Evaluation of the Network for Enterprise Development Learning through Sewing for Girls (N4G) training program for young women in Ghana

The research project examines the impacts of participating in a program called Network for Enterprise Development Learning through Sewing for Girls (N4G) on a comprehensive set of employment-related indicators.
The N4G program to be evaluated consists of fashion industry-related vocational skills training and job placement services for young and underprivileged women. N4G will provide benefits to up to 1,000 such women, which we will randomly select out of a pool of up to 2,000 registrants. Beneficiaries are placed with private companies during training, preferably firms that are themselves run by young female entrepreneurs within the textile industry (fashionpreneurs). All of these firms will receive support in the course of this program such as financial and managerial advice. Upon completion of the vocational skills training, beneficiaries will receive support finding formal employment, for example within the training companies. Overall, the program aims at improving beneficiaries’ employability and thereby their livelihoods.

2021-08-01

2022-02-28

The primary outcome variables can be categorized into four groups: (i) employment, measured for example in terms of employment status, job acquisition, and lengths of employment spells, (ii) job quality, including earnings, having a contract or an oral agreement, job satisfaction, and workplace conditions among others, (iii) quality of life, covering indicators of the current living situation, household assets, and financial dependency, and (iv) mobility, e.g. migration intentions and behaviors.

Our outcome measures aim to capture a variety of aspects of subjects’ economic livelihoods and well-being, in particular those related to employment, job quality, and mobility. These outcomes also largely correspond to the program’s own key performance indicators. Outcomes may be considered across several academic papers.

Secondary outcomes include variables that we will use to analyze the mechanisms behind the effect of the intervention, such as the role of education, personality traits, self-efficacy, and mental health.

The local project partner SEHP mobilizes young women in three different regions (Greater Accra, Ashanti region, and Northern region) through a multitude of different community entry events with local chiefs, market queens, and religious leaders. In these mobilization events the local communities are informed about the project content, its aims, as well as the eligibility criteria.
Afterwards mobilized women are registered at so-called pre-registration events where they participate in a short interview. The interviews collect information about applicants’ contact details, interest and availability for the N4G program, as well as the eligibility criteria of age, education, childcare responsibilities, and benefits of prior vocational training. The pre-registration process is organized and carried out in close cooperation with our local partner Samira Empowerment & Humanitarian Projects (SEHP).
Based on the collected pre-registration information eligible women are identified. Eligibility comprises the following aspects: (i) aged 16 to 24 years old, (ii) started at least primary school, did not obtain or start any level higher than senior high school and not currently enrolled in school, (iii) not currently pregnant, no children younger than one year, and caretaker for children older than one year, and (iv) no benefits of prior vocational trainings in the textile industry during the last two years. Through text messages all eligible women are invited to the career day taking place in their community. Non-eligible women are informed that they cannot be considered further for the program.
At the career days all participating women are offered career guidance and counselling sessions. At larger career day events participants also get to know potential trainers as well as the different trade areas of the N4G trainings which are: (i) dressmaking, machinist, pattern drafting, and fabric cutting, (ii) fashion accessories incl. millinery and beading, and (iii) make-up, beauty therapy, and hair dressing.
For the purpose of the rigorous impact evaluation of the N4G program, eligible women who participated in a career day are then randomly assigned to control and treatment groups. Randomization is done within blocks formed based on respondents’ socioeconomic characteristics. Afterwards, selected women participate in fashion related vocational trainings in their preferred trade area. The duration of the trainings varies between two and up to six months depending on the selected trade area. After having successfully completed the training women will be supported in finding formal employment within their trade.
Six months after the end of each program period, we will conduct endline interviews with the relevant batch of treated women and those in the control group, provided they have agreed to be contacted again. We will also receive administrative data provided by our partners concerning beneficiaries’ program participation.

The random assignment of N4G program participation will be performed among all eligible women who attended a career day, completed the baseline questionnaire, and gave their consent.

The unit of randomization is the individual woman. Randomization will be stratified based on criteria reflecting subjects’ socioeconomic livelihoods.

No

We will enroll up to 2,000 young women over the course of the study, which should be assigned separately and in as many clusters.

We anticipate registering up to 2,000 young women over the course of the project, drawn from a number of communities throughout Ghana.

Half of the registered and eligible women will be offered treatment, i.e., up to 1,000 women, with 1,000 women in the control group.

In a basic group means comparison with 80% power, a significance level of 0.05, and unit standard deviations, the MDE is 0.125 for the total sample of 2,000 female subjects.