We did it! The first cohort of participants finished the EnterWASH training – a 10-day intensive training programme on entrepreneurship and innovation in WASH – and pitched their business ideas in front of a critical panel of experts. Reflecting back on the training, it was indeed intense – for both us and the 22 participants. We were fortunate to have a great group of young people with diverse backgrounds, ambitions and interests: WASH fanatics and jewellery makers, pure water sellers and communication graduates – they are all now part of the EnterWASH family.
One of the intended outcomes of EnterWASH is that participants – aged between 18 and 35 – will set up sustainable businesses in WASH. They worked on developing and validating their business idea, by speaking to potential customers and experts and prototyping the product or service. Only the most promising ideas will have the chance to enter the second phase of the programme.
Confidence boosting
Beyond the business side of things, a lot more is happening, much of it in the background, away from our attention. Think of the conversations that participants will have with their family and friends about the programme and their business idea. This is a further outcome that we are aiming for: we want participants to be advocates of WASH and even become change agents in their communities. For this to be possible, participants need to be passionate about the subject while believing in their own abilities, because: if you are not certain about your own convictions and expertise, would you take the step to share it with others?
If you have learned a lot yet are not confident about it, you are less likely to spread the word. On the other hand, if you believe in your abilities, why keep the learning to yourself? This is why – halfway through the training – we asked participants to reflect on what they thought of the programme thus far, receiving responses such as: “I got so many new ideas which I will share with others, “I didn’t realise I had this entrepreneurial spirit in me”, It has given me confidence and empowered me to do”, “I am excited to put the learning into practice” and “it feels secure that we are all in this together!”
Expecting success
The expectation that we have about our abilities to perform well is called self-efficacy. The theory behind this was developed by Albert Bandura. Seeking to explain why some people act more than others, he found that the strength of self-efficacy differs greatly between people. When people’s self-efficacy is high, they are more likely to put their abilities into action, while those with a low self-efficacy may not even try. Interestingly, it is not about whether the person can or cannot do it, but rather it’s the belief that matters most.
So, yes we all want to have high self-efficacy beliefs. But…how to get there? You can achieve this through learning from others and receiving positive encouragement (“you can do it!”). Direct experiences, however – when positive and successful – are the most powerful. For this, practice and constructive feedback are key. We have encouraged participants to put their learning into practice and iterate – to see what others are doing and pivot where needed. We want them to believe in their ability to set up a business in WASH. What if you have doubts? Fake it ‘til you become it.
startWASHingup 