Social Impact Assessment

So, what exactly will I be doing in Uganda for 7 weeks?

I (along with my partner Joe) will be conducting a social impact survey for Tugende! 

Ok, that probably wasn’t very informative. Let me back up. 

Public transportation in Kampala is horrendous, so people rely on motorcycle taxis to get around town. These motorcycle taxi drivers are commonly known as “boda boda drivers,” and there are 400,000 estimated boda boda drivers in Uganda alone (800K in East Africa). The problem is, most of these drivers rent their motorcycles from renters, who are often exploitative and corrupt. As a result, most of the drivers' incomes end up going back to the renter, drastically diminishing their take-home income. 

This is where Tugende comes in. The social enterprise has a lease-to-own system that gives these drivers the opportunity to own their own motorcycles upon completing payments, which often lasts 14-19 months. Consequently, the drivers' income doubles, and they have a way out of the poverty trap (a conversation for another day). 

Tugende is growing and expanding all over Uganda, but it needs money. While it has 800 boda boda drivers on its waitlist, Tugende doesn’t have enough capital to buy motorcycles to lease to these clients. Yes, Tugende needs investors, but interested investors have said no because they don’t see the impact Tugende is making on its clients. 

That’s where Joe and I come in. We’re currently designing a survey and interview questions to help us collect quantitative and qualitative data to assess whether Tugende has improved the quality of life for its clients, and if so, how. 

So that’s the gist! Feel free to comment and ask questions. It’s crazy that I’ll be leaving in exactly four weeks! I got my Yellow Fever vaccine last Monday, so preparation is real. 

I’m so excited! More to come soon :)