ISSP [2015] : Conducting market research for social enterprise to address teenage pregnancy

Adolescent pregnancy leads to many other social problems that can negatively affect an entire country. In Thailand, the adolescent pregnancy rate has been rapidly increasing each year. In order to address this problem, Population Service International (PSI) Thailand foundation came up with a new, innovative concept of a social enterprise that can help address teenage pregnancy called PowerGirls. PowerGirls is a club where teenage girls can join activities of interest to them, while gaining reliable sexual knowledge. Moreover, the club also aims to be financial sustainable by selling teenage friendly products and contraceptives in the same way as Amway and Giffarine (direct sales). The aim of this project was to strengthen and refine the PowerGirls concept by conducting market research with their target audience, teenage girls in Bangkok. Representative parents and teenage girls fromdifferent economic statuses and age group from different places around Bangkok were interviewed about their daily life, interests, concerns and theirviews towards the PowerGirls concept. The overall results indicate that to be financial sustainable the club should find other ways to sell products instead of direct sales and focus on selling hygiene and skin care products. For activities, the club should arrange entertainment related and sport activities. However, PowerGirls seems not to work well in Bangkok, therefore the team recommends PSI to cooperate with school in arranging activities at school instead.

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