MIT Solve

Step 2

Our Solution

The "IndigAid Initiative" (2I) is the title of my solution.

Our solution's stage of development:

Pre-Seed

Our solution:

The "IndigAid Initiative" or "2I" is a 9 years intensive program designed to educate, train and orient 9 000 "too much poor people" in 9 West African countries. After the 9 years period, we will extend the initiative in all the developing countries.

Our pitch:

The “IndigAid Initiative” is the smart solution to the great challenge of social inclusion across Africa. The project at its core, aims first to identify “too much poor persons” (12-23 years old) in 9 West African countries (Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, the Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leonne and Togo). A “too much poor person” is a young person who is poor not only, but also cannot have somebody to help him or her. Those persons include street children, marginalized youth, some orphans, young widow women and other persons in specific cases (some disabled…). After identifying them, we’ll listen to them to know how we can help them to have a secure and good training and/or job. While some may request technical and/or financial support, some (pupils) may want to continue their education before having a job. Some may just need leadership or entrepreneurship training. Finally, the remaining persons may ask for special assistance (like children sponsoring…). After hearing what they need and talking about their vision, we will immediately begin our work. We will be organizing some specific formations in entrepreneurship (how to make a mayonnaise or soap…), leadership, computer science (Word, Excel, Applications development with Java…), citizenship… We will also organize some formations for those aspiring to work in the public sector. Finally, we will be developing children sponsoring for the remaining. Our project is scalable because every trained person has the responsibility to train at least 1 person before receiving the certificate. After receiving their certificate, we will orient them and defend their causes in the public or private sectors. In helping poor youth to have a secure and decent work, our motto will always be what the first Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere said: “You cannot develop people. You must allow people to develop themselves”

The problem:

Every disadvantaged young person in our beloved world should have the right to good food, safe drinking water, clothing, shelter and healthcare. Unfortunately, the majority of developing countries disadvantaged youth lack most of the above, if not all. Many persons, even with a job cannot satisfy all the above. Our initiative is the solution of helping too much poor people having a job in order for them to leave in happiness and in peace.

Below are some links about pupils sensitization and mentoring:

https://drive.google.com/open?...

Why our solution will solve the problem:

Our solution will solve the problem because its only by listening actively to people that you can determine their problems, their dreams and their needs. I am very confident that the IndigAid Initiative will be the beginning of Africa social, economic and political development because there is great links between extreme poverty, peace and development. "Too much poor people" have the capacity of doing great good things if their potential is released. And that what we will be doing, releasing their potential.

Who recommended you to Solve - or - how did you find Solve?

I saw Solve in www.opportunitiesforafricans.com

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The technologies we employ:

Agricultural technology
Consumer-facing software (mobile applications, cloud services)

Why our solution is unique:

Our solution, the IndigAid Initiative is an active listening solution. Unlike other programs which try to develop poor people at all costs, our program will help and allow poor people to develop themselves. Also, our initiative is innovative because its combines education, training, support and orientation. In fact, we will work with and for poor people to unsure that every person have both what he/she needs and what we need. Finally, our initiative is unique from others because we will use social networks to develop networks: every poor person will have a facebook and google account.

Why our solution is human-centered:

The essence of our work is and will always be human-centered. We will work collaboratively with poor people to ensure that every person has what he or she needs. To achieve this noble task, we will train some how to use social network to teach, how they can use Java applications to enhance their businesses, how they can use those applications profitably. Some will benefit from sponsoring to pursue succesfully their education and some special assistance.

How people will access our solution:

To make our solution more accessible, each of the 9 West African countries must identify around 200 "too much poor people", at the beginning of each academic year (September or October) . After identifying them, the representatives of the IndigAid Initiative who are young dynamic leaders of YALI Cohort 6 (please visit yaliwestafrica.org) will actively listen to them and then, we will begin together the great work. The representatives work collaboratively and in synergy with the headquarter of the Initiative located in Burkina Faso. We will also work with different partners in the world, specially local and children sponsoring organizations.

Technology-Readiness Level:

1-3 (Formulation)

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