FISHILIOUS: Women Empowerment in Fish Processing

FISHILIOUS aimed to equip smallholder fish sellers who are majority women, with fish processing technology and develop tailor made marketplace and mobile application, not just to sell the products but also deliver useful information as well as deliver empowerment training sessions in order to improve their quality of life.

- A community of 10 to 15 women will share one FISHILIOUS Learning Center operated with one computer, a scanner, digital camera, printer and internet connection.

- Taking advantage of “microfinance” to provide small loans for women members to purchase mobile phones.

- Deliver training focused on:

1. Social Psychology

Through the methodology of awareness generation, skill enhancement, value creation and ideological & physical grooming. It also sensitize them about societal threats as well in the gender perspective furthering them towards constructive and sustainable lifestyles.

2. Financial Education & Entrepreneurship

Topics (e.g. financial products awareness and day-to-day financial management, borrowing, long-term financial planning and access to formal financial products) in combination with training on entrepreneurship focused on Fish Processing/Business.

3. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for enterprise development.

Tailored ICT training in the effective use of  mobile phones, electronic platforms and networks, blogs and the Internet where women in the micro-enterprise sector will be able to have access to productivity resources, information and services as well as reach out the customers  and building their businesses.

- Develop mobile application to strengthen dissemination of fresh fish handling knowledge, provide wider market channel options information and promote better fish stock information to fish sellers. A broad range of market actors will be involved in dissemination of information, which are fisherman, nurseries, fish seller, extension staffs, and big fish customers.

- Develop marketplace (website) that enable women to earn an income while working from home by fresh fish processing or cooking fishes. It will give the opportunity to order Fish online and deliver anywhere within the coverage areas of each community.

- This project enables women who might be reluctant or prohibited to work outside the home while raising children to earn their own income and get comfortable with a new technology. 

In the rural areas in East Java and Nusa Tenggara Timur, knowledge flows along the fresh fish processing and its value chain are commonly lacking. Smallholder fish seller who are majority women, have few channels for obtaining information on fresh fish handling or good display when they sell in the local market. 

One of the most powerful applications of ICT is electronic commerce and mobile application that enables women to connect with customers directly to markets at national, regional and global levels. It allows them to restructure their economic activities by pass intermediaries and the male-dominated and exploitative market structure.

Studies have found that eating fish as little as once a week can help preserve gray-matter neurons, the part of the brain linked to memory and cognition. Inadequate supplies often result in malnutrition, especially among women and children. Empowering women in Fish Business aimed to improve income earning opportunities as well as Fish Campaign for Improved Food Security and Better Nutrition.

Marketplace and Mobile Application are useful to provide different sets of information without going to the concerned places or authorities. So these type of ICT can help the rural women in many ways according to their livelihood.

1. Increased positive mental attitude of women in order to strengthen self-reliance and build awareness as well as work ethic of women.

2. Increased life skills of women in order to expand economic opportunities, help women to start income generating activities and enable women to be self-employed.

3. Improved connectivity and technology access for smallholders fish sellers in order to increase monthly income and better knowledge about fish processing.

Track number of participants in every location - 600 women participate in the empowerment training focused on Social Psychology, Financial Education, Entrepreneurship, Fresh Fish Processing and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for Fish Business across multiple locations every year.

Track number of web traffic and people download the application, Retain engagement with participants within 6 months monitoring and evaluation program - 80% of participants using Fish Marketplace and Mobile Application after training

Retain engagement with participants within 6 months monitoring and evaluation program - 80% of participants have sustainable business and increase monthly income

We strive to transform women’s traditional jobs into prospective non-traditional jobs through empowerment program. Considering the traditional duties of women to managing the household and raising children, so the program is expected to encourage them to be “house entrepreneur”.

This project is expected to create alternative non-traditional jobs, such as chefs, seafood restaurants, fish processing experts, entrepreneurs, exporters, fish delivery service by motorcycle, van or even truck drivers if there are large number of fish orders 

Mobile application will be based on the user's background by investigating their needs, values and requirements as a basis for better technical systems. It combines research from the design sciences, psychology, education, human-computer interaction, device engineering and data mining.

While giving presentation to targeted communities, we gather ideas from them as well as drawing the imagination of ideal application according to the figure of low educated women in rural areas.

It is focused on creating technology to enrich and transform their lives through understanding their needs. Using native language and more images will be easier to understand and more interactive. 

- ONLINE: People can access our solution through Fish Marketplace and Mobile Application

- OFFLINE: Working together with local government/NGOs to disseminate the information and giving presentation to targeted communities about the empowerment program

- SOLVE Community

- Revenue from Fish business and other alternate business generated from this program

- Additional income from ads placed within website and mobile application

- Local Government and Private Donations (i.e Corporate Social Responsibility/ CSR program of private companies)

- Support from any International Organizations/International Grants 

- Internal factors:

1. Members of the community who are less interested in entrepreneurship

2. Lack of commitment from participants to run the business on a regular basis

3. Set up the time schedule to learn together at Learning Center

4. Low educated background of the participants cause the low self esteem and fighting spirit

5. Lack of financial education; the financial report is still simple and traditional

6. Lack of knowledge about technology and information

- External Factor: Lack of capital/funding

Empowering women is important because women are the key to breaking the poverty cycle. Women are more likely to invest their earnings back into their families and children. Mothers are also in general, closer to their children. It means that we are empowering future generations by empowering mothers.

We believe that SOLVE  is a great platform since it is supported by professional and reliable team members as the bridge to connect our idea with the respective partners. It is a great opportunity to collaborate with SOLVE Community in order to build regional/international links and establish networks around the world.