SEJA
International impact assessment to leverage social impact in Rio de Janeiro and London
Founded in Brazil, with affiliates in the US and UK, SEJA is a social purpose brand that collaborates with and develops local leaders with youth-focused social initiatives. Helping to strengthen and develop these leaders and organizations by providing financial support, professional development, education, events and outreach programs. These tools grow their projects and the leaders themselves, providing a positive cultural alternative to the often violent lifestyles of marginalized communities.
How we helped
The non-profit civil society organization (CSO) SEJA turned to We.Flow to evaluate and measure the impact generated by their 3 major programs, which unfold into a series of other specific projects. SEJA works with three specific impact pillars: Professional Development, Financial Support, and Cultural Outreach.
- Professional Development: SEJA’s professional development program is rooted in the needs of the communities where they operate. The program provides customized/professional training for local SEJA leaders, helping them develop as professionals, people, and preparing them for success in the nonprofit marketplace.
- Financial Support: Supporting grassroots community leaders financially has been and continues to be an essential part of SEJA’s bottom line. Through monthly donations, SEJA provides a foundation for the local leader to build upon; while also providing stability and sustainability to the project.
- Cultural Outreach: Through physical and digital community events and programs, SEJA helps youth build an identity and show the true power of culture and its value
Currently, SEJA’s impact spans three cities (Rio de Janeiro, Natal/Brazil and London).
With this, we had a big challenge: how to understand the impact generated by the organization as a whole, having several different initiatives and locations?
In this context, we applied We.Flow’s authorial methodology for impact evaluation (more information in this link) and carried out the following deliverables:
- Conducting team training workshops for impact assessment;
- Review of the impact narrative, problem tree, and solutions;
- Co-construction of the Theory of Change and Logical Framework of the programs;
- Development of a measurement and analysis plan;
- Creation of templates for data collection;
- Development of Impact Evaluation Report templates in Portuguese and English.
Main results:
SEJA works with over 50 local leaders, supporting 16 local grassroots projects, providing 100 hours of support, and most importantly, consistently impacting 1,250 youth and children per week. The current local leaders are offering diverse activities for youth and children in the favela, from tennis and soccer, to surfing, urban dance, and ballet.
