Sechura Bay is the birthplace of remarkable individuals dedicated to fishing and sustainable enterprises.
On this occasion, I led the research for the design and production of educational products aimed at nurturing the talent of this community. This initiative arises in response to the socio-economic repercussions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Executors
Funding
The Challenge
The crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic left significant socio-economic consequences worldwide, and the families of members belonging to the Social Organizations of Artisanal Fishermen in Sechura (OSPAS) were not exempt.
This situation worsened with the decline in their traditional activities and sustainable livelihoods, leading to unemployment, business closures, and unfavorable food conditions.
What are the main problems that families in Sechura are facing? What are the development barriers preventing the well-being of each of its members?
Methodology
To address each problem, my team worked within the framework of Design Thinking and Hypothesis-Driven Development.
Empathizing
We began by reviewing all the documentation that gave rise to the project: the background information on the population gathered by municipalities and the central government, in addition to the previous work of other non-profit organizations.
Monetary poverty in families in the province reached 35.4%.
Regional Gov. of Piura
39.7% of Sechura residents aged 15 and above discontinue their high school education.
INEI
6 out of 10 children under three years old suffer from anemia.
Diresa, Piura
26.4% of minors suffer from chronic malnutrition.
PROSAN
Data Validation and New Sampling
Interviews and observations were conducted with 47 workers, seeking to understand more about their needs, desires, and issues related to entrepreneurship and their families' food.
We also assigned a special research team to gather information in educational institutions: IE 083 Parachique, IE 446 Constante, IE 15197 El Porvenir – Sechura, IE 20208 Puerto Rico/ Bayóvar, and IE 1053 Playa Blanca.
Defining
We aimed to address two of the most significant problems in the region, which would simultaneously improve the situation of Sechura families.
Given the fishing population, their most valuable assets and developed skills should have the potential to scale for the benefit of their health, education, and employment. However, qualitative samplings revealed the following findings:
Although mackerel is the most abundant fish species in Sechura, the population is not aware of its potential.
Hypotheses
It is necessary to promote the appreciation of their most abundant products because they have the potential to increase demand among Peruvian families. Similarly, their internal consumption is vital to prevent anemia and improve the nutrition of children.
Local entrepreneurs want to learn and train their teams in skills that allow them to scale their businesses.
Hypotheses
We can design a practical, modern, and accessible tool for them, which would allow them to plan and manage their businesses, seize market opportunities, and generate sustainable income.
Ideating
This is how we proposed two main solutions as part of the campaigns that would address the specific issues of each user persona:
Additional actions:
Prototyping
We worked on the MVPs (Minimum Viable Products) through storyboards and wireframes.
We prepared a narrative outline along with illustrated sequences that will serve as a guide when presenting the proposal to the team and for the final creation of the story's artwork. We carefully considered the tastes and interests of the interviewed children, incorporating elements like superheroes and aliens while leaving space for the integration of new ideas.
In general terms, we were developing a Concierge MVP, which would reach its conclusion in this phase, ready to integrate with traditional educational materials intended to be part of classroom sessions. However, taking advantage of favorable time conditions, we took an extra step by creating wireframes exploring alternatives A and B, in addition to developing an interactive prototype for a learning session.
Testing
We read the children's story to a total of 22 children accompanied by their parents in a primary school, where we gathered data about their enjoyment and the impact of the main message. We involved them in refining the story through interviews and hands-on activities. Thanks to their willingness, we transformed the sessions into moments of family integration and creative development.
Results
Storybook
The final title was "Caballita, Jurelito, and the Caballa Mission." We distributed it to more than 100 primary schools in the area, where there is a significant increase in preference and fish consumption among children aged 4 to 10 in the bay. In addition, a lower rate of anemia is observed, previously attributed to the economic, social, and educational difficulties of their families.
+ S/1,000,000 in annual earnings
projected from fish consumption in the province of Sechura.
Income increase of over 50% compared to the past five years.
+ 6000 children overcame anemia
thanks to all the joint efforts made during the education and health campaigns in which we participated during 2022.
E-Learning Platform + Canvas Tool
After making the necessary adjustments to the gamification features, significant results have been achieved through the "Canvas Canvas Methodology, Strengthening Business Skills and Soft Skills" program.
These interactive lessons were available through a web link and a mobile application (APK) shared via WhatsApp and email.
To validate the results and ensure understanding of the classes, each participant was assessed and received a certificate of completion of the program.
In addition, our team conducted complementary sessions with each student, during which they could share their questions and ideas to implement their new knowledge in real situations.
+ 485 people trained
and graduated from the implemented in-person and virtual classroom program.
+ 40 new ventures
Learning and Monitoring
After delivering the educational products, we stayed in touch with the Sechura team to retrieve new findings and learn more details about the project's implementation until its conclusion in December 2022.
Thanks to this continuous monitoring, we were able to corroborate the obtained results and make the complete research available to regional authorities and other organizations interested in using this project as a reference.
For most users in this segment, the in-person educational experience remains more memorable than the digital one. Combining both worlds was the best decision.
Part of the collected information is available to other entities to achieve a sustainable long-term impact, as well as to promote progress in new non-profit social, scientific, or educational causes.
