CUSTOM CHALLENGE; KENYA
PROVEN INTERVENTION TO BE DISTRIBUTED
A proprietary software platform that enables coordinated, micro-contracted local labor to rehabilitate dirt roads.
Learn more about the Custom Challenge and why we only fund ideas that focus on distributing proven poverty interventions.
DISTRIBUTION MODEL INNOVATION
Infrastructure, like roads, have been identified as the largest enabler of economic development. Transportation accounts for 50% of the cost of a product in rural areas. Mobilized Construction has developed a proprietary software to complement existing road repair processes to build ease of use for local project planners. Data-collectors and civil engineers currently document road conditions by hand or use expensive vehicles equipped with sensors.
The second part of Mobilized Construction's platform is the Desktop Road Assessment Management tool for transportation planners and program managers to prioritize and assign repair work to manual laborers. Currently managers decide on road repair priorities based on intuition, community requests, or public pressure. This tool will equip individuals with data to make more equitable and inclusive decisions. The system will formalize informal and unskilled labor as well as create jobs for women and youth.
The third part of the platform is the Field Supervisor mobile application for supervisors and field laborers to receive micro road repair contracts. After tracking daily progress and completing repairs, data collectors certified complete by measuring road conditions again and wages to laborers are transferred via mobile payments like M-Pesa.
PILOT AND SCALING GOALS
At the 6 month mark, 30-50 kilometers of road will be repaired
30,000 lives will be impacted by the end of 6 months
100-150 kilometers of road will be repaired by the end of year 1
250,000 lives will be impacted by the end of year 1
FOUNDING TEAM
Kevin Lee - CEO
Gregory Islas - Data Scientist
Jens Egholm - CTO