TRANSFORMING LIVES & COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE

Who (first and last name) is the Team Lead for your application and LEAP Project?

Grace Nkwocha

Describe the role the Team Lead plays in your organization. [100-200 words recommended]

- Initiate and organize educational community projects that bridge education inequality gaps in low-income communities both for Teachers, students and parents at community level. Projects such as: Community library for under 12’s, Education Conference/award for Teachers, Education Conference for Students and Parenting Conference for parents in these low-income communities.

- Source for funds and partners to execute projects. 

- Motivate staff and volunteers.

- Relate with and look for opportunities for over 100 private and public schools in Ajegunle – opportunities for both students, Teachers and parents of the children who use our library.

Explain how your Team Lead and supporting team members are well-positioned to effectively support the LEAP Project, given other priorities within your organization. [200-500 words - recommended]

Yes, we are very ready because we are all resident in this community and share same desire to see a better community. We have been together, on the same cause for about 6 years and overtime, we have built a reputable brand in the community. 

Most of the management team run their businesses while some work part-time.

We understand our community's needs because we all grew up and a few of us have been out of the country for comparative analysis of development and how communities thrive. 

We have data that we have gathered overtime from our events. We also have easy access to the local government for information.

We have a strong tech team of volunteers (8 of them) who meet the tech needs of our organization.

One-line solution summary: In 20 words or less, summarize your organization's product or program that is the focus of your LEAP Project.

One-of-a-kind CHILDREN DISCOVERY LIBRARY for under 12's in underserved communities which makes up for learning gaps in under-resourced schools

Define the problem that your solution seeks to solve. [200-500 words recommended]

Our community has over 700 under-resourced schools that are predominantly theoretical in learning and not thorough because these schools are grossly under-resourced due to the low tuition (average of 20 dollars per term) and the Teachers earn less than 50 dollars a month (the Teachers lack motivation)

Because it doesn't make economic sense to establish more quality schools as an NGO, we decided to have a centre that makes up for the gaps these schools have using both local and international curriculum and every school in this community can equally access this centre anytime between Monday and Saturday to make up for learning gaps in science, art, technology, attitude, civic etc.

These schools maybe good at teaching theories but bringing these learning to live (activity-based learning) is ZERO.

Describe your solution and how it works in simple terms. [200-500 words recommended]

Yes, that's exactly what we do.

Our Children Discovery Library is very unpredictable in what the kids come to learn whether in science, art, technology, creative plays, creative games, civic duties etc.

One time, they learnt how to make playdoughs themselves and use it to mold different objects. It was their first time. 

The other day and till date, they use legos to design automobiles and make them perform a task.

Recently, we introduced Straws and Connectors so they can learn design thinking and put their minds to work to build different objects.

This is why in a month we could have over 500 different children who visit.

Even most of them don't learn ryhmes in their schools. At the librarry, we use it to help improve their vocabulary as well as improve their level of  understanding and assimilation of concepts.

Select the key characteristics of your target population. Select all that apply.

• Women & Girls
• Primary school children (ages 5-12)
• Low-Income

In which country or countries does your solution currently operate?

Nigeria

Upload your solution's Theory of Change or Logic Model.

Where would you place your solution on Nesta's Standards of Evidence?

To date, what research/studies has your organization conducted that have helped demonstrate the effectiveness of your solution? [200-500 words recommended]

We have conducted both foundational and formative research. We do focus groups with the kids, theit parents and the different schools we work with.

We also use the internet to understand if our community's case is just peculiar to us or other low-income communities face the same problems.

What has the research/studies you have conducted revealed about your solution and how did it inform your work moving forward? [200-500 words recommended]

Virtually all of our solutions were gotten from the problems we faced in the community and the target groups we intervewed.

We can see a lot of improvement and we can bold say that the 5 KPI's we listed for our library has measurable result. It may not be a lot but it's very encouraging for us to keep on.

What Metrics do we use to measure impact at the library? 

Our 5 Key Performance Indicators are:

1. Improved Reading Culture & Literacy Level

2. Increase in Digital Literacy, Tech. Skills & Use of Computer

3. Increase in Civic Duties Awareness and Participation, leading to a change in Community Culture

4. Improvement in the Understanding and Assimilation of Concepts leading to Improved Academic Performance 

5. Behavioral Improvement / Life Skills Development from Project-based Activities (and from parenting conference for their parents)

Describe your organization's need to strengthen the evidence base of your solution. [200-500 words recommended]

We are at the point where we need to scale. We need every expert support we can get to strengthen what we do so we are more structured and can record better measurable result. The space we have is for 20 but we have over 900 children who use our library, this tells us that we need extra hands to strengthen our works.

What are 2-3 research questions that you would like your LEAP Project to help you answer? [100 words recommended]

1. Why do people go to school and behave uneducated.

2. What causes poor assimilation of concepts by children from poor homes.

What type of research/studies do you think will help answer your stated questions? Select all that apply.

• Formative research (e.g. usability studies; feasibility studies; case studies; user interviews; implementation studies; pre-post or multi-measure research; correlational studies)

Please elaborate on your selection above by describing your desired outputs of the 12-week LEAP Project sprint. [200 - 500 words recommended]

I think we would have to discuss with the different target groups and have interviews with them. 

How will your organization put these outputs into action? [200-500 words recommended]

It will help us approach our KPI's better than we have been doing it. It will make our work stand out too because we have received expert advice.

Describe your desired short-term and long-term outcomes of the 12-week LEAP Project sprint for both your organization and solution. [200-500 words recommended]

Short-term outcome:

We will become more knowledgeable as a team and poised to do more. We will gain confidence in the work that we do.

Lont term Outcome:

Our community gets better because the overall objective is to see how our community can be transformed through education.