Scaling Impact That Lasts: Depth and Durability in Development Programs
Bopinc collaborates with impact-driven private companies to bring beneficial products to low-income consumers. At the same time, sustainably empowering micro-entrepreneurs. Beyond metrics like number of consumers reached or micro-entrepreneurs supported, two other questions are critical to assessing the true impact of our work:
Non-profits often focus disproportionately on a single metric: maximising the number of people who benefited. At Bopinc, we have increasingly taken a more holistic approach by embedding methods and processes to assess the depth and durability of impact. These efforts include periodic data collection from low-income stakeholders over time and strategically conducting post-project evaluations. This article presents what we learnt about the depth and durability of impact on micro-entrepreneurs supported by the ‘Pushti Ambassador Partnership’ programme, a collaboration between Bopinc and Arla Foods Foods, with funding from the Danida Green Business Partnerships / Danida Market Development Partnerships .
Measuring impact across time for a nuanced understanding of impact
Part of the Pushti Ambassador Partnership was to advance the economic empowerment of 200 rural women-led retail shops in Bangladesh. The program provided a comprehensive support package including business training, shop branding, linkages with distributors and suppliers of Arla and other FMCG companies, and some grants in the form of products.
During the 5-month pilot, we monitored the weekly purchases and inventory levels of these retailers. We estimated about a 30% increase in average monthly revenue from the baseline, a proxy for income changes resulting from the project support. However, these changes happened in a somewhat controlled environment. The retailers not only benefited from the programme's multi-faceted assistance but also received supply chain support and mentoring from field supervisors hired through this partnership. The key question remained - did the programme create a lasting shift in income levels for these women retailers, or was the increase in income a short-term phenomenon?
To answer this question, we revisited the women retailers 10 months after all forms of support ended, by partnering with an independent research firm. The findings showed that the retailers’ average monthly income remained 10% higher compared to their pre-programmed baseline.
Moreover, 73.3% of the women surveyed reported that the project support had positively influenced their income levels.
Perception of Project Support on Income Increase
Some of the financial benefits have diminished over time. The changes in income levels were not as high as we anticipated, but this outcome was not entirely unexpected. The survey was conducted during a period when Bangladesh was still recovering from significant political and economic challenges. These factors undoubtedly affected the purchasing power of consumers. However, revisiting these retailers long after the programme's conclusion provides a nuanced picture of how external factors can shape the sustainability of financial gains achieved through development programmes.
Unveiling the broader societal impact
Perhaps the most striking aspect of the evaluation was the stories of personal empowerment and social change. The project primarily focused on empowering these women retailers to uplift their business operations. It sparked changes in their confidence, community engagement, and social standing.
Take the story of Salma, who expressed how the project enhanced her confidence in managing her own business and being more self-reliant. Similarly, the story of Tahasina, who saw her shop become a place of gathering and mutual support for other women in her community after the shop branding gave her a new identity, “Pushti Apa”.
Salma recalls,
“I lacked the confidence to manage my own business…I now handle everything related to purchase and sales—deciding which products to stock, setting the prices, and serving properly to my customers with reputation," "I don’t have to ask anyone for money unless it is an exceptional case. My earnings contribute to my family, and that feels amazing to me as a contributor."
Tahasina says,
"My shop has become a place where women come to talk and share stories of their lives,". "We discuss everything—from recipes to life’s challenges. It’s a space for mutual support."
The evaluation reveals two important lessons: business-focused development programs should explore broader societal changes and look beyond the immediate program timeframe.
Learning about practical sustainability challenges
While we were pleased that the Pushti Ambassador Partnership programme indeed brought about tangible and sustained changes in the lives of the women retailers, the picture is not entirely rosy. During the pilot last year, we found out that when retailers are visited by distributors’ sales staff, and products are delivered directly to their doorsteps, it can have a significant impact on the business performance of the women retailers. However, 10 months after the programme ended, only a third of these retailers were able to continue purchasing from the suppliers and wholesalers connected during the programme.
While the pilot was running, field supervisors hired by the program played a crucial role in keeping the network operational. They encouraged suppliers and their sales staff to maintain consistent product deliveries, even to remote retailers whose low demand may not have justified the additional delivery costs or efforts. After the program concluded, while some distributors continued to supply these retailers, others prioritized their traditional networks, as this made more commercial sense given their established demand and logistical efficiency.
This experience highlights the importance of sustained and patient support from network owners and commercial partners. This ensured that non-traditional retail networks could build sufficient demand and overcome logistical barriers.
Takeaways for donors and program designers
This article has illustrated how we uncovered new insights about the depth and durability of change for low-income people. We also discovered unintended impact and sustainability challenges—insights that we would not have discovered if we had not revisited the retailers after about a year. The real world is messy, and programme theories rarely account for external and unforeseen events. However, looking beyond the project phase into the depth and durability of impact presents a valuable opportunity to learn and improve project design to better benefit low-income people.
About the Study
All project activities with women retailers under the Pushti Ambassador Partnership programme concluded in November 2023. The evaluation was conducted in 2024, between September and October, by the independent research firm EQMS. Quantitative data was gathered through surveys of 135 women retailers, selected via systematic random sampling across the project’s target regions. Qualitative methods included 12 Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) with Arla representatives, project supervisors, distributors, and other stakeholders, and three Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with community members and sales representatives.
By, akm shihab uzzaman , Country Director, Bopinc Bangladesh; Md Rakib Hasan Rabbi Impact Measurement & Insights Lead, Bopinc
Tags: Arla Foods | Danida Green Business Partnerships / Danida Market Development Partnerships | Rafayet Alam | Mushfiq Rahman | Trisha Clauson | Sumaiya Bushra | Tasfia Sajjad |