Target 4.1: Ensure all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education.
The Problem In Bhilwara district, Rajasthan, many girls were out of school, and learning levels in local schools were low.
The Move They Made From 2015, Educate Girls, founded by Safeena Husain, ran the world's first Development Impact Bond in education. UBS Optimus Foundation provided the upfront funding. The Children's Investment Fund Foundation agreed to repay it, with a return, only if agreed results were met. IDinsight evaluated the results independently, using a randomised trial for learning.
The Proof Over three years, across 166 schools in 140 villages, Educate Girls enrolled 768 girls, 92% of the 837 eligible out-of-school girls identified. That met 116% of the enrolment target. Learning gains reached 160% of the learning target. In the final year, learning in programme schools grew 79% more than in comparison schools.
Your Move The investors were repaid only when an independent evaluator confirmed the results. Fix your proof point before you start, and let someone outside your organisation check it.
Sources
IDinsight, Educate Girls DIB Final Evaluation Report (June 2018)
Educate Girls, Results Of The World's First DIB In Education (August 2018)
