Loop is a mobile app that connects women in vulnerable situations with secure and flexible economic opportunities in Peru. The initiative was born out of a collaborative project between the domestic work employment agency Nanas & Amas and NGO Emprendedoras del Hogar (Home Entrepreneurs) to help women in precarious working conditions find formal and secure employment and reduce work exploitation. Loop connects Peruvian students and single mothers, as well as Venezuelan migrants, with domestic work opportunities. The members are able to manage their own workload and rates. They receive 75% of the fees paid by employers and the other 25% goes to funding the organization itself. Tech4Good recognized the project for its use of technology to empower women through decent work.

Theory of Change

Providing access to legally secure economic opportunities to women in vulnerable situations contributes to reducing work exploitation and increasing equity in society.

Activities

Loop provides members with training on topics such as household management, biosafety, and environmental care, as well as ensures they are protected with accident insurance. The app makes it easier for women to access flexible work opportunities and gives them the freedom to choose their hours, what type of services they offer and set their hourly rates. Additionally, they receive an above-average income, earning 250% more than the minimum wage in Peru. Loop encourages employers to leave reviews of members to increase their chances of getting more clients. The project aims to foster solidarity by sharing the stories of its members, on the website and social media, prompting employers to empathize with the women’s experiences.

Results

Loop helped over 80 women find fair, secure, and formal employment opportunities in Lima. Of those, 58% are mothers who can work in their free time and take care of their children, 36% are entrepreneurs who finance their ventures with the income they generate through Loop, and 12% are Peruvian students who use Loop to pay for their studies to become professionals. Loop has won the Start Path Empowers contest and the BetterTogether Challenge, organized by USAID, Mastercard and the Inter-American Development Bank, for their efforts to improve women's lives. Loop has become the most recommended and recognized platform of its kind in Peru.