Oorja Impact Performance Snapshot
We conducted an impact assessment to gain an in-depth understanding of jobholders who work with Oorja, their profiles, the outcomes they experience, how satisfied they are, and how impact and business performance can be improved.
Oorja provides irrigation, milling, and cooling services to smallholder farmers. They deliver these services through ‘operators’ who are hired from the local communities and trained by Oorja to provide these services. Oorja has created 34 such jobs in last-mile rural communities so far.
The assessment, supported by Upaya Social Ventures, is based on phone interviews with 28 jobholders, in Utter Pradesh and Bihar, in India. These interviews were conducted by 60 Decibels-trained researchers.
75%
93%
41%
Top insights from the report
- 3 in 4 job holders report improvements in their way of doing work, primarily mentioning improved irrigation skills.
57% talk about improved irrigation skills, 33% mention being able to better use equipment, and 19% report improved business communication skills.
2. Over 9 in 10 jobholders report increased confidence. Nearly 6 in 10 ‘strongly agree’ to having the right level of autonomy at work.
93% report increased confidence and 57% strongly agree that they have the level of autonomy that feels right for them since starting working at Oorja.
“I’m getting water to my farm timely, so it helps with proper productivity. This also helps me handle the expenses of the household a little better.”
Male
3. 1 in 2 jobholders ‘strongly agree’ to find their work meaningful, owing to improved financial independence and work-life balance.
48% talk about improved financial independence, 41% report better work-life balance, and 30% mention skills development opportunities.
4. Most jobholders say the way their community views their job has improved. They now earn greater trust and respect.
74% talk about earning greater trust and respect and 19% report being viewed as someone with a worthy income.