MIT Solve

Solution Overview

Solution Name:

Bihani Social Venture

One-line solution summary:

Providing Elders with online interventions as a part of digital inclusion initiative to address social isolation due to COVID-19

Pitch your solution.

Our main focus is on individuals above the age of 50, but not limited to it, who want to re-engage, re–explore and re–live or continue living a rewarding second half of their lives. According to the National Population and Housing Census 2011, the total population of Nepal is 26,494,504. Out of the total population, 3,978,149 or 15% comprises of citizens above fifty years of age which is Bihani’s target group amongst which, the districts of Lalitpur and Kathmandu where Bihani is currently operating contributes with a total of 277,854 citizens. Over 2 million or almost 9% of the country’s total population living in Nepal are aged over 60 years. Our secondary focus is on institutions, organisations and individuals, to raise awareness and sensitise regarding the context of shifting demography/ changing population trend and the diverse issues that may be associated with ageing; disability, social isolation, among others.

What specific problem are you solving?

The world’s population is rapidly ageing: The number of people aged 60 years or older will rise from 900 million to 2 billion between 2015 and 2050. Over 2 million people living in Nepal are aged over 60 which is almost 9% of the country’s total population. Besides the problem of issues related to Ageing, the start of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to the risks of older adults being socially isolated due to social distancing. During the lockdown in Nepal, elder abuse cases increased by more than threefold, with neglect or unidentified dead bodies found contributing the maximum. Social isolation was associated with about a 50% increased risk of dementia and other serious medical conditions as per the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Older adults, not just within our family but also within our community or neighbourhood need to be checked on to ensure their overall wellbeing.

What is your solution?

Bihani is Nepal’s first social enterprise relentlessly working to foster age and disability inclusive communities focusing on older adults. To promote a society inclusive of elders, Bihani offers innovative and diverse services and activities related to health, social engagement and participation, and organisational development to promote the formation of new bonds and exchange of knowledge/ capacities across generations.

We believe that elders’ experiences are valuable to make a difference in our communities. Bihani has been implementing a need-based person-centric/family-centric approach to achieve targeted and efficient outcomes all the while providing human touch as everyone deserves to be loved and felt worthy. The interventions provided are simple and effective in promoting mental/ brain health, motor skills/ physical health and overall well-being.

Our services are provided in individual and group settings. The location is decided as per the need and interest of the clients — in home, in office or in public space.

Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?

We work to make sure that no elder or individual is left behind, abused, or feels isolated as a result of other social conditions or currently due to the pandemic. Our established programming and network of older adult members, young adult team, care home staff and residents has helped us initiate tailored efforts to bridge the distance for elders using relevant interventions.

More than one-third of adults aged 45 and older feel lonely, and nearly one-fourth of adults aged 65 and older are considered to be socially isolated. Older adults are at increased risk for loneliness and social isolation because they are more likely to face factors such as living alone, the loss of family or friends, chronic illness, and hearing loss (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2020).

We have been able to create positive impact through the following interventions especially, during the pandemic:

Maintaining regular social contact through phone calls and social media as Social Distancing does not mean Social Isolation
Mutual aid support – providing essentials, medication and food items to those in need Digital inclusion initiative & empowerment to provide a support system to elders for not only sharing knowledge, but also as a platform for interaction along with, conducting online sessions with experts, medical professionals and relevant organisations. Encouraging and providing necessary technical support along with, support to start blogs as a way of documenting oral history, experiences and sharing knowledge

Which dimension of the Challenge does your solution most closely address?

Combat loneliness, stress, depression, and other mental health impacts of disease outbreaks.

Explain how the problem you are addressing, the solution you have designed, and the population you are serving align with the Challenge.

To support the efforts being put by the caregivers/ family, we follow a Person Centric/ Family Centric and holistic approach which is inclusive. We see client/members and their family as equal partners in planning, developing and monitoring care to make sure it meets their needs by putting people and families at the centre of decision making. Once within our network, individuals can gain access to free resources, self-help groups, and capacity building sessions on diverse topics of Psycho-Social Support (PSS), care for mental and physical well-being of elders and self along with, a support system of individuals /organisations whenever needed

In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?

Kathmandu, Nepal

What is your solution’s stage of development?

Prototype: A venture or organization building and testing its product, service, or business model.

Explain why you selected this stage of development for your solution.

Currently, we have provided interventions for more than 50 elders at their homes and through online platforms. Our interventions are holistic, focusing on person and family centric approach which helps us in understanding the needs and interests of the elders in a deeper level. For impact/ non-profit components we work with our partners who are staff or residents of aged care homes including elderly inmates in Prisons. We also work for the overall wellbeing of our Members/ elders, caregivers, staff and family members within our network impacting the lives of up to 600 individuals every month.

Who is the Team Lead for your solution?

Santoshi Rana

More About Your Solution

If your solution has a website or an app, provide the links here:

www.bihani.com.np

Which of the following categories best describes your solution?

A new business model or process that relies on technology to be successful

What makes your solution innovative?

In Nepal, ageing or elderly courses mainly focus on senior citizens, educational courses, skill enhancement, daily exercises, etc. The main purpose of our certified ageing course is to ensure that the elders feel included in the family and community. Our capacity building sessions are aimed at internalisation and institutionalisation of ageing issues and elderly care/services. Keeping in mind the elderly abuse data during and after lockdown, it is necessary for our community to understand what our elders need and how can we deliver it without abusing or getting abused by older adults. For this, we provide holistic interventions focusing on caregiving for elders and family, along with maintaining the overall health and wellbeing of the caregivers. After the completion of the course, participants will be certified in the respective trainings received. Since our focus the focus of most of the agencies working in the field of ageing is quite different, our innovation can be considered as the first of its kind in Nepal. Moreover, the cost of the course has been calculated so the people have a choice which course they need or want to take, if not interested in the complete package (3 packages are available for the course, Basic, Intermediate and Advance)

Please select the technologies currently used in your solution:

Audiovisual Media
Software and Mobile Applications

Select the key characteristics of your target population.

Elderly
Persons with Disabilities

Which of the UN Sustainable Development Goals does your solution address?

3. Good Health and Well-being
8. Decent Work and Economic Growth
11. Sustainable Cities and Communities
12. Responsible Consumption and Production
17. Partnerships for the Goals

In which countries do you currently operate?

Nepal

In which countries will you be operating within the next year?

Nepal

How many people does your solution currently serve? How many will it serve in one year? In five years?

As we have, currently, 9 trained team members, our targeted individuals per year for Home Based Service (HBS) Intervention are 60 individuals with 3 visits per week. At the rate of NPR 1,500, the total revenue generated from HBS is approx NPR 12,960,000 (approx 89424 Euros).

How are you measuring your progress toward your impact goals?

We have developed an impact calculator, the first of it's kind in Nepal which helps us calculate our social impact.

https://bihanisocialventure.wo...

About Your Team

Your Business Model & Partnerships

Partnership & Prize Funding Opportunities

In which of the following areas do you most need partners or support?

Financial (e.g. improving accounting practices, pitching to investors)

What organizations would you like to partner with, and how would you like to partner with them?

To solve issues related to ageing, we are trying:

To provide services and support to citizens to lead a social and fruitful life
To address the issues of loneliness, dependency, and loss of confidence due to retirement, relocation, health status or family member’s migration or busy lifestyle, through social engagement activities
To change the traditional mindset that growing older is negative process to a positive experience
To create platforms where our elders can contribute their skills, expertise and economically participate
To explore the potential and interests of our members to make them realise their dreams
To maintain and improve the overall wellbeing of elders, along with their family and caregivers through capacity building sessions
To address ageist stereotypes and create awareness on the changing demographics, the need for positive outlook to active ageing, and to promote age friendly communities where we want to age in

Do you qualify for and would you like to be considered for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Prize? If you select Yes, explain how you are qualified for the prize in the additional question that appears.

Yes, I wish to apply for this prize

Explain how you are qualified for this prize. How will your team use Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Prize to advance your solution?

With support to:

Need assessment of the team - $105
Conducting the session on topic available for selected course package - $5000
Documentation and sharing of the session - $270
Certification for the participants after the completion of the course - $20
Salaries – $3500 Transport – $500
Communication - $300
Data collection/ analysis – $100
Misc - $200

Do you qualify for and would you like to be considered for The Andan Prize for Innovation in Refugee Inclusion? If you select Yes, explain how you are qualified for the prize in the additional question that appears.

No, I do not wish to be considered for this prize, even if the prize funder is specifically interested in my solution

Do you qualify for and would you like to be considered for the Innovation for Women Prize? If you select Yes, explain how you are qualified for the prize in the additional question that appears.

No, I do not wish to be considered for this prize, even if the prize funder is specifically interested in my solution

Do you qualify for and would you like to be considered for The AI for Humanity Prize? If you select Yes, explain how you are qualified for the prize in the additional question that appears.

No, I do not wish to be considered for this prize, even if the prize funder is specifically interested in my solution

Do you qualify for and would you like to be considered for The Global Fund Prize? If you select Yes, explain how you are qualified for the prize in the additional question that appears.

No