Detailed exploration: Enhancing success for girls and adolescent females in Africa
In a significant move, Tiko, an African non-profit organisation, has partnered with the European Investment Bank (EIB) and Rabobank in a €1 billion SME financing deal. This partnership is expected to bolster Tiko's mission to address multidimensional poverty, including teen pregnancy, HIV, and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in sub-Saharan Africa.
Founded by Benoit Renard in 2014, Tiko focuses on providing contraceptive healthcare to adolescent girls, ensuring continuity of education and better livelihood opportunities. Tiko's approach involves implementing community-based interventions, emphasising health education, empowerment of young people, and addressing gender norms.
Serah Melaba, the chief impact officer for Tiko, believes that investing in girls is the smartest investment one can make, as it can increase household income or build healthy and economically resilient communities.
One of Tiko's notable initiatives is the Development Impact Bond (DIB) for Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health, launched in 2023. This outcomes-based contract, worth $10.1 million, aims to reduce early and unintended pregnancies and new HIV infections in girls aged 15 to 19. The DIB is a collaboration between Tiko, the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), the Children's Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), Bridges Outcome Partnerships, and the Government of Kenya.
The DIB structure ensures stakeholders focus on measurable impact, such as reduced teen pregnancies, lower HIV transmission rates, and decreased incidents of gender-based violence. As of March this year, the DIB programme had delivered 1.5 million sexual and reproductive health services to 700,000 girls, which was more than double the original target. If the pre-agreed outcomes targets are met, the social impact investors in the SDG Outcomes Fund will be paid back their investment.
Tiko operates in Kenya, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, and Zambia through an online platform. The organisation relies on a network of vetted public and private health clinics and dispensaries, a community of 'mobilisers' who act as outreach workers, and community health workers.
Last year, Tiko reached one million girls with its services and aims to increase that to four million per year in the next five years. Tiko is also working on a girls outcomes fund in South Africa.
However, the impact-linked financing models like DIBs and their specific results in addressing the triple threat of teen pregnancy, HIV, and SGBV in sub-Saharan Africa are not fully documented in the current data. If more precise, up-to-date information about Tiko and its DIB-funded programs becomes available, a more comprehensive analysis can be provided.
It is worth noting that the US has withdrawn $377 million in funding to the UNFPA and made cuts to aid for Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) globally, which could potentially impact Tiko's work. Despite this challenge, Tiko has started incorporating initiatives addressing the prevention and management of SGBV into its work.
The International Finance Corporation (IIX) has also launched its seventh Women's Livelihood Bond with a $60 million tranche, which could provide additional support for organisations like Tiko in their mission to improve the lives of women and girls in Africa.
In conclusion, Tiko's work in Africa, particularly in the areas of teen pregnancy, HIV, and SGBV, is commendable. The organisation's use of impact-linked financing models like DIBs, emphasising health education, empowerment, and gender norms, shows promise in addressing these complex social challenges. As more data becomes available, the impact and effectiveness of Tiko's work can be further evaluated and celebrated.
- Tiko, an African non-profit organization, partners with the European Investment Bank (EIB) and Rabobank in a €1 billion SME financing deal to address multidimensional poverty, including teen pregnancy, HIV, and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in sub-Saharan Africa.
- Founded by Benoit Renard in 2014, Tiko focuses on providing contraceptive healthcare to adolescent girls, ensuring continuity of education and better livelihood opportunities.
- Serah Melaba, the chief impact officer for Tiko, believes that investing in girls is the smartest investment one can make, as it can increase household income or build healthy and economically resilient communities.
- One of Tiko's notable initiatives is the Development Impact Bond (DIB) for Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health, launched in 2023, which aims to reduce early and unintended pregnancies and new HIV infections in girls aged 15 to 19.
- The International Finance Corporation (IIX) has launched its seventh Women's Livelihood Bond with a $60 million tranche, which could provide additional support for organizations like Tiko in their mission to improve the lives of women and girls in Africa.
- Tiko's approach involves implementing community-based interventions, emphasising health education, empowerment of young people, and addressing gender norms, all crucial components of personal growth, education, and career development.
- Despite the US withdrawal of funding to the UNFPA and cuts to aid for Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) globally, Tiko has started incorporating initiatives addressing the prevention and management of SGBV into its work, highlighting the importance of development finance, financial inclusion, and blended finance in achieving social impact in health-and-wellness, mental-health, sexual-health, women's health, and parenting.
