6.2

Mission

L-IFT uses a unique technology-led diaries research methodology to bring data empowerment to low-income communities which facilitates evidence-based policy design and service delivery. Read about the origins of our mission >

Vision

A world where disadvantaged communities build and benefit from data about their financial, social and work lives.

Strategic direction

L-IFT is a for-profit social business. The company specializes in a diaries research methodology that can be applied to a range of purposes, such as impact measurement, product development, customer satisfaction gauging, and programme design. L-IFT is primarily focused on financial inclusion, digital finance and strengthening the financial sector of the countries where it works. L-IFT also has expertise and is building data in the fields of energy, livelihoods, youth, entrepreneurship, SME development and the intersection of health and financial management.

Goals 

  • To enable un(der)privileged people and businesses to report and communicate their financial and economic lives through the FINBIT application to private and public agencies, thereby increasing understanding of their own situation. FINBIT will ‘data-empower’ its users, enabling them to demonstrate their credit worthiness to financial service providers, their job experience and skills to employers and their bottle-necks and barriers to government agencies and NGOs
  • To work with stakeholders of age, gender and multi-continental diversity to promote appropriate research that builds evidence-based policies and practice in 20 low-income countries
  • To use evidence to demonstrate the complexities facing low-income communities and raise awareness of this reality to stakeholders, communicating solutions less privileged want prioritized.
  • To improve the company’s innovative technology system (FINBIT) to give insights into the misunderstood dynamics of people’s financial and economic lives, adapting it to different user groups and circumstances.
  • To be the leading 21st century research firm using intuitive, accessible digital technology that supports people of all levels of education.
  • To improve the ability to transform research into action by supporting individuals and organisations dynamically and efficiently use data to generate deep progressive insights.
  • To be a positive force that enables data vulnerable people and organisations stand up against the negative effects of data, algorithms and reduces the risks of data misrepresenting these people.

Mottos

  • Listening to the unheard
  • A data empowered community
  • We don’t take no for an answer
  • Putting the last first
  • For every answer we find and pursue ten new questions
  • Relentless
  • Better unloved than giving up

Key concepts

  • Value for money
  • Those who contribute to the process benefit from the process
  • Open-source data as a utility service
  • Continuously building evidence
  • Helping communities learn from data

  • Training youth to be customer centric
  • Building skills for serving low-income people
  • Young, local people get work-experience
  • Respondents building self-awareness and confidence