Reports Database

“Kopernik partnered with local NGO, Haritika to distribute Greenway Smart Stoves in Madhya Pradesh, India. The cook stoves were made available at a subsidized rate of Rs.500 (US$9). Those from lower income families were given the option of paying this amount in installments. More than 80% of customers live on a monthly income below Rs.6,000 (US$108).

The Greenway Smart Stove has had a positive impact on peoples lives:

• 65% said it now took less than 1 hour to collect firewood (whereas initially only 12% of respondents took less than one hour to collect wood for the chulha); and
• 74% of customers rated the stove as “useful” or “very useful”.

The users particularly enjoyed the stove’s:

• ease of use (70%);
• increased speed of preparing food (10%);
• using less firewood and emitting noticeably less smoke than the chulha (20%).

One of the limitations of the stove that has been identified is its size when used in larger families of nine or more members. The customers pointed out that cooking pots for the family of this size tend to be too large to fit on top of the stove.”

“Kopernik introduced drip irrigation to 55 households in Kechla, India. Kechla and the surrounding communities are located in rural Orissa (an eastern state of India) in the KBK (Kalahandi-Bolangir-Koraput) triangle known to be one of the poorest areas in India. We partnered with AuroMira Service Society (AMSS), a Delhi-based NGO to deliver the Driptech micro-chip irrigation system. Drip irrigation targets water specifically to crop roots, minimizing the use of limited water supplies and maximizing crop yields. Its benefits are particularly meaningful for farmers in Orissa state who have historically irrigated dry season crops by hand and juggle multiple jobs to sustain a basic living.”

“The Drink Up Bobonaro project in Timor-Leste started in August 2014 when Kopernik partnered with local partner, Hemetin Asaun Dezenvolvimento Edukasaun no Ekonomia Rural (HADEER), to distribute 480 Nazava water filters in Bobonaro district. The Nazava ceramic water filters remove microorganisms from the water and reduce the level of harmful chemicals, such as pesticides and chlorine. After filtration, the water is safe to drink and has a pleasant taste.

In June 2015 while the distribution was still ongoing, a Kopernik fellow, Imelda Wang, visited Maliana in Timor-Leste to conduct an impact assessment. By conducting household surveys, she identified the impact of the use of water filters on the lives of people who bought them. The impact assessment involved interviews with 54 water filter buyers (from a total of 115 buyers when this report was composed).”

“In Wales, between 300 and 350 people die from suicide each year. While causes of suicides are complex, we do know that there are factors which increase the risk for specific groups and individuals. These factors include poor mental health, deprivation, gender and alcohol misuse.

Suicide is now the single biggest killer of men aged under 45 in the UK, with 76% of all suicides in 2014 being men. Men are four times more likely to die by suicide than women in the UK and in Wales; the rate is at its highest since 1981. In 2014, 81% of all suicides in Wales were by men.

The link between socio-economic deprivation and increased risk of suicide is well established. Previous academic studies have shown us, for example, that men from the lowest socioeconomic group living in the most deprived areas are at greater risk of suicide than those in the most affluent group living in the most affluent areas. Every local area in Wales has a unique geography, economy, and population. It follows that a profile of deprivation and associated suicide risk will also vary between local populations.

The breadth of complex factors involved in suicide risk highlights the need for multi-agency and cross-governmental action. This is not a single task for any particular organisation or sector in isolation. It is instead, a local and national imperative and one that should be seen as a major and urgent priority in the national public health agenda in Wales. We must be able to give people the best chance to turn their lives around when they are struggling.

In Wales, we work to reduce suicide across our nation. We reach out to high risk groups and communities, we work in partnership with prisons, schools, hospitals and rail staff and we engage with Welsh Government and the National Assembly to influence policy and legislation.”

“Thread builds responsible, transparent supply chains from Ground to Good™. We invest heavily in the first mile of our supply chains – the individuals and areas where plastic bottles are picked up from the ground. The first mile of supply chains is an area often ignored and as a result, this portion of supply chains tend to cause ecological and human harm.

A recently released McKinsey report (see fig. 1) showed that supply chains are responsible for more than 90% of the environmental impact of products, leaving less than 10% of direct environmental impact in the hands of consumers.

Thread has also found that enormous opportunity for social impact exists in the first mile of supply chains. Often, the work at this stage is informal, unregulated, and difficult to monitor. The individuals involved are constantly evolving, making it difficult to track exactly who is responsible for the collection of raw materials. While there is a movement among apparel brands to become increasingly transparent and publicly list their suppliers, many brands are only able to list their tier 1 and maybe tier 2 suppliers. The places where goods are cut and sewn, or perhaps where the fabric is finished.

Textile supply chains are long and complicated. Before a fabric is finished, it must go through several processing steps and vendors who extrude, spin, knit and weave fibers together before it is dyed and finished. At Thread, we are proud to not only publicly list every vendor we work with to create our fabric, but the individuals who pick up the bottles that make our fabric as well. Until this level of transparency is commonplace, and this understanding of the first mile of supply chains ubiquitous across industries, social and environmental harm will continue. We cannot fix what we don’t know. It is time for us to know.”

“Fair for You is a registered charity which makes loans to low income households through its lending subsidiary, Fair for You Enterprise CIC. The lending subsidiary is a form of social enterprise, which began making unsecured loans for the purchase of household items available from its ‘online high street’ in December 2015. The loan product provides a real alternative for people who would otherwise have to use high cost lenders, particularly rent to own stores such as BrightHouse, PerfectHome and Buy as You View.”

“What does the STP do?

• It helps Aberdeen City residents (aged 55 years and over who can’t use regular public transport) to improve and maintain their quality of life
• It does this by helping them access health and social care in the city
• It provides a door-to-door, more accessible service, charged at a maximum return fare of £3.00 to the person and travelling and no additional cost for a carer who travel with them”

“Women Make Music is a PRS Foundation initiative launched in 2011 in response to the low representation of professional female songwriters and composers in the UK. In 2011, only 13% of PRS for Music members were women and 16% of applications for commissions received by PRS Foundation featured female composers and songwriters.

Women Make Music grants are available to any female music creator, with a professional track record of 18 months or more, whose project fits with PRS Foundation’s aims to enable talented music creators of any background to realise their potential. Women Make Music grants have supported a range of activities that help female artists to develop their careers including tours, recordings, commissions, residencies, promotion and marketing, new collaborations and childcare.

Women Make Music aims to:

• Raise awareness of the gender gap amongst songwriters and composers
• Encourage more female music creators to come forward for funding
• Increase the profile of women who are creating new music in the UK and support role models for future generations.”

“Ensuring our kids develop the academic skills and intellectual curiosity they need to be successful adults is not solely the obligation
of schools. It is the biggest and most important responsibility of the entire community. Students and educators need support from
families, businesses, organizations, civic entities, and faith groups. Learning is a continuous process that spans a pipeline from early
childhood to postsecondary education. Working together to nurture success at every milestone gives our kids the skills they need
for the future and provides our community the foundation it needs to thrive.

Three years ago, the concept that “it takes a village” to educate our youth was the driving force behind ImpactTulsa, and it still is
today. Utilizing data to identify what works in the complex web of learning resources and employing collective impact to help align
partners on shared outcomes is at the heart of what we do. Along the way, we have discovered an incredible spirit of collaboration
among partners and a genuine desire to create an education system that embraces diversity, equity, innovation, and continuous
improvement.”

“IHS is a private affordable housing investment manager. We raise institutional capital and invest it in the development or renovation of affordable housing in Sub-Saharan Africa, both for-sale and for-rent, affordable to the fast growing low to middle income market in South Africa and other target Sub-Saharan countries. IHS is owned by MMA Capital Management LLC, a publicly-listed US affordable housing and renewable energy investment manager (formerly MuniMae). As such, we are under the corporate governance of this major US shareholder, and are therefore governed by their rigorous policies and procedures, including their code of ethics and principles of business integrity to combat issues such as bribery and corruption.

To date, our investments have resulted in the production of about 18,000 homes. In our current Fund, IHS Fund II, we have raised capital specifically for the purpose of “greening” a portion of the homes produced. Based on capital raised to date, we have committed to 5,060 green homes (25%). We have so far closed six projects in Fund II (five green home projects).”

“In all our regions, our lawyers, professionals, and staff are serving our communities in substantial ways to address hunger, lack of education and poverty. We are collaborating across borders and oceans to develop meaningful strategies for maximizing our positive social impact.”

South Africa has various state-supported housing programmes, of which RDP housing (currently termed “BNG” housing), and more recently Social Rental Housing (SRH) are significant components.

Although over 2 million houses have been provided to date through the RDP housing programme, the programme poses several challenges, not least being the implications for the future sustainability of cities and their municipalities in South Africa.

SRH is seen as an alternative to RDP housing. Although the observed initial construction costs of SHR are higher, so too are the long term benefits.. SRH addresses an important demand and income segment within the housing sector and market in South Africa.

This report contains the results of a Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) undertaken to compare SRH (as the potential investment or “project case”) with RDP housing (as the status quo or “base case”). The objective of this analysis is to assess the relative benefits to society in the provision of SRH and RDP housing, and takes into account all costs and benefits to society over the life time of the housing.

Step by Step offers services to empower young people and prevent homelessness throughout Hampshire, Surrey, Berkshire, and Dorset.

Building on its strengths in digital products, ASUSTeK Computer Inc., Ltd. (“ASUSTeK” or ”ASUS” ) has run the ASUS Computer Recycling and Education Project (“the project”, “project”, “Digital Education Project”) since 2008. The purpose of the project is to recycle discarded ICT products and appoint a refurbish factory to refurbish computers for donation to non-profit organizations. Under the project, ASUS volunteers assist in the creation of courses and of basic digital environments to help build an ideal environment of Digital Inclusion.

Through the Digital Education Project, ASUS aims to create real change. Thus we have established a Social Return on Investment (SROI) performance management mechanism (“SROI mechanism”, “this mechanism”, or “this report”) since 2016. This performance mechanism and information feedback help manage the project and improve efficient allocation of resources.

Family support is where individuals with common problems associated with drug use or addiction in their families can share their experiences. Family support is a recognised form of support for families experiencing difficulties and stress related to a child, parent, sibling or other family member’s addiction problems. Family support can be offered in peer group setting or one-to-one basis. The model of the family support advocated by Ireland’s National Family Support Network is a peer-led support group model, where individuals can openly share their challenges and perceptions with other people.

An important aspect of family support is the flexibility of the model to support individuals experiencing a range of problems, not just drug and alcohol problems; for example, other challenges can include drug intimidation, bereavement, educational disadvantages and unemployment. The stress of having addiction within the family can have a debilitating effect on individuals resulting in feelings of stress and vulnerability, negative coping withdrawal from family and friends, and in some instances, leading to other forms of addiction. Accessing family support is an appropriate form of support that can help reduce and manage these negative consequences.

Nowadays digital literacy is considered one of the essential skills to allow people to effectively exercise full citizenship.

Due to the lack of basic computer skills, financial and legal information, and inability to use contemporary communication devices the elderly and disabled people cannot fully participate in modern life, realize their talents and ambitions, and make an input. Their chances for employment are next to nothing. They finish disconnected from their friends and family and excluded from the society. They cannot use electronic services provided on the state and municipal levels.

The programme is focused on providing training for old and disabled people in the areas of the basic elements of digital literacy and IT, financial and legal literacy required for improvement of their social and economic stability to increase their chances for employment or small business undertakings.

The programme objective is to contribute to improvement of the quality of life for the elderly and physically challenged adults, create conditions that prevent their social and informational isolation, and give birth to the new opportunities for an active lifestyle.

Peer support takes place when people with lived experience of mental distress support each other towards better wellbeing, as people of equal value and on a reciprocal basis, using their own lived experience as a tool of support. The importance of peer support at Together has been developed and become increasingly recognised since 2010. This work was led by the Service User Involvement Directorate in the first instance and is now strongly supported across departments and delivered within a range of operational services

There has been a rapid increase in the employment of Peer Support Co-ordinators to develop, co-ordinate and manage the provision of peer support within the past twelve months. This includes supporting teams of Peer Supporters, who are volunteers with lived experience of mental distress, to draw upon their lived experience to support people who use our services. This directly supports our strategic goal to ensure that peer support is available to service users across all our services by 2018-19. By March 2016 an average of 218 service users were receiving peer support per month across 26 Together services.