WHY GIRL EFFECT?
Drake Analysis chose to analyze the non-profit Girl Effect after researching women-led ventures with missions to improve the lives of girls and women. Girl Effect's call to action matches that of one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: challenge harmful norms, traditional gender stereotyping, and sexist beliefs to improve the lives of girls and women (2015). The non-profit partners with corporate enterprises, governments, philanthropic organizations, and NGOs to affect change for girls and young women by using mobile technologies to disseminate and collect crucial information related to the topics of education, healthcare (sexual and reproductive health, vaccination, etc.), gender equality and more.
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More of our investors are seeking opportunities to invest in girls' and women's organizations and initiatives and recognize the need to do so: 3.3% of all non-profits in the U.S. are dedicated to women and girls but only receive 1.6% of all charitable contributions (Women's Philanthropy Institute, 2019). We can assume that those giving percentages are mirrored globally. A survey by the Women's Philanthropy Institute reported that 65% of respondents believe that interest in girls' and women's causes will increase in the future.
On the surface, Girl Effect's products and initiatives to solve girls' problems inspire investor confidence. Our analysis digs deeper.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
We recommend investors and partners choose to invest in Girl Effect with caution.
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Girl Effect has demonstrated success with award-winning mobile technologies, chatbots, and its lean research model (TEGA) and has proven its ability to expand into further markets and scale quickly. Multiple products are compelling and groundbreaking, including TEGA and chatbots developed by UNICEF's open-source RapidPro software (Girl Effect, n.d.). However, these products and initiatives are attempting to solve complex problems, and Girl Effect's reporting of insights and impact is not current. One-time impact reports for continuing projects make it difficult to measure the true reach and social impact of Girl Effect's products and initiatives.
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Girl Effect passes the test when it comes to charitable commitment as 85% of £24.53M in 2018 was spent on charitable giving and 6% spent on fundraising. While its partnerships with respected organizations such as UNICEF, Gavi, Oxfam, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation give the non-profit credibility to propel its mission forward, secure more partnerships and expand into more regions, an analysis of annual financial data from 2014 to 2018 shows investments peaked in 2016 (a 10x increase from 2015) but have since decreased. No financial data has been reported since May 2018.
It is problematic that Girl Effect's mobile learning products' delivery relies on corporate partners such as Facebook and Vodafone, who face continued public scrutiny regarding privacy violations of users and tax avoidance in India, respectively. It can be argued that those corporations stand to benefit from the collection of data for the exchange of providing free access to Girl Effect products. However, this reliance on Facebook's Free Basics and Vodafone's commitment to providing Girl Effect's users with access to content for free is what makes Girl Effect's products sustainable and accessible.
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Girl Effect's mission to change the world for girls is virtuous, but criticisms against its corporate approach are worth investigating (Moeller, 2013). Girls reap the benefits of engaging with Girl Effect's mobile technologies, products and initiatives on challenging issues but to what extent? And how much do corporate partners stand to gain from the data collection and information of vulnerable populations? The long term goals of the non-profit, the true measure of its social impacts, and corporate partnerships must be given consideration before choosing to invest.
RECOMMENDATION
ABOUT DRAKE ANALYSIS
Drake Analysis is Mel Drake: an educator with over 10 years experience teaching in secondary and post-secondary institutions in the U.S. and Canada.
Her education includes a B.A. in English from Stephen F. Austin State University, a UTeach Liberal Arts teacher certification from the University of Texas, an Ontario College Diploma - Greenhouse Technician from Niagara College, and she is undertaking coursework toward a Master of Educational Technology at the University of British Columbia. She is an Ontario Certified English Language Teacher (TESL Ontario) and has studied Spanish at the Universidad de Guanajuato in México. She currently teaches Communications courses at Niagara College.
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PRODUCTS AND INITIATIVES
SPRINGSTER
"A mobile-first global brand, Springster digitally connects marginalised and vulnerable girls to online content designed to equip them with the knowledge, confidence and connections they need to navigate the complex choices of adolescence." (Girl Effect, 2019)
Market: in over 50 countries including South Africa, Nigeria, the Philippines and Indonesia
Reach: 12.7 million unique users, 1 million monthly visitors
Product: Big Sis Chatbot to provide 24/7 support for sexual health and healthy relationship advice, Springster app with curated content, community with moderators. Interact with Springster on the right or open in a new window.
Partners and Initiatives:
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Facebook - Putting empowering content in the hands of girls, globally with Free Basics
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BBM (Blackberry Messenger) - Putting Springster at the fingertips of BBM Messenger users
(Girl Effect, 2017)
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NI NYAMPINGA
"Developed by girls for all young people, Ni Nyampinga is Rwanda’s first youth brand giving girls the advice and confidence they need to thrive." (Girl Effect, 2019)
Market: Rwanda
Reach: 42% of Rwandans are users, 79% are aware of brand (2017)
Product: Multimedia channels including: digital, radio shows and dramas, quarterly magazine, clubs. Visit the Ni Nyampinga site.
Partners and Initiatives:
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Gavi: The Vaccine Alliance - Breaking down negative attitudes and behaviours that prevent girls accessing life-saving vaccines (HPV, in particular)
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UNICEF - Tackling the barriers girls face in completing secondary education
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Facebook - Putting empowering content in the hands of girls, globally
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Government of Rwanda
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Government of the Netherlands (Gavi, 2019)
(Girl Effect, 2017)
TECHNOLOGY ENABLED GIRL AMBASSADOR (TEGA)
"Tackling gender inequality is one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. It has now been recognised world-over for the critical role it plays towards ending poverty. To achieve this, accurate data and insights are required to understand the challenges facing girls." (Girl Effect, 2019)
Market: Nigeria, Malawi, Tanzania, Rwanda, India, Bangladesh and the USA
Reach: 17,000+ interviews, impact 18 million
Product: Lean research through a mobile based peer-to-peer app
Partners and Initiatives:
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MRS - Empowering girls with employable skills for their futures
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Australian Aid - Building girls’ voice and leadership through innovative research
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Oxfam - Using authentic insight to deliver effective support to displaced girls and women
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Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation - Using authentic insight to help girls access modern contraception
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StriveTogether - Leveraging TEGA to improve educational outcomes for America’s youth
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Gavi - Breaking down negative attitudes and behaviours that prevent girls accessing life-saving vaccines
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PEPFAR DREAMS - Increasing demand for health services by empowering girls
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Nutrition International - Improving knowledge and practices towards nutrition for adolescent girls
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Restless Development - Implementing, supporting and strengthening TEGA networks in India
(Girl Effect, 2019)
CHHAA JAA
"Reflecting the seismic shift in India’s digital media landscape, Chhaa Jaa comes to life online and on social platforms to meet girls where they are already looking for information or increasingly will be. With authentic storylines and characters that reflect girls’ daily choices and constraints, Chhaa Jaa is designed to build up a girls' sense of self, her identity and her ability to ask questions." (Girl Effect, 2019)
Market: India
Reach: No data, deployed in Q3 2019, but 20% of the world's adolescent girls live in India
Product: Digital content on topics of sexual and reproductive health, navigating difficult choices regarding education with parents, job searching, moderated online community, and a yet to be released chatbot is in the works.
Partners and Initiatives:
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TEGA - surveyed Indian teens and gathered data to create videos on need-to-know topics
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Vodafone Foundation - Empowering girls through mobile with the information they need to transform their lives
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CIFF: Children's Investment Fund Foundation - Inspiring girls in India to take control of their health and futures through digital content
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Restless Development - Implementing, supporting and strengthening TEGA networks in India
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Times Bridge - Coming together to empower young girls in India
(Girl Effect, 2019)
TUJIBEBE
"By role-modelling inspiring fictional and real-life success stories, Tujibebe content provides young people with the information and resources they need to make positive choices about their future - from finishing their education or setting up their own small business, to accessing a health service." (Girl Effect, 2019)
Market: Tanzania
Reach: No data for new initiative deployed in 2019, but 63% of girls in Tanzania have a mobile phone
Product: Digital content, free access to on-demand audio content through IVR (Interactive Voice Response) National Phone Line and Vodacom, networks and clubs, website, and branded chatbots on Facebook and WhatsApp are coming soon. Interact with Tujibebe on the right or open in a new window.
Partners and Initiatives:
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Vodafone Foundation - Empowering girls through mobile with the information they need to transform their lives
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Restless Development - Implementing, supporting and strengthening TEGA networks in India
(Girl Effect, 2019)
YEGNA
"Yegna encourages positive behaviour change for girls in Ethiopia by tackling real-life challenges through stories and music." Challenges include educational access to early marriage and violence. (Girl Effect, 2019)
Market: Ethopia
Reach: 8.9 million, 48% of population in Addis and Amhara regions
Product: Digital content focused on storytelling through music, a talk show, radio and digital channels including a nationwide TV series.
Partners and Initiatives:
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Gavi: The Vaccine Alliance - Breaking down negative attitudes and behaviours that prevent girls accessing life-saving vaccines (Girl Effect, 2017)
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ZATHA
"Born out of Malawian culture, Zathu uses the power of music and storytelling to close the gender gap and tackle challenging topics such as relationships, stereotypes, self-expression and sexual health." (Girl Effect, 2019)
Market: Malawi
Reach: 2.6 million
Products: Digital content focused on storytelling and music as avenues for closing the gender gap and addressing challenging topics affecting adolescents. Interact with Zatha on the right or open in a new window.
Partners and Initiatives:
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Gavi - Breaking down negative attitudes and behaviours that prevent girls accessing life-saving vaccines
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PEPFAR DREAMS - Increasing demand for health services by empowering girls
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Facebook -Putting empowering content in the hands of girls, globally
(Girl Effect, 2017)
REPORT
REFERENCES
Central Intelligence Agency. (2018, February 1). The World Factbook. Retrieved February 5, 2020, from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/
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Chaaban, J., Cunningham, W., & World Bank e-Library. (2011). Measuring the economic gain of investing in girls: The girl effect dividend. The World Bank. Retrieved February 5, 2020, from https://doi-org.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/10.1596/1813-9450-5753
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Charity Commission. (2018). Retrieved February 1, 2020, from https://beta.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regId=1141155&subId=0
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Gavi. (2019, November 20). New partnership launched to increase uptake of life-saving vaccines in Rwanda. Retrieved February 5, 2020, from https://www.gavi.org/news/media-room/new-partnership-launched-increase-uptake-life-saving-vaccines-rwanda
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Girl Effect. (2019). Retrieved February 14, 2020, from https://www.girleffect.org/
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Girl Effect. (n.d.). How Girl Effect built a chatbot. Retrieved February 1, 2020, from https://www.girleffect.org/stories/meet-big-sis-chatbot-potential-reach-millions-girls-advice-sexual-health/
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Girl Effect. (2017). TEGA: Technology Enabled Girl Ambassadors. Retrieved February 13, 2020, from https://tega.smvi.co/videos/tega_overview_2017.pdf
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Moeller, K. (2013). Proving “The girl effect”: Corporate knowledge production and educational intervention. International Journal of Educational Development, 33(6), 612-621. doi:10.1016/j.ijedudev.2013.08.001
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United Nations. (2015). Gender equality and women's empowerment. Retrieved February 1, 2020, from https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/gender-equality/
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Women’s Philanthropy Institute. (2019). The Women & Girls Index: Measuring Giving to Women’s and Girls’ Causes. Retrieved February 5, 2020, from https://philanthropy.iupui.edu/institutes/womens-philanthropy-institute/research/wgi.html