EQUITABLE AND QUALITY GIRL EDUCATION

By enabling ubiquitous access and personalization, Equitable EdTech can close gap for students while also empowering teachers to be effective, especially when there is lack of access to high-quality schools, high-quality teacher training, rigorous curriculum, or appropriate interventions. Additionally, recent evidence demonstrates that these models can be both highly impactful and cost-effective.

This project propose support for OER(Open Education Resource) at no cost to formal and informal learning facilities under the coverage of the network. Internet access for the rural developing world is largely perceived as a way to promote inclusion, provide educational and economic opportunities, and ultimately improve the quality of life. Unfortunately, high-capital and operating costs have limited rural access. An innovative integrated strategy, based on existing low-cost technology and rural social structures, is addressing a variety of barriers ultimately helping get large numbers of rural communities on the internet particularly vulnerable groups of which women comes first.

There are 250million learners around the world who have finished their schooling – yet aren’t able to read or write well and lack the skills they will need to succeed in the 21st century. Additionally, around the globe are classrooms with tens of thousands of teachers struggling to close that educational gap – but lacking the access to tools and resources that will enable them to succeed.

The Brookings Institute described a 100-year gap, the century it will take for the world’s poor children, particularly the Girl-child to achieve educational parity with the wealthy at today’s pace. Neither our world nor those learners can wait that long: We must find ways to close that gap quickly and efficiently, to allow all learners, educators, and educational systems to realize their full potential.

Prior to COVID-19 Pandemic Nigeria had highest number of out-of-school children world-wide. According to UNICEF about 10.5million children aged 5 - 14 years are not in school. The outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic has further worsen the already bad situation. According to UNESCO an estimated 1.725 billion learners have been affected as a result of school closure, representing about 99.9% of the world student population as of 13th April 2020.

Our impact studies have revealed women are able to save time and money with reliable internet connectivity. Local young women also known as Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs) invest, maintain the network and generate revenue through a model that ensures a decent and sustainable ROI.

By enabling ubiquitous access and personalization, Equitable EdTech can close the gap for students while also empowering teachers to be more effective, especially when there is lack of access to high quality schools, high-quality teacher training, rigorous curriculum, or appropriate interventions. Additionally, recent evidence demonstrates that these models can be both highly impactful and cost-effective

This project propose to give support for OER (Open Education Resource) at no cost to formal and informal learning facilities under the coverage of the network.

An innovative integrated strategy, based on existing low cost technology and rural social structures, is addressing a variety of barriers and ultimately helping get large numbers of rural communities on the internet particularly vulnerable groups of which women comes first.

The women are engaged through assisting them to organize themselves in sustainable and effective organizations that can be used as vehicles for social and economic empowerment;

• Using the groups as an entry-point for promoting viable connectivity access, business capacity and facilitate market and educational opportunities and linkages;

• Strengthen women’s ability to launch successful internet services through the provision of microfinance for productive activities;

• Improving women’s access to resources and facility use (through specific arrangements);

• Improving women’s economic independence and control over benefits (e.g., bank accounts, business registration); and

• Enhance the lobbying and advocacy capacities for essential services that hinder productivity in the established groups.

Local young women also known as Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs) invest, maintain the network and generate revenue through a model that ensures a decent and sustainable ROI. Several activities such as banking, e-governance, e-learning, tele-health services and activities to empower village women with e-commerce can be promoted by enabling them digitally.

The solution which is providing ubiquitous access and personalization, Equitable EdTech can close the gap for students particularly the girl-child, while achieving Challenge Dimension #1 and #3

Through access to online certificate program. i.e Kiron Open Higher Education, Khan Academy and other Open Education resources

Also achieving Challenge Dimension #4 

Through Support for OER for informal and formal education facility.

Also achieving Challenge Dimension #2

Through access to digital skills and vocational curriculum i.e

CISCO Networking

SPOKEN TUTORIAL – IIT BOMBAY

MICROSOFT Digital

GOOGLE Digital Learning 

AFDB 

PADILEIA PROGRAM - Partnership for Digital Learning and Increased Access

In order to bridge digital gap, conventional internet providers and mobile network operators(MNO) in Sub-Sahara Africa are building an information highway by connecting communities through optical fiber. This initiative though began in the year 2005 will take longer time for completion and aims to connect only the urban and peri-urban settings. Thus, villages situated a few kilometers away will remain unconnected.

Furthermore, even if connectivity would reach the villages in SSA, it would be difficult to sustain itself without a sustainable economic model.

Our mission is to narrow, or even close digital gap by connecting individual sellers of Internet bandwidth with individual buyers, through an automated transaction platform that transacts bandwidth using a personalized token, which is our proprietary innovation. Using the methodology of mesh networking, we operates as a decentralized, Internet service provider. We are in a strategic partnership that allows mass production of our technology.

Using the methodology of mesh networking, an approach used by military agencies and banks to spread Internet connectivity around remote base areas, the Foosteer operates as a decentralized, trustless Internet service provider. Foosteer is in a strategic partnership that allows mass production of her technology.

Various technical elements are also addressed in the proposal, to reduce infrastructure and connectivity costs, and to lower the excessive amount of technical support currently needed to set up a communication network in rural Africa, giving low-income households, particularly women, opportunities to improve their education and livelihoods.

Currently this model have passed validation phase on the field in 25 villages live test-bed. As part of the validation exercise, we performed extensive cost benefit analysis to quantify sustainability of Internet, cost effectiveness of technologies, revenue generation by VLEs and calculation of Return-on-Investment. The success of the model has been measured through a set of success indicators. Both qualitative and quantitative data has been collected from the network set up at the live test-bed. These are related to demand, quality and affordability by which the sustainable economic model was tested for its viability.

Revenue Vs. Expenses

The following calculation does not include the operators Support and Maintenance charge. based on the individual commercial model of the operator.

Total estimated Cost of Network per annum $8990.00 ex. VAT

Total estimated subscription revenue of $18000.00

Total profit of $9010.00 per annum

Total Estimated Cost of Network per annum $8990.00

Monthly Subscriptions and 'Take-up'

Revenue is based upon 500 members of the community signing up to the network from day one, this is a conservative figure from the overall 2000 residents and businesses that have expressed an interest.

Take-up of the service within this type of community is estimated to be around 80%.

Proposed monthly subscriptions for service are;

Residential: $3.00 per month

Businesses: $15.00 per month

Revenue

Based on 500 residential subscriptions @ $3.00 inc VAT per month excluding businesses @ $15.00 inc VAT per month it is estimated that the network would net $1500.00 per month ($18000.00 per annum)  subscriptions.

LOCAL CONDITIONS

Lack of meaningful connectivity

Poor access solution ecosystem

High cost available access

HOUSEHOLD/CLIENTS CONSTRAINTS

Low purchasing power

Limited knowledge of internet access

BUSINESS CONSTRAINTS

Lack of skill and knowledge to start Village-Level Business

MARKET ASSESSMENT

# of sector-level meetings

# of village-level meetings

Costs

MARKET ENTRY

# of client node distributed

# of VLEs committed

TRAINING SUPPORT

# Frequency of trainings for VLEs

SALES/USAGE

# of clients node sold

# of VLEs

# of subscriptions

INCREASED ACCESS TO INTERNET

Average monthly subscription

Low-cost internet access

LIVELIHOOD IMPROVEMENTS

Increased VLEs income

Increased productivity

Increased IT knowledgeable workforce

Increased meaningful connectivity

Reduced infrastructure cost

Reduced internet access cost  

IMPROVED QUALITY OF LIFE

Economic growth and development

Improved education

Improved health

Social inclusion

Climate Action Sustainable communities

Internet access for the rural developing world is largely perceived as a way to Promote inclusion, provide educational and economic opportunities, and ultimately improve the quality of life. Unfortunately, high capital and operating costs have limited rural access.

Our impact studies have revealed women are able to save time and money with reliable internet connectivity. Local young women also known as Village-Level-Entrepreneurs (VLEs) invest, maintain the network and generate revenue through a model that ensures a decent and sustainable ROI. Impact studies also shows revenue generation and sharing as an all important aspect which provides incentive for Internet's spread and expanse.

Several activities such as banking, e-governance, e-learning, tele-health services and activities to empower village women with e-commerce can be promoted by enabling them digitally.

Current the solution serves approximately 2000 learners and businesses. with the support from MIT Solve the solution will serve 100,000 learners in a year and at least 1million population in 5years.

The market opportunity for the project‘s offering is characterized by Africa low internet penetration of 16%; 2% in rural areas and 14% in urban areas, in comparison to the continent’s sustainable development target by 2030. In contrast, over 60% of the 1.2 billion population has access to GSM networks. This means approximately 800 million people are within the addressable market that could leverage their access to GSM networks in order to receive new models of internet services. The majority of this market is the 62% of the population that live in rural areas. (GSMA 2015 report).

Foosteer will target the emerging “middle class” “low income households” within the bottom of the pyramid customer segment, or those living on less than USD 2.00/day. We expects the project to be accessible and affordable to this segment by the project offering of an incremental income through productive use and entrepreneurial efforts.

Sizable market and demand

The potential market is considered very attractive. An estimated 800 million people were without internet (roughly 170 million households), all of which could be served. The thought is that if meaningful connectivity is made available to a community, demand would be similar to that experienced with the arrival of GSM. 

Over the next 2-5 years, as part of its commitment to connect the unconnected with meaningful connectivity, catalyzing decentralized bandwidth transaction, Foosteer intends to:

• Invest USD 5M – USD 10M over the next 4 years in a proven reliable internet connectivity serving the unconnected markets in multiple Sub-Sahara Africa countries. Specifically, Foosteer will seek to invest in the deployment of Line-of-sight mesh network nodes for unconnected communities and for existing connected communities in which connectivity is unreliable or comes with high cost.
• Impact the lives of 1 million – 5 million people through its investments in community mesh network to unconnected communities.
• Target individuals and communities within the bottom of economic pyramid (“BoP”) through investments and providing internet services at affordable prices to said target market.
• Generate revenue share to the tune of $50M – $100M.
• Share learnings from its work in driving internet access.

 in unconnected communities through a variety of forums, research, and impact measurement, related research, related projects and partnerships.

This ambitious vision requires an elevated partnership built around concrete commercial and developmental interests. 

Sustainable Development Impact: With internet penetration of just 16 percent, Africa has long been held back by infrastructure challenges tied to the continent’s poverty, vast area and largely rural population. The internet sector’s contribution to the gross domestic product is the lowest of all continents at 1.1 percent according to M. Pizzi 2013.

For Africa, it seems, necessity may be the mother of invention, but technology is its father. Mesh Network is an invaluable technology system that could foster the development of Africa’s ICT connectivity bridging the digital gap.

Obstacles to low internet users in Africa includes low computer literacy level, limited telecommunications infrastructures, sustainable energy and most especially high cost of internet services. So many inhabitants in this region have little to spend on food than buying data cap for connectivity to the internet. If internet use proliferates in Africa at the rate mobile phones did in the early 2000s, the continent stands to add as much as $300 billion to its economic growth by 2025.

This ambitious vision of connecting unconnected communities through a variety of forums, research, and impact measurement, related research, related projects and partnerships requires an elevated partnership built around concrete commercial and developmental interests. 

Over the next 2-5 years, as part of its commitment to connect the unconnected with meaningful connectivity, catalyzing decentralized bandwidth transaction, Foosteer intends to:

• Invest USD 5M – USD 10M over the next 4 years in a proven reliable internet connectivity serving the unconnected markets in multiple Sub-Sahara Africa countries. Specifically, Foosteer will seek to invest in the deployment of Line-of-sight mesh network nodes for unconnected communities and for existing connected communities in which connectivity is unreliable or comes with high cost.
• Impact the lives of 1 million – 5 million people through its investments in community mesh network to unconnected communities.
• Target individuals and communities within the bottom of economic pyramid (“BoP”) through investments and providing internet services at affordable prices to said target market.
• Generate revenue share to the tune of $50M – $100M.
• Share learnings from its work in driving internet access.

Full time staff 5

Part-time staff 7

others staff 2

Project Leads:

Obafaiye Emmanuel - Co-founder (Foosteer Initiative)

Conor Corey – Executive Consultant on Open Education Resource (OER Khan Academy, US) 

Sarbina Belur – Technical Assistance Contact Person (IIT Bombay, India) 

The team leads are professionals and global thinkers as related to solution deployed. Dr. Sarbina Belur of IIT Bombay, India is part of the team that deployed the 25 test-bed piloted in india.

Our organization have opened talks with CISCO Education department to host their education program in Nigeria and there has been positive feedback.

Also we have existing partnership with Khan Academy.

British council, GEF among others

Basically there is need to share information, experience and lessons learnt where our activities complement other interventions and where other interventions compliment our activities. In this process, we can identify services of other interventions that can benefit our target group. We are therefore able to link our beneficiaries to organizations that can empower them otherwise.

Therefore, we engage in networking activities aimed at enhancing our capacity financial and otherwise to meet the needs and concerns of our target beneficiaries.

Our impact studies also shows revenue generation and sharing as an all important aspect which provides incentive for Internet's spread and expanse across board. 

Furthermore, even if connectivity would reach the villages in rural Africa, it would be difficult to sustain itself at the village level without a sustainable economic model.

Upon formation of the backhaul network, any household can join the network by adding a wireless network adaptor and installing appropriate driver. In addition, the AODV protocol stack can be installed on any client node and it becomes a mesh network node.

Rolling out a national and global network with consumers doubling as small business agents that buy and operate internet access points on a revenue sharing basis using frictionless digital ledger technology

By this Foosteer Initiative is providing integrated connectivity and transactional capability, and a platform in geographies and communities, especially where these are rare or absent, leading to a network effect for broader growth. 

Local young women also known as Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs) invest, maintain the network and generate revenue through a model that ensures a decent and sustainable ROI.

After implementation of the network, the recurring costs are very low. This would mainly be the monthly charge to the Internet Service Provider (ISP).

This cost can be recovered by charging the users a monthly nominal fee for usage.

Foosteer will raise Enterprise philanthropy from a range of aid agencies and investors to enable to take its model from blueprint to scale. In these high risk environments, enterprise philanthropy can play an important role in closing the pioneer gap between Pilot and Scale, effectively acting as a form of subsidy to catalyze the development of inclusive business model that is intended to be commercially viable and to grow to scale (ibid). Below are potential funders for the inclusive business model

CoLab

DRK Foundation

DIV

Transform

CISCO

EAIF

Foosteer is applying to Solve for support to close digital literacy gap particularly as it impacts the girl-child and women.

Obstacles to low internet users in Africa includes low computer literacy level, limited telecommunications infrastructures, sustainable energy and most especially high cost of internet services. So many inhabitants in this region have little to spend on food than buying data cap for connectivity to the internet. If internet use proliferates in Africa at the rate mobile phones did in the early 2000s, the continent stands to add as much as $300 billion to its economic growth by 2025.

Our goal is to deploy a low-cost wireless broadband architecture for providing high-speed Internet access services in rural Africa drawing on identified key success factors for sustainable services. Our target is to connect unconnected communities in Nigeria and rural Africa using the Mesh network technology.

This project at scale will create a wireless Mesh Network where rural Africa will have access to information and this knowledge will stimulate economic growth by creating new products, increasing productivity and promoting new commercial and administrative methods. In addition to economic development, this connectivity would foster social development, cohesion and inclusion, through its applications in education, health and increased citizen participation in civil society and government.

The entire community connected will benefit from up-to-date information at their fingertips and will be able to grow towards developing an IT knowledgeable workforce.

Foosteer would love to partner MIT Solve faculty, IIT Bombay, Microsoft, Google, Africa Development Bank, World Bank Group, UNESCO among others.

Late last year our organization solution was finalist and commended for an outstanding submission through email from Facebook Accelerator, but did not make it eventually for the Accelerator Program in London. We hope to be able to partner Facebook some day.

The organization above can help advance our solution through financial and technical support and also visibility. 

If rural Africa still have a case with digital gap, definitely this is amplified with people in displaced settings.

Education and information through connectivity and renewable energy will give confidence and help build resilience in communities in displaced settings.

Foosteer holds membership to UNITAR working group, a partner with GEF and Community Network SIG of Internet Society and is best placed to deploy these intervention for people in displaced settings.

Our intervention in a displaced setting will be of 3 components

Sustainable Energy Access

Internet Access and

Open Education Resource

This intervention at will create a wireless Mesh Network powered by a renewable solar power where people in displaced settings i.e Refugees will have access to education and information and this knowledge will stimulate economic growth by creating new products, increasing productivity and promoting new commercial and administrative methods. In addition to economic development, this connectivity would foster social development, cohesion and inclusion, through its applications in education, health and increased citizen participation in civil society and government.

The entire community connected will benefit from up-to-date information at their fingertips and will be able to grow towards developing an IT knowledgeable workforce.

Internet access for the rural developing world is largely perceived as a way to Promote inclusion, provide educational and economic opportunities, and ultimately improve the quality of life. Unfortunately, high capital and operating costs have limited rural access. An innovative integrated strategy, based on existing low cost technology and rural social structures, is addressing a variety of barriers ultimately helping get large numbers of rural communities on the internet particularly vulnerable groups of which women comes first providing these women opportunities to improve their education and livelihoods. 

Our impact studies have revealed women are able to save time and money with reliable internet connectivity. 

Local young women also known as Village-Level-Entrepreneurs (VLEs) invest, maintain the network and generate revenue through a model that ensures a decent and sustainable ROI. 

Impact studies also shows revenue generation and sharing as an all important aspect which provides incentive for Internet's spread and expanse.

Several activities such as banking, e-governance, e-learning, tele-health services and activities to empower village women with e-commerce can be promoted by enabling them digitally.

The solution which is providing ubiquitous access and personalization, Equitable EdTech can close the gap for students particularly the girl-child, while achieving Challenge Dimension #1 and #3

Increase the number of girls and young women participating in formal and informal learning and training.

Reduce the barriers that prevent girls and young women—especially those living in conflict and emergency situations—from reaching key learning milestones.

Through access to online certificate program. i.e Kiron Open Higher Education, Khan Academy and other Open Education resources

Also achieving Challenge Dimension #4 

Promote gender-inclusive and gender-responsive education for everyone, including gender non-binary and transgender learners

Through Support for OER for informal and formal education facility.

Also achieving Challenge Dimension #2

Strengthen competencies, particularly in STEM and digital literacy, for girls and young women to effectively transition from education to employment

Through access to digital skills and vocational curriculum i.e

CISCO Networking

SPOKEN TUTORIAL – IIT BOMBAY

MICROSOFT Digital Learning

GOOGLE Digital Learning 

AFDB Digital Skills and Entrepreneur Learning

PADILEIA PROGRAM - Partnership for Digital Learning and Increased Access

The solution which is providing ubiquitous access and personalization, Equitable EdTech can close the gap for learners globally, while achieving the following

Increase the number of adults participating in formal and informal learning and training.

Reduce the barriers that prevent adults —especially those living in conflict and emergency situations—from reaching key learning milestones.

Through access to online certificate program. i.e Kiron Open Higher Education, Khan Academy and other Open Education resources

Also 

Promoting adult-inclusive and adult-responsive education for everyone, including gender non-binary and transgender adult learners

Through Support for OER for informal and formal education facility.

Also 

Strengthening competencies, particularly in STEM and digital literacy, for adult to effectively transition from education to employment

Through access to digital skills and vocational curriculum i.e

CISCO Networking

SPOKEN TUTORIAL – IIT BOMBAY

MICROSOFT Digital Learning

GOOGLE Digital Learning 

AFDB Digital Skills and Entrepreneur Learning

PADILEIA PROGRAM - Partnership for Digital Learning and Increased Access

Sustainable Development Goal(s) impacted: 

The proposed solution is relevant to the underlisted United Nation Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 4 – Quality and equitable education for all: Significantly increase access to quality education for all through institutionalizing Open Education Resource disaggregated by income, gender, age, race, ethnicity, migratory status, disability and geographic location.

SDG 8 - Decent work and economic growth: Increase significantly the availability of high-quality, timely and reliable data facilitating the search of employment opportunities.

SDG 16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions: Support for open governance, justice and citizen participation monitoring progress in service delivery, building accountability and creating dialogue between citizens and decision makers.

SDG 11 -. Sustainable cities and communities: Support for inter and intra regional economic, social and environmental impact goals. The IP Telephony will open up path for regions to maximize Information Communication Technology.

Sustainable Development Goal(s) impacted: 

The proposed solution is relevant to the underlisted United Nation Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 4 – Quality and equitable education for all: Significantly increase access to quality education for all through institutionalizing Open Education Resource disaggregated by income, gender, age, race, ethnicity, migratory status, disability and geographic location.

SDG 8 - Decent work and economic growth: Increase significantly the availability of high-quality, timely and reliable data facilitating the search of employment opportunities.

SDG 16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions: Support for open governance, justice and citizen participation monitoring progress in service delivery, building accountability and creating dialogue between citizens and decision makers.

SDG 11 -. Sustainable cities and communities: Support for inter and intra regional economic, social and environmental impact goals. The IP Telephony will open up path for regions to maximize Information Communication Technology.