaud
  3. Date of the next visit: The visits are made on Wednesdays, the market day. xxx

When

  1. Dates of coming visits:

Where

  1. Location of the visits:

How

  1. Visit arrangements: Offer snacks to focus group discussions.
  2. Travel arrangements:
  3. Travel costs:
  4. The sources for covering travel costs are:

Survey Team Preparations

Ensure the team has access to the tools required:

  • Written copy of the survey manual.
  • Camera; photos and videos.
  • Recorder.
  • Notebooks and pens.
  • Transportation means.
  • Food and water.

Divide areas of responsibility between team-members. Ensure that  each team member is clear about and comfortable with their own assignment as well as the team assignment.

The team assignments

  1. Making individual interviews.
    • Specific questions.
    • Open ended questions.
  2. Collect data from focal group discussions.
  3. Collect testimonies.
  4. Taking photos.
  5. Record videos.
  6. Record interviews.

  7. Taking notes in a dedicated notebook about everything that happens.

Preparing for the analysis of the data

  • Control
    The control is the base-line data, macro-data and the conditions in specific villages that are selected to join the programme, prior to mentioning about the programme.
  • Randomization
    Randomization among respondents is created by not announcing the survey date, and asking everyone who are present that day.
  • Statistical assessment method
    • Quantitative: ANOVA. Thus we need as much data as possible.
    • Qualitative: Simple compilation of statements.
  • Contribution tracing. Identifying other actors in the village, what do they contribute with, how many are involved and how do they benefit. Consider to collaborate with other actors.
  • Ethics. Normal ethics plus asking the respondents about their views on ethics.

Compilation of Outcome data

Outcome

  • Yawo informed about that a cooperative bank came to propose a loan to some people in the village, but the offer by Action10, was the best (Millohum 2021).
  • Mr. Yawo gave me a feedback. In his message, he instructs me to tell you that the children of all the beneficiaries have organized themselves into a delegation to come and tell him to thank you. They say that through your support, they manage to eat at least twice a day, through the small activities their mothers do, they manage to pay their school fees (Renaud 2022).
  • In addition, the women themselves have submitted a complaint, that of offering them HR&S/Action10 t-shirts that they will often wear at each meeting. (Renaud 2022).

Progress marker scoring

  • Number of women involved
    • More than fifty new women have come to benefit from this financing – June 2022
  • Size of loan
    • Instead of giving 30,000 to women to start their activities, he would like it to be 40,000 – June 2022.

Compilation of names of respondents and GDPR consent: xxx