“Initially our aim was to expand who we offer our micro-loans to from women to youth but I’m glad we didn’t go that direction. I’m glad we were encouraged to think differently and in a new way - about what’s holding us back from reaching that next level. We’ve been talking about creating a database (improving our systems) for years. We finally had the resources to kick things up to the next step and measure impact. We had been doing a pretty poor job. We’ve kept track of all our women but we haven’t been measuring whether it has actually helped them, or is changing their lives in any way shape or form.”

- Andrea Gooch, founder of Kindling Kiribati.

Kindling Kiribati (KK) is a non-profit organization, established in 2018, dedicated to fostering the growth of women-led small businesses in Kiribati. Through a comprehensive ten-lesson training programme, they equip women with essential business skills and provide microloans to support the establishment or expansion of their enterprises. The overarching goal is to empower women to achieve self-reliance by enhancing their earning potential. Operating with a modest team of three people in Kiribati, KK is overseen by an international board of directors, primarily based in the United States. In 2022, KK distributed 176 loans to women across Kiribati and in 2023 the team extended an extra 109 loans to women in rural communities that are all now logged in their new database.

Ruth Cross, the local programme manager for KK, successfully applied for participation in the Incubate Better programme, implemented by UNCDF in the Pacific. Actively engaging in the four-week online learning component, she propelled the organization into the programme’s second phase, which includes in-person training sessions in Fiji, grant funding, and ongoing coaching.

What is the Incubate Better programme?

In 2022-2023, UNCDF launched the "Incubate Better" initiative in collaboration with YGAP, with the aim to enhance locally led incubator programmes for entrepreneurs in the Pacific Islands. The initiative assisted new and early-stage incubators through activities in two phases:

• Phase 1: Development of a curriculum for capacity building of incubation programme providers throughout the Pacific Islands. The trainings consisted of interactive Masterclass webinar series, complemented by self-paced online learning modules. Representatives from 20 Incubation Programme Providers participated in this training.
• Phase 2: Enhanced support, intensive coaching and small-grant programme for 3 selected incubators over 6 months. This included up to US$15,000 in grant funding to launch or scale their incubator programs.

Needs Assessment

As the team engaged in an initial needs assessment with Ruth Cross and a subsequent in-depth discussion with the founder, Andrea Gooch, it became clear that KK had made notable progress in their work, evidenced by recent growth. However, they encountered several key barriers hindering their potential for further expansion.

One key challenge was the existing manual loan tracking system and collection process. These manual processes were labor-intensive and time-consuming hindering the efficiency and accuracy of organizational operations. To address this issue, the team recognized the urgency of implementing a new database or loan tracking software.

Another significant hurdle was the difficulty in managing loan repayments. KK found themselves dedicating substantial time and resources to chasing loan repayments. In exploring potential solutions, a partnership with the local Ministry of Women, Youth and Social Services (MWYSA) emerged as a promising option. This collaboration would enable loan recipients to utilize social security payments for loan repayment.

Moreover, while KK had been tracking the number of women participating in their training programme and monitoring loan repayments, there was limited focus on assessing the broader impact of these initiatives on the recipients. Recognizing this gap, the team acknowledged the importance of expanding their impact measurement efforts.

Finally, there was growing interest in broadening the programme’s scope to include youth participants. This potential expansion was perceived as a strategic move, strengthening the proposal for collaboration with MWYSA and aligning with the organization's commitment to serving the local community's diverse needs.

Coaching Scope

The coaching sessions were designed to provide comprehensive support across various aspects of KK's operations. Key focus areas included guiding the organization’s strategy development. Additionnally, the coaching would assist in refining resourcing planning, enabling KK to optimize their allocations of funds and human capital. A review of the curriculum was also planned to identify potential areas for enhancement, ultimately improving the quality of training provided. Furthermore, the establishment of new Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) framework would be instrumental in tracking progress and adapting strategies as needed. Lastly the coaching scope encompassed support as KK pursued the partnership with MWYSA, helping them navigate the potential challenges and maximize the benefits of this collaboration.

In the early sessions, it was also decided that Kaitlin Tait from ygap, an organization that supports early-stage social impact ventures, would assist KK in researching existing Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems and loan collection software options. This research aimed to identify a suitable and affordable solution for digitizing records and enhancing loan tracking systems.

Additionally, UNCDF Representative Leonard Kambona Ogembo participated in some coaching sessions to offer support in the MWYSA partnership discussions and ensure local assistance and continuity beyond the Incubate Better programme.

Coaching Progress & Outcomes

The coaching journey with KK began with in-person sessions in Fiji, guiding Ruth Cross through the Vision Traction Template to develop the organization’s strategy, goals, and key opportunities. Subsequent virtual sessions involved both Ruth Cross and Andrea Gooch, with Andrea Gooch taking a more active role in shaping the organization’s direction.

“(Kaitlin) (ygap) pushed us to think differently and not just use the funding to further stick with the status quo. She listened to me on where I thought our biggest challenges were and helped us along the process.”

- Andrea Gooch, founder of KK

Key Achievements

“Organizations can spend many years just “figuring it out as we go” but the training provided has definitely supercharged our structure and systems. We are going through a lot of changes right now that will improve the overall efficiency and impact of the programme. It has been so great to learn from you and receive your guidance! Considering as Kiribati was not originally part of the planned reach, we are very grateful that we were able to apply and be selected for the training and the grant. The team have new resources and equipment and we look forward to watching the programme evolve."

- Ruth Cross, local programme manager at KK

First on the database and record management, ygap conducted research on suitable technology solutions, considering local internet limitations. While most options proved unsuitable, Airtable was identified as a user-friendly and cost-effective solution for KK to build their own database and loan management system.

Furthermore, in collaboration with Andrea Gooch, ygap developed a Theory of Change and MEL framework with a data collection plan. This will enable KK to utilize their Airtable database to gather data on the impact of their training and loans on women’s financial stability and self-reliance.

On the curriculum enhancement side, ygap reviewed the existing KK ten-lesson curriculum, finding it to be a well-designed and locally relevant learning experience. UNCDF suggested minor improvements and explored ways KK could extend their business coaching and support through loan distribution and collection processes. This could involve integrating formal business health checks and guidance addressing key challenges by women-led businesses.

Finally with regard to the partnership support, UNCDF Representative Leonard Kambona Ogembo provided feedback and insights to strengthen KK’s partnership proposal with MWYSA.

“The advice and expertise Leo has been providing as we navigate the path towards partnerships has been invaluable and we appreciate continued support and collaboration through UNCDF.”

- Ruth Cross, Email feedback

Following the coaching, key areas of improvement included further work on different aspects. A key area includes the integration of feedback loops to refine entrepreneur's selection criteria for future programmes. Another aspect relates to the collection of relevant data points to ensure entrepreneurs understand and benefit from the reporting in their future applications. Equipping enterprises with the skills and tools to collect and use data for performance management and business improvement was also identified as an area of improvement. Additionally, the team will explore and experiment with different approaches to improve programme delivery in the future. The team's empowerment and organization was also identified as a prospective area to support KK’s growth. Finally, to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the incubation programme’s delivery and operations, KK is looking at leveraging new digital tools based on the positive experience with KK's new equipments and platforms.

Proposed Grant use

KK received grant of US$15,000 aimed at enhancing their data collection, loan tracking, and impact measurement capabilities. Initially, their proposal involved allocating most of the funding to engage a university for software research. However, through discussions in the coaching sessions, it was determined that ygap and UNCDF would facilitate the research process. This would enable grant funds for investment in the technology solution along with necessary team training on the new systems.

Impact of Grant funding

The grant funding was designated to support several crucial components of KK's operations and growth. A significant portion of the funds was allocated for technology purchases, including laptops and tablets, aimed at enhancing data collection in the field and boosting operational efficiency. Additionally, the funding supported the development of an Airtable database, customized to meet KK's unique needs for loan collection and impact data management. This would streamline their processes and improve the accuracy of their records. Lastly, the grant funds enabled the organization to provide comprehensive training to their team on the new systems, ensuring a smooth transition and the effective utilization of these resources for maximum impact.

While the full impact of these investments is yet to be realized, the team expressed enthusiasm about the new resources and systems. They anticipate that these enhancements will simplify their work processes and contribute to the overall improvement of the programme and its offerings.

Next Steps

The KK team is currently dedicated to the implementation of the new systems, with a primary objective of ramping up training sessions, increasing loan distributions, and extending the program to encompass youth engagement within the next 12-24 months. Leonard Kambona Ogembo has also committed to providing ongoing technical support for the MWYSA partnership, should the need arise.

UNCDF eagerly anticipates reconnecting with Kindling Kiribati in late 2024 to gain insight into the effects of the investments made through the Incubate Better program on both the organization and the women they serve.

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Acknowledgement

This incubation project was made possible with funding from the governments of Australia, New Zealand and the EU as part of the UNCDF Pacific Digital Economy Programme.