Project Details.

CARE’s Ignite project in Pakistan supported the power of growth-oriented entrepreneurs, contributing to a resilient and inclusive economy. It also supported the government’s National Financial Inclusion Strategy for enhanced formal financial access. The project formed part of CARE’s global Ignite Program, in partnership with the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, which runs in Pakistan, Peru, and Vietnam, where there are large segments of unserved micro and small enterprises ready for investment. By partnering with local financial and non-financial service providers, Ignite opened up much-needed access to finance, technology, and networks and built entrepreneurial capacity and skills. Over three years, the Ignite project reached almost 2 million entrepreneurs in Pakistan, accelerating the growth of 45,000 enterprises and impacting 397,000 entrepreneurs, their employees, and family members. At least 30% of the entrepreneurs that the project worked with were women. 

The three objectives of the project were: Global Intermediate Outcomes: Impact: Increased Financial Security for Struggling Women, Their Families, and Their Employees. 

Intermediate Outcome 1: FSPs delivered financial products and services that meet the needs of strivers. 

Intermediate Outcome 2: Strivers were better equipped to grow their business. 

Intermediate Outcome 3: Strivers engaged with the entrepreneurial ecosystem. 

Purpose of the research study was to assess the project's achievements against its objectives and the indicators outlined in the results framework, analyze the efficiency, effectiveness, impact, and sustainability of the project results, and assess to what extent the intended goals and outcomes have been accomplished and changed at the striver’s business and household levels. 

HIMAT Consulting held a meeting with the CIP team and understood their expectations from the study. HIMAT Consulting reviewed relevant documents and extracted key findings from the review. HIMAT Consulting drafted the inception report and finalized it as per the feedback of the CIP team. HIMAT Consulting developed data collection tools (questionnaires, FGD, and KII guides). 

HIMAT Consulting recruited and trained the data collection team. HIMAT Consulting conducted field data quality assurance by visiting the field while collecting primary data. HIMAT Consulting validated data quality while receiving data daily basis from the KOBO online data collection tool. HIMAT Consulting analyzed of the data and present the findings to CIP. HIMAT Consulting drafted the research report and finalized it based on the feedback from CIP.