These international assignments as part of the ICMIF 5-5-5 Mutual Microinsurance Strategy provide a very unique learning opportunity for employees who will be asked to apply their existing knowledge and skills to the challenge of reaching large numbers of low-income people with affordable insurance protection for the first time ever. As well as imparting their own knowledge and specialist skills to help the local project all participants so far report that the experience of working with the local project has benefitted them greatly in the day-to-day job back at their own organisation.

Technical Assistance as part of the Kenyan 5-5-5 project

Ellie Anderson from Thrivent (USA) shares her experience of a three-month Technical Assistance assignment to project partner CIC Insurance Group (Kenya), for CIC’s project under the 5-5-5.

ICMIF has partnered with CIC for the country intervention programme in Kenya, which officially launched in September 2018. Through the 5-5-5, CIC aims to provide an additional 250,000 previously uninsured, low-income dairy farmers with livestock microinsurance over the next five years (which is equal to 500,000 new cows insured).

Huge potential exists in Kenya for mutual microinsurance to provide protection to a significantly underserved population: 33% of the population lives on income of less than USD 2 per day; 32% of total Kenya GDP is contributed by agriculture; 40% of the population are employed in the agriculture sector; 85% of all dairy farmers are livelihood or small scale farmers; and there is only 2.8% insurance penetration as of 2018.

CIC Group and partners have launched a livestock microinsurance product with the aim to insure 250,000 farmers by 2023. The new product is uniquely designed to address key barriers to farmer uptake and scalability. By offering it at a lower price, they have now expanded the underwriting requirements, and more risks are covered. They have also enhanced their distribution through cooperatives, community extension officers, and a dedicated sales team. Livelihood training is also now available, including veterinary care programs and financial literacy. They have also achieved some process improvements for more seamless, fast, and simpler farmer experience. All of these initiatives are now resulting in slow, but promising, business growth and positive social impact.

Dairy livestock projects are actively targeting five UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); no poverty; good health and wellbeing; gender equality; education; and climate action.

The 5-5-5 collaboration drives lasting mutual benefit for both host company and member partner organisations. “The project has lifted the profile of the staff involved in building their technical knowledge in project management, business planning and strategy development” commented a CIC team member. “Knowledge and tools gained from the project have been used in several lines of business for the organization.” according to a Thrivent team member.