Authors: Seun Abimbola, Iyeyinka Kusi-Mensah, and Samuel Sijuade

From L-R: Dr. Joshua Akinyemi (a biostatistician at the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan), Dr. Olusade Taiwo (economist and policy consultant representing Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission, Prof. Olayinka Omigbodun, Principal Investigator of the ARISE&WIN project.

At the heart of the Advancing Resiliency in Self-Employed Young Women in Nigeria (ARISE&WIN) project is a commitment to co-production, which involves collaborating with self-employed women and other stakeholders to co-develop a research project aimed at finding out how the COVID-19 pandemic and other significant disruptive life events have affected the work and wellbeing of self-employed young women and co-producing solutions to improve their resilience and wellbeing. This research project is being run by a team of researchers from the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan led by Prof. Olayinka Omigbodun in collaboration with Douglas Hospital Research Centre where the Co-Principal Investigator, Srividya Iyer, is based.

On March 1st, 2023, ARISE&WIN held a workshop to co-produce the sampling strategy for the qualitative situational analysis aspect of the project. The qualitative situational analysis of the ARISE&WIN project involves conducting semi-structured interviews with self-employed young women and men to carry out a gendered situational analysis of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and other significant disruptive life events on these workers. It also entails conducting focus group discussions with self-employed young women, members of the support network of self-employed young women, and semi-structured interviews with policymakers to get their opinions and ideas on what interventions would be most suitable to improve the resilience of self-employed young women against significant disruptive life events.  The sampling strategy workshop brought together key stakeholders including researchers, self-employed young women and policymakers who gathered at the Provost Conference Room, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. The Principal Investigator of the ARISE&WIN project, Professor Olayinka Omigbodun FAS, chaired the meeting. In her remarks, she emphasized the need for collaboration and co-production with self-employed women for the success of the ARISE&WIN project.

The workshop included presentations from a biostatistician, an economist and policy consultant, a self-employed young woman, a policymaker from the Oyo State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Inclusion as well as a sociologist. Dr. Joshua Akinyemi, a biostatistician at the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, gave an overview of various sampling methods that the research team could choose from for the ARISE&WIN project. Dr. Taiwo, an economist and policy consultant representing the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission, gave a talk on the different types of businesses and industry sectors in Nigeria and discussed the ownership structures of self-employed businesses.

Ms. Aderayo Animasahun, creative director of DE’RAYO, shared her personal journey giving insight into the experiences of self-employed young women. She also spoke about the various kinds of businesses run by self-employed young women in Ibadan. Mrs. Gbadesire and Mrs. Akinpelu, decision-makers from the Oyo State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, spoke about ways that the ARISE&WIN team could reach the target population of self-employed young women such as through their associations and discussed how the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Inclusion could facilitate this process. Also, Mrs. Iyeyinka Kusi-Mensah, a sociologist and the lead post-doctoral fellow on the ARISE&WIN project, presented on the socio-demographic breakdown of the population of self-employed young workers in Ibadan based on findings from her doctoral research.

From L-R: Ms. Aderayo Animasahun (a self-employed woman), Dr. Joshua Akinyemi.

Mrs. Tomisin Owoade, another self-employed young women consultant on the ARISE&WIN project also shared her insights and experiences. Then, there was an open discussion on how the ARISE&WIN team should proceed with sampling for the qualitative situational analysis aspect of the project based on the information that had been shared.

The discussion ended with a renewed sense of purpose and commitment to the ARISE&WIN project’s goals, with the team looking forward to leveraging its expertise and partnerships to make a meaningful impact in the lives of self-employed women in Nigeria and contribute to the country’s economic growth.

From L-R: Mrs. Akinpelu, Mrs. Gbadesire (decision-makers representing the Oyo State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Inclusion), Mrs. Bukola Adeoye (research associate on the ARISE&WIN project), Ms. Feyi Taiwo (self-employed woman), Dr. Opeyemi Ajibola (post-doctoral fellow on the ARISE&WIN project).