Part of Premise’s mission is to democratize data collection. We want to hear everyone’s voices and to provide everyone with the opportunity to participate in and earn a living through development work.
Premise provides an income-generating opportunity for the over six million people around the world who have downloaded the app and joined our community of data Contributors.
Premise values this community of Contributors and is continuously seeking their feedback and adapting our technology to improve their user experience. As part of this effort, we recently asked over 3,900 Contributors from the developing world to tell us about their experience with Premise.
The future of work looks different.
Informal work is a huge source of economic activity—over 60% of the world’s employed population are in the informal economy—particularly so in low and middle income countries. The growing digital gig economy adds options for informal work. The GIZ initiative, digital.global, reports that approximately 40 million people in low and middle-income countries earn money through gig work and that the figure is growing.
Newly available digital platforms like Premise contribute to employment and income generation by lowering barriers to entry. When asked how Premise has influenced their lives, a quarter of respondents noted that, “Premise has introduced me to the freelance or gig economy”, and 30% of respondents do other gig or freelance work beyond Premise.
Premise becomes a part of the daily lives for our Contributors because it is easy to use and integrate into daily tasks, such as shopping or commuting; 58% of Contributors say that they use the app everyday.
USAID has acknowledged that the nature of work is changing, and has shifted some of its programming to support youth in pursuing microwork opportunities. In fact, the USAID/Honduras Transforming Market Systems project, implemented by ACDI/VOCA, is using Premise as part of its effort to introduce youth to digital microwork opportunities—providing them with an income generating opportunity while simultaneously serving as a monitoring and evaluation tool for program activities.
Premise is more than just a way for people to earn money; it’s also a way to increase financial inclusion in the digital economy. In all, 35% of Contributors say that earning money with Premise is the first time they have earned digital money, and 15% are using Coinbase—a cryptocurrency exchange platform—to cash out their earnings.
How Contributors are using their earnings.
The majority of Contributors use their earnings to pay for regular household expenses for themselves and for their families. However, nearly a quarter of respondents noted that they are saving their Premise earnings for the future — a positive indicator of growing resilience, as savings enable households and communities to better withstand shocks and stresses. Similarly, 29% of Contributors no longer need to borrow money and 21% don’t have to travel to find work anymore thanks to the income generated with Premise.
Beyond the benefit of additional earnings, Premise Contributors frequently say they appreciate that Premise allows them to learn more about their community and other topics. Contributors like the Premise app so much that 67% report having referred their friends and/or family to also become a Contributor.
Overall, our survey demonstrates that Premise has a positive impact on people’s lives, both through the ability to earn extra income, but also giving people the opportunity to make an impact by providing real-time insights and opinions.
Contributor Testimonials
“My parents are proud of me knowing that I can earn a little just by staying at home. All thanks to Premise.”
– Female, 18-25, India
“Earnings help support me through school and help my family stay active and occupied during economic hardships.”
– Male, 26-35, Georgia
“Premise has impacted a lot on my life. Now I can top up my mobile every month and use internet everyday.”
– Male, 18-25, Afghanistan
“Premise has helped me see my community with different eyes and care more.”
– Female, 26-35, Philippines