Ostrii Platform Programme Cohort 2

Ostrii Platform Programme Cohort 2 – Kenya

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Cohort 2 of the Ostrii Platform Programme is open for applications from local organisations in Kenya to become a member of the Rural Inclusion network, and gain access to multiple benefits including access to the award-winning Ostrii application without cost for community agents of the organisation.

Rural Inclusion is a UK-based social enterprise founded by technology entrepreneurs and championed by a global network of Inclusion Ambassadors working together to fight poverty for rural communities. We have a vision for rural communities across the world to be equipped with the skills to be resilient and prosperous.

In 2022, Rural Inclusion launched Ostrii, an offline training app designed to be used by Village Champions (field agents) of partner organisations. Ostrii contains modules of 2D and 3D animated edutainment videos in local languages. Ostrii is used by village champions, who are individuals living in local communities that have access to a smartphone or tablet. They receive training and technical support from Rural Inclusion so that they can use Ostrii in their daily activities to support their communities.

Ostrii is currently being used by international organisations, including One Acre Fund, CARITAS, Opportunity International and United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) to train rural communities, and we are currently reaching 57,000 smallholder farmers. Ostrii is currently active in Kenya (Siaya County), Uganda, Rwanda, Malawi, Tanzania and El Salvador.

In May 2023, Ostrii won the “best non-profit project in a developing economy” at the Money Awareness & Inclusion Awards (MAIAs) hosted in Singapore.

See how Ostrii was used in a project in Uganda here:

See how Ostrii was used by Opportunity International in Malawi:

The curriculum on the application currently focuses on financial literacy for smallholder farmers, including the following topics; budgeting, saving, responsible borrowing, bookkeeping, investing and agricultural insurance.

See examples of the type of content available on Ostrii here:

Ostrii Platform Programme (OPP)

International NGOs and Financial institutions use Ostrii for their field agents to conduct training, and pay subscription costs to access the application and training modules.

However, as part of Rural Inclusion’s mission to empower local partners in developing countries with innovative technology to support rural communities to thrive, the Ostrii Platform Programme (OPP) has been launched.

Cohort 1 of the programme was rolled out in Malawi and Uganda, with successful NGOs and CBOs joining the Rural Inclusion network. Cohort 2 is now open for applications in Kenya.

Benefits for Successful Applicants:

  • Entry into the Rural Inclusion global network
  • Access to the Ostrii platform for nominated field agents (Village Champions) without cost for a period of five years
  • Access to the financial education modules in Kiswahili
  • Access to future modules developed on the Ostrii platform
  • Technical support from Rural Inclusion team on platform use
  • Exposure opportunity through Rural Inclusion’s monthly newsletter and social media channels
  • Ostrii accreditation for field agents (Village Champions)
  • Opportunity to participate in research projects as a network member

Eligibility Criteria:

  • Applicants must be registered in Kenya as a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Community Based Organisation (CBO) or Agribusiness.
  • Applicants must have previous experience with delivering training to rural communities in Kenya
  • Applicants must have an active network of agents that support rural groups, with access to a smartphone or tablet
  • Applicants must be in a position to integrate the use of Ostrii in their existing interactions with local communities.

NOTE: It is important to note that Rural Inclusion is not a grant making organisation and the benefit offered to local organisation is access to technology and technical support (not funding).

What will not be considered:

  • If the applicant is an international organisation
  • If the applicant is a financial institution
  • If the applicant does not have an active network of field agents (or similar)

Cohort 2 Programme Dates

Process Date
Call for Applications Open Monday 31st July 2023
Call for Applications Close Friday 1st September 2023

 

Initial interviews for shortlisted applicants will take place on the week commencing 4th September 2023.

APPLY HERE!