Business Skills for Women and Youth in Nigeria

SI4DEV is currently the only global catalyst partner using the tried and tested Street Business School (SBS) curriculum in Nigeria. The SBS by SI4DEV Project supports women and youth living in urban slums and rural communities by equipping them with the knowledge they need to build sustainable businesses and increase their income. It empowers participants to believe in themselves and seize every business opportunity.

In 2019, 14 assistant coached were trained by our lead coaches, and 97 participants were recruited in 6 locations. 75 participants graduated between Feb and March 2020. A new cohort was delayed by COVID-19 but we were finally able to begin implemention of the 2020 set in July/August 2020 with funding support from 3rd Creek Foundation.

2020 Project Locations: Abuja (Karshi Community), Kano (Hotoro and Brigade Community)

Project Start date; Abuja (26th July), Kano (Hotoro community 16th October and Brigade 26th September)
Coaches:Mary, Babatunde, Hezekiah, Nathaniel, Samuel and Patricia.

Project Implementation stages

A. Selection
Recruitment and Orientation
“necessity entrepreneurs” who can take advantage of the street business school module were recruited and were given the opportunity to sign the commitment from, the commitment form is an avenue given to the recruited participants to commit to completing the program. 

Selected Participants: 55

Abuja, Karshi: 28 participants were recruited and signed the commitment form. More participants wanted to be part of it. We promised to do another cohort in their community.
Kano, Hotoro: 18 were recruited but only 13 Participants signed the commitment form. 5 of the recruited participants could not attend due to unforeseen circumstance. We told them we will be giving them an opportunity to sign the commitment form during the baseline visit.
Kano, Brigade: 15 were recruited but only 10 Participants signed the commitment form. 5 of the recruited participants could not attend and complained the time was not convenient for them. We told them we will be giving them an opportunity to sign the commitment form during the baseline visit.

B. Relationship Development
This is when we create a foundation of trust between trainers and participants to overcome the disenfranchisement of the poor and allowing them claim their brilliance, sense of self , and right to succeed, we also capture baseline information from the participants for project evaluation and learning process.

1. In Abuja Karshi community, 3 participants out of 28 participants don’t have businesses, 10 out of 28 participants have savings, and 0 participants don’t have bookkeeping, business plan and a market research.
2. In Kano, Hotoro community, 5 out of 13 Participants have businesses, I out of 13 have savings, none have business records, market research and business plan.
3. Brigade community completed their baseline coaching visit on October 29 for 9 participants. 

C. Business content
Practical hands-on, and immediate relevant content to bring people out of poverty.

Abuja, Karshi have completed 5 modules, the 6th module will be done on the 29th of October.
Hotoro community have completed 3 modules, the 4th will be done on the 7th of November
Brigade community have completed I module, they will be conducting next one on the 7th of November.

Challenges
1. The end- SARs protest affected the training calendar in Abuja, we missed one Saturday, we will cover up the training, by having a session tomorrow the 28th being a public holiday in Nigeria.
2. Brigade community is 2 modules behind the workplan, because volunteer coach Mary O's workload increased in her office. Nathaniel with the support of Babatunde will henceforth train the participants.

Thank you all once again for supporting our work.