Inclusive Entrepreneurship for Persons with Disabilities program’s evaluation report
Poverty is widespread and unchecked across the 26 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Despite being the second-largest country in Africa, with an approximate area of 2.3 million square kilometers (890,000 sq. mi), and being endowed with rich natural resources, the DRC is the second-poorest country in the world. More than 80% of Congolese people live on less than $1.25 a day, defined as the threshold for extreme poverty.
In the context of people with disabilities (PWDs), no official reliable data on disability exist in DRC. Based on studies in sample districts, the Congolese health ministry estimates a prevalence of around 15 percent or around 13 million persons. Traditionally, PWDs belong to the most marginalized groups in society, and are more likely to be unemployed compared to their counterparts without disabilities.
Project objective and scope
This project is designed with the purpose of supporting self-employment and entrepreneurship of persons with disabilities by providing micro-entrepreneurship development services. This is achieved by improving their entrepreneurship and management skills and by providing them with business support alongside the financial award to launch or expand their income-generating activities (small businesses).
In June 2018, KFF was awarded a prize money from the United States African Development Foundation, an agency of United States Echoing Government, via Echoing Green (EG) Global Fellowship to implement this project and extend it to seven provinces throughout the country.
Project immediate results and indicators achieved
The following are some of the indicators that are achieved by the project:
- 859 direct beneficiaries successfully completed the entrepreneurship training of which 75% were youths with disabilities (650 PWDs);
- 645 youth entrepreneurs attended our networking and skill-building events of which 50% youth with disabilities (326 PWDs);
- 654 young entrepreneurs who received pre-creation support and the percentage of disabled entrepreneurs: 55% (360 PWDs);
- 502 young entrepreneurs who received post creation support and the percentage of disabled entrepreneurs: 69% (360 PWDs).
The above indicators were supported by intermediate result indicators:
- 2010 beneficiaries participated in the pre-screening phase;
- 859 selected beneficiaries for entrepreneurship training have completed their business plans;
- 803 Participants rated the quality of the training package as useful or very useful.
The social and economic impact of project deliverables
The project enabled 360 PWDs to become entrepreneurs and 12 PWDs to secure sustainable employment. A major effort through the project’s life span was the creation of an ecosystem of disabled entrepreneurs in DRC and informal alumni networks who might become employers and mentors to their former peers and the organization maintains a database containing detailed information for all beneficiaries. In addition, the project improved the literacy skills of PWDs who were not educated or dropped out of schools by establishing adult literacy classes, and digital skills by teaching them how to use common Microsoft programs, financial management software, and web search engines for their jobs and businesses. Moreover, the project created an inclusive and supportive workplace and create job opportunities for young people with disabilities by advocating and training employers as well as PWDs to acquire workplace behavior and meet the market demand.
