Bi-Weekly Journal January 7-20, 2008

Orientation/Background Information

• Geographic Locality – Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
• Ibadan consists of a mixture of what many host calls “visitors” who now call Ibadan home, but who are not original indigenous inhabitants
• Nigeria comprised of 36 states and 6 geopolitical zones – geopolitical, southwest most homogenous in relation to language
• Southwest comprised of 6 Yoruba speaking states (Oyo, Ondo, Osun, Ekiti, Ogun, and Lagos)

Program Coordinator – Sade Taiwo

Background information

• Taiwo also serves as researcher for Nigerian Institute for Social and Economic Research (NISER) – government supported research institution, and lectures Microfinance
• NISER (1950) – was a part of the West African Institute, Under Ibadan. NISER is now separate from the University and works under the government, national planning commission, in-line with government policies
• As a researcher and consultant, Taiwo will be visiting Abuja (Capital of Nigeria) to conduct program review of Action Aid’s programs in Nigeria (International NGO, same person who also formed Oxfam, funded by USAID and additional donors)

Agency – Centre for Enterprise Development and Action Research (CEDAR)

Background Information

• The Centre for Enterprise Development and Action Research (CEDAR) is an NGO established in 1995. CEDAR serves as a “help centre” for a network of people and organizations with interests in responding to the alarming unemployment rate and poverty among people, especially women in Africa. The mission of CEDAR is to facilitate women and men to be socially empowered and economically self-reliant. The Centre operates through a core of multi disciplinary associate fellows who are well proven in their profession. The coordinator of CEDAR is a seasoned economist who has experience working with development projects and programs in Africa (CEDAR, 2007)
• CEDAR – engages in NGO building, helping people to develop advocacy and lobbying skills, and provides training programs done as consultancy activities. Includes programs to assist youth with challenges to help them transition into working life. Cedar provides space, funding, CEDAR has established relationship with Distance Learning Center (DLC), extension of the University of Ibadan (UI), in an effort to do so

Economic Activities

Agriculture, Agro-based (processing), Textile, Crafts, and Tradship

Background Information

• Technology is Culture Bound - Personal (U.S. model) vs. Communal (African Model)

Political & Social

Background Information

• Growth in Nigeria
• Because of growth Nigeria has, for the last three years achieved MDG growth targets, but not reflective of people’s welfare
• Nigeria is very rich, but Nigerians are very poor. Benefits of growth may not be distributive as a result of:
• Exploitation
• Government structure

• Education Systems
• Poorly designed
• Not accessible by all
• Can be traced by governance
• Universal education should be in place to fall in-line with MDGs

• Information related to Nigerian Economy and efforts for poverty reduction
• National Economic Empowerment & Development Strategies (NEEDS)
• SEEDS – State Level
• LEEDS – Local Level
• CEEDS – Community Level

Because of politics, recent president has abandoned above strategies and instituted 7 point agenda. He’s not referring to this as NEEDS, but is working towards Vision 2010 which is also expected to be MDG. Plans are well articulated, but are not translating or impacting the people

While NGOs have agendas, economic agendas must include the people and the people’s access to benefits in pursuing economic growth

CEDAR providing opportunities to contribute to economic development and access to benefits.

Issue Areas

• Lack of applicability of education
• Youth Corps – compulsory – must complete 1 year for job education should be more context relevant
• Low accessibility of education based on population size
• Gender Discrimination
• Issues of gender not correctly reported
• High unemployment
• Should consider introducing entrepreneurship to alleviate unemployment

Background Information

• Typical activities of working mothers – often leave homes, in the morning, with babies and travel 2+ nights for market good sales. They purchase items in bulk from farmers and travel to markets for sales. However, often times standards of measure are not enforced. Business should be done professionally. Bargaining, while good, can often be exploitative and this exploitation should not take place

Cultural/Social Activities

• “Service of Songs”/”Wake Keep” attendance – program days before burial
• “Super Stories” viewing – Nigerian Television Soap
• Jamboree Attendance – Funeral Reception
• Market Shopping - 3 markets (bakery, general in-door market, open market)
• 40 day ceremony attendance – following funeral
• Neighbourhood Association New Year Gathering Attendance

Observations/Comments/Lessons Learned

• Neighborhood Association Gathering. Held community resident’s home (included food, drinks, and music). Chairman of Association served as MC. Voted position, chairman elected by community residents. During occasion a resident’s home caught on fire and attendees immediately went to her assistance and contacted the Fire Brigade in addition to arranging housing logistics for the residents. Baale in attendance – Baale is area leadership (New Bodija area). During gathering Chairman raised concerns of community including community ownership of rotary club/school area within community. Baale’s response including the limited authority his position provides in relation to Old Bodija leadership. He also spoke of “modernity,” which he concluded should be adopted by residents, but not to the detriment of tradition and culture. He inferred that the resident’s concerns over community land ownership should not be a focus, rather community security

• Wedding – between Ibo (groom) and Yoruba (bride)
• Funeral and Burial Reception of one of the last living wives of the late King of Ife (Oba Aderemi)
• Ife is acknowledged as the spiritual capital of the Yoruba people
• Church Service Attendance - Bridge Network Church – similar to praise and worship services of modern churches in the US and abroad
• Take-Away Message – Discovering One's Calling

Stakeholder Interviews/ Community Interactions/ and Guest Speakings:

Dr. Adebukola Adebusuji, 10 year political aspirant, founder of Foundation for Women’s Empowerment & Peace Initiatives - agency works in the area of women and women’s issues. Has recently been working to empower and mobilize market women in the areas of:

• Water Projects
• Partners with Safe Water Nigeria (NGO). Recently has been working with Safe Water to market Pure, a safe drinking water purifier project in the form of a powder, sold at 12 naira, with the ability to purify several liters of water. Product is very cost effective and reliable
• Provides safe water education as it relates to hygiene
• Education
• General education as it relates to program areas of focus. Includes all projects and all communities
• HIV/AIDS
• Awareness programs facilitated through flyer distribution and health education programming. No treatment provided, but visitation to those infected is provided
• Microfinance – no support for program, but would like to provide services
• Organization Funding Sources: No funding for support, but money for agency operations provided through profits from other business ventures
• Discussion of Most Pressing Issues Plaguing Nigeria:
• High youth unemployment rate (college graduates)
• Child abuse of small children (child labour)
• High poverty levels of women
• Suggested Solutions:
• Entrepreneurship
• Vocational Training
• Funding for Entrepreneurship
• Job Creation
• Role of the Government
• Create enough vocational training centres to accommodate population
• Provide re-orientation of students into working arena following education/training
• Encourage increase in value of education for children/parents
• Generate awareness of pressing issues throughout country
• Role of the People (Stakeholder Observations)
• People are currently disenchanted by system. Some families have 3 graduates in household with no employment. People do not have the means for self-improvement. Large educated populations are leaving the country or some are resorting to selling drugs, while others go into prostitution

• Role of the International Community
• To disseminate information and best practices to developing countries

• Closing Comments from Stakeholder: NGOs on ground are inadequate.
• Questions for further consideration include: How to decrease high numbers of children on the street? What are potential funding sources for entrepreneurship?

Interviewer Notes: Issues pertaining to youth unemployment, particularly among recent University graduates, continue to be an area of concern among social service agencies. While the interviewee perceives that the stakeholders do not have a role in addressing areas of concern, due to lack of capacity and capital means, she notes that the government bares much of the responsibility for alleviating issues plaguing Nigeria, while the International Community can serve as a valuable information source for best practice through research and successful program implementation reporting.

Meeting with Taiwo and Masters Candidate conducting case study on impact of micro-financing in Nigeria:

Study – impact of MFI to alleviate poverty

Indicators – consumption, savings patterns, education, accessing health facilities during emergencies and need for assistance in developing tools for study. I provided input as to the importance of question detail and providing uniformity in answers. I asked questions as to study format, to which the student responded that he’d use focus groups, questionnaires, and key informant interviews of the MFI Presidents. Meeting concluded with student being provided MFI impact assessment tool by Taiwo, plans to return with final case study tools, and to receive recommendation letter from Taiwo for conducting study.

Guest Speaker for Vocational Training Class (Iyalode Wuraola Esan Foundation) - Named after 1^st female senator for Nigeria

Organization provides vocational training for women exiting high school

Spoke on enterprise development in the US, goal and purpose for studies in Nigeria, academic studies in Social and Economic Development, and hope to develop youth enterprise program to support program

Guest speaker in Taiwo’s – Microfinance course

Spoke to:

• experiences in microfinance in the US
• Enterprise development in the US
• Used Aspen Institute and JPHRC experience as reference followed by explanation of FIELD MicroTest

Answered questions related to collateral, US credit system, and loan consideration

Further class discussions included:

• Impacts of MFIs in Nigeria towards poverty reduction
• Use of “Group Approach” in developing countries as more effective
• Challenges of lack of documentation
• Microfinance Conference in Abuja – co-sponsored by Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Citigroup
• Current state of Microfinance Institutions (MFI) in Nigeria, topic of discussion
• ACCION – in US wants to come to Nigeria to operate MFI, while MFIs in Nigeria cannot acquire licenses

Concentration Practicum Focus

Area of Focus:

• Youth Enterprise - Nigeria
• Education
• Training
• Development
• Support

Sectors for Consideration:

• Agriculture
• Information Technology
• Market Sales & Trading

Target Population:

• Secondary (11^th and 12^th grade students) - public, private, and rural
• Secondary school graduates - public, private, and rural
• University students and graduates - public, private, rural, and church colleges

Background and Program Proposal:

From the research read and key informant interviews, high unemployment rates have negatively impacted the productivity and security of Nigeria. With youth representing the highest percentage of those unemployed, they are frequently cited as engaging in loitering, prostitution, robbery, and other legal activities resulting from lack of opportunities and financial support within the formal employment sector and business sector, and lack of formal education applicability in professional development, among others(NEPAD, NEEDS). With respect to Universities, Nigerian Universities can only accommodate 15% of prospective applicants and those admitted are often forced to register for courses they do not desire (Taiwo, 2008). Along with the above, minimizing the high levels of brain drain and youth migration to urban cities from rural areas is important in creating economic stability in Nigeria.

Initiatives aimed at alleviating challenges plaguing Nigeria include those proposed by New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS) documents, the generation of best practices taken from the African Peer Review, adult and young adult education programs such as the Distance Learning Center at Ibadan University, and local capacity building and support program provided by CEDAR and other existing social service agencies and vocational training programs, which discuss income generation as a tool for poverty alleviation. More specifically, capital provision personal savings attached to microfinance represents a feasible option for youth enterprise development programming. Combined with practical educational opportunities, trainings, and additional financial supports (ex. grant opportunities) would provide positively to contribute to their social development while also contributing to the economic upliftment of the country.

More specifically, concentration practicum efforts will focus on the construction of and implementation of the above through the incorporation of current efforts of CEDAR and their network partners, including the Distance Learning Center at Ibadan University, MFIs, area vocational training facilities, public and private urban and rural educational institutions, local businesses, the government, and the international community. This will provide diverse opportunities for participants to choose from, while accommodating more students. Proposed program components will include:

Education & Training – vocation skills training, financial literacy, finance and accounting, budgeting, marketing, market assessment and analysis, funding generation and supports, advocacy, and networking

• DLC & Other Universities
• CEDAR/LEAP/Network Partners/ NGOs
• Enterprise Think Tank – participants coming together to brainstorm business ideas and development of business proposals for both urban and rural settings (ex. Motorcycle PTO)
• CEDAR & Other Universities
• Business incubator – to test the feasibility of ideas generated by program participants in both urban and rural settings
• CEDAR
• MFI
• Microfinance Institution – financial institution providing low-interest business loans to participants who successfully complete education and training
• Proposed MFI to partner with - ?????

To Do:

• Conduct needs assessment of target population
• Situation Assessment/Research
• Problem – people do not have ability to make informed choices (education would benefit) Ex. Market women hard working, but have not formal education and are not aware of general rights they hold
• Obtain suggestions from target population on program design, implementation, and support
• Conduct key informant interviews and form collaborations with agencies in Nigeria
• Existing agencies in Nigeria interested in supporting efforts
• Devise way to involve the international community
• Persons of the African Diaspora
• Universities
• Donor Agencies
• Friends of Africa
• Design and Implement Program
• Skills Development
• Objective – to strengthen people’s capacity to make informed choices for development
• Capacity Building
• Attachment
• Training – research, methodologies, project management, strategic planning, monitoring and evaluation, gender analysis (train to mainstream in programs), entrepreneurship
• Internship
• Exchanges