Our Successes

Impact First International has been working in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean for nearly three decades. Through these projects micro-loans have been provided to tens of thousands of beneficiaries and half a million women and their families have accessed health services and basic education.

Our successes 29 different partner organizations in 15 developing countries have been strengthened through Impact First’s capacity building initiatives, which have left them in charge of sustaining the positive impacts of our work together.

Impact First International has designed and implemented programs which serve the financial needs of women and their families, and also address their non-financial needs, including facilitating access to basic health services; providing health education and training; and sessions to ensure women’s preparedness for managing their small businesses and taking on new roles as leaders. Impact champions a comprehensive program delivery model which fosters awareness, participation, accountability and ownership.

Measuring Success

Impact First staff monitor and evaluate projects throughout, starting with a baseline study to understand the initial situation, and continuing with follow up evaluations to track changes against specific indicators. Regular evaluations of each project point to needed adjustments as challenges arise, and highlight both successes and lessons learned.

Indicators that Impact First measures include things like:

% change in the level of women’s household decision-making power
Change in the # of house assets (e.g. chickens)
% change in self-reported feeling of self-worth (women, youth)
% change in the number of community residents accessing a specific type of health service (e.g. PAP smears)
% change in pre-, peri- and postnatal mortality rates
% change in maternal death rates
% change in the level of knowledge of good health practices
% change in the # of women actively participating in activities outside of the home related to social and political issues of their communities
% change in reported instances of domestic violence

Examples from Our Work:

The following is a sample of just a few of the indicators tracked from some of our past projects:

Novas Vidas, Brazil

This project focused on health promotion, improving the quality of health services, basic education, and business training in the area of environmentally sound and sustainable agriculture.
Some of the key successes:

80% reduction in the number of infant mortalities
60% of women and youth reported having improved health
60% of women and youth had improved literacy levels
75% of women and youth had improved understanding of their basic human rights
80% of farmers adopted improved agricultural techniques

50% of community members reported having an improved quality of life

Forteleza, Brazil

This was an integrated microcredit, health, basic education and women’s rights project.

78% of borrowers reported having improved a business due to the project’s micro-lending and training
79% of women were spending more on child development and nutrition
Over 50% of women were successfully using family planning methods

Pici, Brazil

This project was a microcredit project combined with business skills, health, and women’s rights training.

302 businesses established or strengthened
24.5% increase (to 98%) in school attendance among youth
Ten times as many women holding leadership positions in the community
90% of women reported feeling more independent
90% of families had improved access to clean water
More than 50% reduction in under-5 mortality rate
79% reduction in occurrence of diarrhea

Bangladesh

This was a microlending and skills training project with a focus on women’s rights.

Over 4,000 businesses diversified and strengthened
99% of loans repaid
98% of participants reported having improved income

Kolkata, India

This was an integrated microfinance, health and basic education project for female sex workers.

90% accessed quality health services
88% reported an improvement in health
70% increase in the # of female sex workers regularly using condoms