2016 ICT4D Conference

The BOMA Project implements a high-impact poverty graduation program for ultra-poor women in the arid and semi-arid lands (ASAL) of Northern Kenya. Poverty graduation programs have recently received great attention for their scientific validation of their effectiveness in promoting resilience and improving livelihoods of the extreme poor. Providing such multifaceted sequenced interventions in extremely remote areas in a cost effective way requires technology-driven solutions. To address this challenge, BOMA is leveraging innovative, low-cost, mobile solutions supported by a cloud based backend system (Salesforce) for data collection and program monitoring. This has resulted in greater operational efficiencies, real time data analysis and improved data accuracy. Android tablets installed with TaroWorks are used by Mentors who provide mentoring and support to businesses and savings groups on a monthly basis, while entering data on business and savings group performance and GPS location. Laptops installed with android emulators equipped with TaroWorks are used to collect data on the participants entering BOMA's two-year business training program at baseline and after two years. Field Officers and Monitoring and Evaluation staff monitor performance of mentors, businesses and savings groups on a daily basis using SalesForce. BOMA businesses and savings groups have benefited by rapid follow-up when performance is weak, and from identifying and learning from the top performing businesses and mentors. This low-cost and highly effective solution has enabled BOMA to effectively demonstrate the impact of its programs and ensure that participants graduate from extreme poverty after two years.