Unique Subscriber Penetration Rate

Based on statistics drawn from Worldometer and Statista, in 2019 South Africa had a population of 58.56 million and 101.9 million mobile subscribers spread across five main mobile network operators. Using these two numbers, the unique subscriber penetration rate comes out to 170%, meaning that there were more mobile subscriptions than people living in South Africa in 2019; however, this rate can be deceiving. In actuality, people may have a few mobile subscriptions across the various networks and this can artificially inflate the penetration rate. The reason why people have multiple subscriptions varies on a case-by-case basis but can be due to attempts to save money and connectivity issues. A recent GeoPoll Application study confirmed this, finding that over 40% of South African respondents reported using multiple SIM cards.

Mobile Access Penetration in South Africa

Mobile access penetration is defined as the number of unique individuals who have regular access to a mobile phone, even if they do not personally own one, as a percent of the population. A study conducted by Pew Research Center identified that 8% of South African adults do not own a phone themselves but share a phone with someone else, while only 5% of South African adults do not own a phone or share a phone. These statistics show that mobile access penetration in South Africa as of 2018 was 95%.

The group of respondents in the study that do not own or use a mobile phone were also asked about if they would want a mobile phone in the future and 65% indicated that they would. This leads us to investigate some barriers to mobile phone ownership and access in South Africa.

Barriers to Mobile Phone Access and Usage in South Africa

Out of the 5% of South Africans that do not own a phone and do not share a phone, 65% indicated that they would like to get a phone in the future. Some of the key reasons that this population indicated as deterrents for phone use were: “worries about theft” (52%), “device cost” (49%), “devices too complicated” (46%), and lack of sufficient literacy for mobile phone use (29%).

Eight percent of Africans who do not own phones of their own but use phones by sharing with a friend or family member reported financial limitations, fear of device theft, and a lack of reliable connectivity as the top reasons for sharing phones rather than owning their own devices.

Phone owners in South Africa reported similar financial and connectivity issues as phone sharers during the same study. Specifically, phone owners indicated that they avoid using their mobile phones due to high data costs: 28% indicated that this happens frequently while 22% indicated it happens occasionally. Data costs in South Africa are notoriously high when compared to other emerging markets, with one report finding that South African data costs are about six times as high as in other emerging economies. Additionally, 19% of the same respondents indicated that they have trouble getting a reliable mobile connection frequently and 25% reported connectivity issues occasionally.

GeoPoll’s Mobile Research in South Africa

GeoPoll’s robust database of survey respondents in South Africa is used to conduct research projects via mobile phones. Our direct connection with mobile network operators in South Africa not only allows us to send mobile-based surveys that are free for respondents to participate, but also immediately provide respondents with the earned incentive the moment a questionnaire is completed. We run surveys in South Africa via SMS, voice calls (CATI or IVR), in-person (CAPI), mobile web, mobile application, and mobile-based focus groups. To learn more about our research capabilities in South Africa and beyond, contact us today.

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Research Panel vs. Sample

The terms “research panel” and “sample” may seem like they are used interchangeably, but, in fact, the two are different in both what they are and how they are used.

Market Research Panels

In the most general sense, panels refer to groups of pre-recruited respondents that have consented to taking surveys; however, the word “panel” can refer to both large, general market research panels recruited by a research company to take any study, and more specific panels who take studies on a specific topic or even the same study over time. For example, a research organization may have a panel based on a specific location or interest—like a USA panel or a panel of farmers. Each panelist on this type of panel consents to be contacted by the research organization if they are selected to participate in a future research project and typically provides the organization with their demographic information. Researchers then select respondents to participate in research projects as they arise based on the demographic needs of each particular project. This type of panel keeps recruitment costs and turnaround time low for individual projects. Market research firms typically have access to these panels, and they are often used by organizations who do not have access to their own respondents to take research studies.

The other use of the word panel refers to strategically selected groups of people who have agreed to participate in a series of surveys that occur at regular intervals over a given period of time. This type of panel is often used for gathering longitudinal data on a particular topic that all participants have some sort of connection to. Sometimes, questionnaires are even identical for each survey in the series that a research panel participates in, which allows for insights to be drawn based on changes in responses to the same questions, by the same respondents, over the course of the survey series.

As an example of this type of panel, an organization focused on providing aid to people living without adequate access to food may create a research panel with the goal of tracking their organization’s success at getting food into the mouths of low-income earners in Darfur. The respondents on the panel would be recruited based on the qualifications of: income below a pre-determined threshold and must live in Darfur. Researchers typically take this one step further when creating a research panel by ensuring that the panel has representation per the demographic distribution of the population in the area—in order to have the panel be representative of the population being studied. Depending on the panel setup and size, each survey may be distributed to the entire panel, or may be distributed to a random selection of respondents in the larger panel. Once there have been two or more surveys distributed in the series, the organization can begin to compare and contrast the resulting data and draw insights on how their food security projects are performing, which is why utilizing a research panel methodology is desirable.

Research Sample

The word sample refers to the specific group who responded to a study. Every single research project has a sample, whether the sample was sourced from a larger panel, or the sample was recruited specifically for the project at hand. Even studies that are conducted over time with the same set of respondents have a sample. The word sample simply refers to the people who participated in a single study, so in survey series’ each individual survey’s participants would be called the sample—even if the samples are the same for each survey in the series.

Pros and Cons of Research Panels

A research panel methodology provides more benefits than just tracking changes over time. For example, research panels often result in high response rates and cheaper recruitment costs overall due to the fact that the respondents opt-in to participate in surveys before beginning the survey series. These benefits, however, come with some risk. Depending on the length and/or complexity of the questionnaire, as well as how frequently the respondents are expected to participate, respondents may become fatigued with the work involved in participation in the long-term. Panels often need to be refreshed so that new respondents are brought in to replace those who no longer wish to participate.

To maintain strong panel retention and high response rates, it is best to weigh the opinions of research experts on how to best balance questionnaire length, frequency of survey participation, and incentives provided to respondents based on the mode of research. Researchers that conduct panel surveys often have learned through years of trial and error how to best engage various populations, which can ensure a project makes the most of the allotted budget.

GeoPoll’s Panels and Capabilities

GeoPoll is a research company focused on utilizing mobile telecommunications technology to reach people in areas of sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Our expertise in rural and remote areas of the world lend tremendous resources to humanitarian aid organizations and expanding corporate enterprises alike. We use several sampling methodologies, and can create new panels for ongoing research or recruit respondents for one-time studies from our own database of respondents who are pre-stratified by demographics. To learn more about how GeoPoll can help your team accomplish research goals, contact us today.

The post What are Research Panels? appeared first on GeoPoll.

In March, GeoPoll ran a comprehensive study on consumer behavior and purchasing decisions in Kenya’s FMCG space. As this study occurred before the pandemic spread widely, we decided to utilize that data for a comparison study of the FMCG space and how it has changed during COVID-19. So, we ran the same questionnaire again and analyzed the differences in reported purchase decisions. This report will outline what was found, like an increased influence placed on the quality of disinfectants and more people making purchases based on convenience.

Methodology

This report will compare results from two rounds of survey research that were conducted in Kenya. Both the first round and second round of the study were conducted via mobile web and the questionnaires were identical. Round one of the studies ran from March 10^th to March 16^th, meaning the results reflect purchasing behavior before COVID-19 related stay at home guidelines were enacted by the Government of Kenya. As such, the results from round one will serve as a baseline for purchasing decisions on FMCG products in Kenya before the coronavirus pandemic. The second round ran from October 3^rd through October 6^th and the results from this round will reflect the changes in purchasing behavior of FMCG products due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Both round one and two had 400 respondents located in the following urban centers throughout Kenya: Mombasa, Nairobi, Nakuru, Nyeri, Kiambu, Kisumu, Machakos, Meru, Uasin Gishu, Bungoma, Homa Bay, Kilifi, Vihiga. The gender split was 50% male and 50% female in the first round and 51% male and 49% female in the second round. There were 33% of respondents in each of the following age groups for the first round, 18-24, 25-34, 35+. In the second round, 18% of respondents were 18-24, 42% of respondents were 25-34, and 31% of respondents were over 35.

Most Frequently Purchased FMCG Products in Kenya

Both of the questionnaires began with a list of over 30 FMCG products that fall into seven categories: dental hygiene, soap, hair care, cleaning, beauty, food, and beverages. Respondents were asked to indicate whether or not they had purchased each of the items listed within the past 30 days. The table included above shows the top 10 most purchased items from each of the studies.

The top two most purchased items were toothpaste and bread in both rounds of the study and the percentages did not fluctuate more than 2% each. Although the percentage of respondents that purchased laundry soap within the 30 days preceding the survey remained the same, laundry soap dipped from 3^rd place to 5^th place from pre- to post-COVID. Converse ranking changes occurred for meat purchases from the first to the second round, although meat purchases were made 9% more in the post-COVID round than in the pre-COVID round. Also notable is the increased purchases of grains and beans, which replaced toothbrushes on the top 10 list.

Factors Influencing Purchase Decisions of FMCG Products in Kenya

In past studies on Kenyan consumer behavior, it has been found that consumers are price-aware and brand loyal, yet tend to justify paying higher prices in exchange for quality products. The data collected in both rounds of these studies generally reflect such findings.

Overall, the results of the studies showed that quality was by far the key driver of FMCG purchases. In every product category other than beverages, quality influenced purchases at least 20% more than any other factor in both rounds. When comparing the studies against one another, there was even a slight increase in the role that quality played in the purchases reported in round two, which indicates that quality plays an even more important role in FMCG purchasing decisions in a post-COVID era than the pre-COVID era.

Considering the charts above, the most important factors that influenced purchasing decisions from round one to round two were minimal; however, when the results are looked at by item individually rather than by category, there are some interesting insights about how COVID has changed consumer’s buying behavior.

Within the cleaning category, disinfectant cleaner and floor cleaner had somewhat opposite changes from before the pandemic to after the pandemic. Disinfectant cleaner purchases were driven 5% more by quality after the pandemic than before, while floor cleaner purchases were driven 2% less by quality, 5% less by brand, and 10% more by price. These changes are likely due to the pandemic and consumer’s general concern about killing the coronavirus.

Although the differences were rather small, similar differences in key influences of purchasing decisions before verses after the pandemic began were seen for other products as well. For example, the influence of price increased for non-essential FMCG items, like window cleaner, hair oils, and mouthwash, while the influence of quality increased for health-related items like produce, meat, and disinfectant cleaner. Interestingly, the influence of quality did not increase for one of the most essential items during the COVID pandemic: hand soap. The largest change seen for hand soap was an increase in the influence convenience had on purchases, which is likely due to consumers needing to purchase more frequently than usual due to diligent hand washing practices for virus prevention.

Key Takeaways: GeoPoll Research Solutions for the FMCG Space in Kenya

GeoPoll’s mobile research solutions are a flexible resource for gathering insights on consumer behavior. Data-driven decision making is crucial when adapting to a rapidly changing market, like the market during the ever-evolving coronavirus pandemic. For more information on how GeoPoll can gather valuable data for your team, contact us today.

The post Drivers of FMCG Purchase Decisions in Kenya Before and During COVID-19 appeared first on GeoPoll.

Shannon McCrocklin: Tell me about your background before you came to GeoPoll – what space did you work in?

John Paul Murunga: I am a statistician by training and on top of that an Accredited marketing professional from the Chartered Institute of Marketing in the UK. Before I came to GeoPoll I was working as a marketing research consultant with a focus on commercial or consumer research. Prior to GeoPoll, I worked with Synovate and then Ipsos, and earlier I was with Nielsen. Hence, I am a research industry person out-and-out.

SM: What drew you to GeoPoll and how long have you been with the team?

JPM: I have been with GeoPoll for 4 and a half years, it’s funny how time flies! What first drew me to GeoPoll was seeing how much research was evolving and wanting to be part of the next generation in research. Back then, people would not consider SMS as a method of doing surveys, and online/remote research modes were frowned upon.

Presently we live in a world that is moving so fast, we cannot afford to wait for months to receive information that should inform decision making. Can you imagine waiting for 2 months to identify what your target consumers think about your product offering? We have seen for instance from the COVID-19 pandemic how a week can alter the world as we know it. Research solutions must be timely and be specific to remain useful.

SM: Can you briefly describe your role now?

JPM: Currently, I am the Regional Director for the Eastern Africa region. I oversee a team of dynamic, highly skilled, and motivated professionals whose mission is to support clients across the region with information to inform their decision-making. We work with customers across various sectors, including large multi-nationals, local organizations, and small and medium-sized enterprises. Because our solutions are varied, we are well-positioned to support a diverse range of clients.

SM: What do you most enjoy about working for GeoPoll? 

JPM: I cherish many things about working with GeoPoll – GeoPoll epitomizes what research in the information age looks like. When research is paired with technology, I think that is where the magic happens! This axis constantly inspires me: Quality research-delivered on the back of technology, delivered with speed, at a fraction of what traditional research would cost making it more affordable.

SM: What has surprised you about GeoPoll and the projects we work on?  

JPM: Many things, but early on it was how suddenly, working with the same clients, we were able to be efficient in study design, especially from a questionnaire length perspective. For clients who traditionally would have 40-50-page questionnaires asking all sorts of things, we were able to conduct studies for them with 10-30 very definite questions tailored to specific objectives.

The speed of how projects can be turned around was mind-blowing at the start, but now I am used to it. Can you imagine doing a survey of n=3,000 nationally in 2-3 days, and delivering the results displayed on an online dashboard immediately once data collection is closed? This is work that would take weeks or months in other settings. In face-to-face research, interviewers would still be on the ground, with clients worrying about if an interviewer in fact went to the field. Meanwhile, GeoPoll would have reported the results, and the client made informed decisions for their businesses and moved on to other pressing issues.

SM: What are you excited about in terms of where GeoPoll will go in the future?  

JPM: I think the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the need to infuse technology in research. GeoPoll is at the center of this and we are already pioneering many efficient, forward-looking research solutions for customers across multiple geographies. We will continue developing these as we go into the future as this is the direction the world is taking.

SM: Do you have a favorite project or experience at GeoPoll you’d like to share?

JPM: I have always given this as an example of how best research studies can be executed in today’s world. The project was looking to reach farmers in the Kandahar region of Afghanistan. The end client was in the US; the agency implementing the client’s intervention was in Afghanistan, and I was the project lead was based in Nairobi. We conducted 1,000 successful IVR interviews in the local languages (Pashto and Dari) remotely from our Nairobi operations Hub. This done within 2 weeks, and the client had their study results and went ahead to implement the recommendations from the research.

SM: What’s a fact about yourself that people may not know right away?  

JPM: I love farming and am a smallholder crops farmer. I like giving back to society whenever I can and work with various charity organizations. I am always keen on being outdoors and visiting new places, and this year was planning to do the famous Cairo to Cape route by road joining from Kenya but was hampered by COVID-19. We will be back in 2021 inshallah!

SM: What does it take to succeed in your line of work? 

JPM: There are no excuses, and one must put in the grind – hard work and consistency are key. You also must be widely read and have a flexible mindset, as we work with clients across multiple industries. As a market research consultant, having knowledge of various industries is vital, or else you are not going to have proper engagements. Finally and most important is nurturing human relationships. We are in a people business, and humans require authentic interactions. We must be understanding, communicate effectively, and be empathetic in how we undertake our work.

The post GeoPoll’s John Paul Murunga on the Evolution of the Market Research Industry appeared first on GeoPoll.

A micro-loan is often life-changing for financially excluded people because many use the loan to build small businesses that become their source of income. If it wasn’t for Microfinance Institutions (MFIs), the opportunity to start a small business would be otherwise impossible for the financially excluded. However, interest rates on micro-loans are high, and it can be quite challenging for the indebted to repay their loans. On the other hand, MFIs are reliant on the high-interest rates of the micro-loans they provide and need steady payments to cover their costs.

The coronavirus pandemic has put significant strain on MFIs and may even cause many to close completely, which would re-erect the barriers to financial inclusion for vulnerable groups that MFIs have been working toward dismantling. This post will explain the challenges currently being faced in the microfinance sector and present forecasts for the future from experts.

Coronavirus’ Impact on Microfinance Institutions

In response to the financial toll the coronavirus pandemic has had, and will have, on vulnerable populations, some governments and many MFIs have imposed moratoriums on loan repayments to provide protections to the people. Although a pause on loan

payments is an important protection for those indebted, many MFIs are struggling financially as a result. With payments paused, MFIs are stuck covering their operational costs throughout months without any income, which has been seen as disastrous by many experts in the space.

The outlook seemed especially grave earlier in 2020, when many experts warned that “a slip in repayment rates from just 95 percent to 85 percent would render many MFIs insolvent in less than a year…” Since then, the outlook has lightened a bit, although danger is still forecasted. A study conducted by CGAP later in 2020 showed that MFI portfolios are showing signs of trouble, yet capitalization is providing a buffer to the demise of MFIs, which is a good sign for the financial inclusion sector.

Microfinance and Coronavirus: Impact on Financial Inclusion

GeoPoll conducted a study on the Financial Impact of Coronavirus in Sub-Saharan Africa from June-July of 2020. The nationally representative data collected represents the populations of Côte D’Ivoire, Kenya, Nigeria, Mozambique, and South Africa. The results from this study showed: concern regarding paying expenses was high for all respondents; the negative financial effects of the pandemic were felt hardest for informal workers and those earning lower incomes; nearly half of respondents had taken out a loan specifically to cover coronavirus-related expenses; and 68% of loans that were taken out were for less than $500 USD. Each of these findings support the moratoriums imposed in many countries on loan payments, yet they also underscore just how essential access to credit is in low- to middle-income countries.

In these tough economic times, many low- to middle-income countries do not have the resources to provide financial safety nets to all of their people—especially when many of the people who need the assistance most are financially excluded. In this context, Microfinance Institutions are more necessary than ever to provide assistance to those that lack access to other sources of credit for survival. Despite micro-loans being difficult to repay for the people MFIs serve, countless lives will be put at even higher risk amidst the pandemic if MFIs are not protected. For this reason, a new coalition has been formed to bring awareness to the importance that MFIs survive this delicate time. The coalition serves as a call to investors in a request for help in building up liquidity that is essential for MFIs to continue helping the financially excluded.

As the pandemic continues and the financial situation for Microfinance Institutions develops further, the need for research will present itself again and again. At GeoPoll conducting research on topics related to financial inclusion and development is our specialty. We are known for our unique ability to reach respondents that are hard to reach through traditional research methods—like people with low incomes and people that live in rural or remote areas of the world. GeoPoll’s mobile-based research platform allows us to remotely conduct research projects with a rigorous methodology, quickly and effectively. For more information on how we can help you reach your research goals contact us today.

The post The Precarious Position of Microfinance During COVID-19 appeared first on GeoPoll.

mPharma – A mHealth tool for Africans

mPharma is a startup electronic pharmaceutical platform developed for African countries that is available on desktop and mobile. Healthcare providers, pharmacies, and insurance companies use the mPharma platform to source prescription drugs at a more reasonable cost than any other drug sources, and no payments are required up-front. This model is aimed to alleviate financial barriers that are inhibiting Africans from accessing life-saving healthcare treatments.

mPharma also has a free mobile application for healthcare-seeking patients. This app, which is called Mutti, allows patients to pay for medications using mobile money, with only a small amount of money required upfront. The rest of the cost can be paid back incrementally on a flexible timeline.

In a time when medical resources are limited due to a pandemic, mPharma’s platform for healthcare providers and patients is incredibly important. Accessibility of medication for the treatment of non-coronavirus related health issues is integral to keeping valuable space available in hospitals for patients that need emergency care.

Well Beyond – An educational mobile app for Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene

Well Beyond, short for “well beyond water”, is a free mobile application that emerged as an educational tool in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The mobile application provides people living in with practical knowledge and hygiene recommendations for staying protected from the coronavirus. The app is unique because the hygiene recommendations are specifically designed for people with minimal resources available and the app’s content explains how to use available resources as effectively as possible.

To reach people that don’t own smartphones, Well Beyond partners with NGOs. These partnerships allow Well Beyond to train the NGO staff on-the-ground in vulnerable communities on how to best educate residents on how to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The trainings are optimized for the specific region the NGO staff are working in and take into consideration what resources residents have access to, which informs action plans the NGO staff can recommend to the vulnerable communities.

Contact Tracing Apps—Go.Data by the World Health Organization

The World Health Organization worked with the Global Outbreak Response Network, as well as other partners, to develop a mobile application called Go.Data. Although a contact tracing app, Go.Data is not the same Bluetooth-to-Bluetooth tracker that is popular in advanced economies. The Go.Data app actually facilities public health workers, called Contact Tracers, who battle the spread of highly infectious viruses on-the-ground in outbreak hot spots.

Contact Tracers in this context work in LMICs going door-to-door screening for symptoms, collecting data, and tracking down anyone who may have been exposed in order to curb the spread. Until Go.Data, Contact Tracers used pen and paper for every aspect of the job, which was time-consuming. Go.Data speeds up the process significantly, which is of paramount importance during outbreaks of highly contagious diseases.

The app has already proven quite effective. Go.Data was released in September of 2019 and was used in managing the Ebola outbreak in the DRC and has been used successfully in the Maldives combatting the spread of Coronavirus.

GeoPoll’s Mobile Research Platform

GeoPoll’s  mobile research platform is also fighting against coronavirus in emerging markets. Our unique survey research methodology utilizes mobile phones for remote data collection, which is the quickest and safest way for development and humanitarian aid organizations to conduct research during this crisis. Since the pandemic began, our platform has conducted 2,409,077  interviews across 88 countries and the resulting data has informed countless decisions. To learn more about how GeoPoll’s data collection platform can be a resource for your organization, contact us today.

The post Mobile Technologies Aiding in the Fight Against COVID-19 in Emerging Markets appeared first on GeoPoll.

Can you give our readers a bit of an explanation about you and your background?

Yes, of course. So, my background is in research and global health — that is what I studied in school. Since grad school, I have been focused on the monitoring aspect in the monitoring and evaluation world — specifically for projects in Southern and Eastern Africa. Overall though, I am passionate about leveraging mobile technologies for rigorous data collection in low- and middle-income countries, and about reaching people, and reaching them quickly, that we may otherwise not reach in door-to-door surveys.

As someone that has been involved in mHealth for years now, how would you define mHealth as a term?

The way I think about mHealth is really about leveraging mobile technologies to improve health and increase health-seeking behaviors. mHealth is really just where mobile technology and global health intersect. mHealth efforts may include data collection for monitoring or research purpose, but also, for example, the development of mobile applications for healthcare providers that guide patient care. I’ve worked extensively with both mobile data collection, but also mobile tools that help frontline workers deliver care. mHealth is a big world and many initiatives or programs that take advantage of mobile technology would also fall into the mHealth category in my eyes.

So, considering your definition of mHealth, how do you see mHealth’s role in supporting the response to the COVID-19 pandemic?

Good question. So, the coronavirus pandemic is a great example of why mobile research methods are a powerful tool for development and crisis management. As the pandemic has continued over the past six months there have been countless issues in which mobile research could have been, and was, used to aid in the response. Back in March and April, for example, misinformation on the virus was prominent; when it was neither feasible nor safe to send enumerators door to door, mobile research was used to investigate questions like, what are people hearing about COVID-19? What do people believe is the best way to keep themselves safe during the pandemic? Do people need more education before they will quarantine? Are people quarantining enough now? Etc.

It is essential for program managers handling crisis response to have actionable data that can answer these types of questions for them to course-correct their approaches and implement the most effective initiatives possible. Managers need data to inform decision making.

I absolutely agree. GeoPoll actually collected data in sub-Saharan Africa during that time and we were able to answer similar questions to those you listed. A lot of development professionals used the data we gathered to inform their initiatives actually! We released it for free on our website and the Humanitarian Data Exchange.

Yes, GeoPoll does a great job collecting rigorous data via remote and mobile modes. That is actually how I found out about GeoPoll in the first place. When I was working at Johns Hopkins, my team hired GeoPoll to conduct a mHealth survey for us. I think it was in 2014? It was during an Ebola outbreak in Liberia, but our work with GeoPoll went really smoothly.

I enjoyed working with GeoPoll staff and the data came back cleaned, coded, and ready for analysis in just a few days—which was amazing. Having that data back within a few days was essential for us to be able to guide our colleagues on-the-ground in Liberia on what needed to be adjusted about our approach for providing aid during the crisis.

Wow, I didn’t realize you were once a client of ours! If you don’t mind me asking, what influenced your team’s decision to hire us rather than another research provider?

Well, GeoPoll was the only mobile research provider with rigorous methodology I could find that provided a way a timely way to achieve responses from a sample that was proportionate to the national statistics for age, sex, and location. This meant that GeoPoll could produce a sample that would reflect the mobile-owning population, which is incredibly important for getting an accurate view on what is happening on the ground.

As a researcher, the rigor of methodology is paramount, always, but the speed in which the data could be returned was also important because the Ebola outbreak was a rapidly evolving situation and time was of the essence.

Yes, methodology is very important, but the speed of data output is as well in this line of work. So, would you say your experience as a GeoPoll client influenced your decision to join our team a few months ago?

Yes, it did. I have been interested in GeoPoll since I worked with the team years ago. Mainly because the experience made me believe in GeoPoll’s research process and I knew from personal experience how valuable the research GeoPoll collects is to initiatives throughout the world. When the role I am in now opened, I thought it could be a really great fit – mixing my background in global health, monitoring, and mHealth with GeoPoll’s commitment to quality survey research.

The post mHealth Perspectives from an Expert: Amanda Berman Interview Highlights appeared first on GeoPoll.

Although the spread of diseases, like Ebola, have emphasized the need for the development of long-term global WASH solutions in the past, the coronavirus pandemic has created unprecedented urgency for solutions to be created now. Sometimes though, urgency brings a challenge that can drive the most meaningful innovation. In today’s post, we will highlight a few examples of how the pandemic drove innovative solutions to bring WASH resources to vulnerable populations.

Pedal Operated Handwashing Machines

A 9-year-old boy in Western Kenya was inspired during the coronavirus pandemic to create a simple machine to assist in safe hygiene practices. The machine adapts a simple container-based handwashing station to be foot-pedal operated for dispensing soap and water. The invention allows users to wash their hands without ever touching any of the station’s surfaces with their hands, which allows for the minimal transmission of germs and encourages frequent hand washing.

Thatched Roof Sanitation and Hygiene Huts in Rural Nigeria

An educational program lead by the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) was quickly followed by the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic for Mr. Sesugh Iorkyoor, a man living in rural Nigeria where access to WASH is minimal. Empowered by the education he received from WSSCC, Mr. Iorkyoor decided to build a sanitary latrine for his family to use; then, as the coronavirus spread, he added a hygiene station to the outside of the latrine to protect himself and his family from illnesses. The facility is a single-person, cylindrical structure with a thatch roof and clay walls that house a latrine inside and a handwashing station on the outside. Since Iorkyoor constructed his first sanitation and hygiene hut, he has been able to convince other members of the community to follow suit.

Increasing Access to Handwashing in a Pandemic: Safe Hands Kenya

Safe Hands Kenya (SHK) was created in response to the need to curb the spread of the coronavirus in Kenya. Founded by Dalberg and KOKO Networks, Safe Hands Kenya is made up of over 30 local, private companies and social enterprises that have banded together to disseminate sanitation resources in Kenya.

Participant organizations have paused profit-seeking and shifted focus solely to distributing soap, handwashing stations, and masks at no cost to the consumer. Beyond this, SHK is disinfecting public spaces and educating Kenyans on the importance of each person doing their part to curb the spread of the virus through frequent handwashing and wearing masks. The educational campaign is being promoted through the hashtag #TibaNiSisi, which means “We are the Cure” in Swahili. The campaign is focused on empowering Kenyans to understand that their actions can protect them and their loved ones from COVID-19. The organization has prioritized working first in areas of Kenya with the most vulnerable populations, like the densely populated urban centers comprised of mostly low income, informal workers.

WASH Sector Innovations During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Creating solutions to complex problems under intense pressure, like that of the coronavirus, can be daunting but also can lead to meaningful and long-lasting progress. The important work that we discussed in this post provides just a few examples of how humans around the world are coming together during the coronavirus pandemic to increase access to hygiene resources for vulnerable populations. Additionally, without a timeline on when a vaccine will be available, there is still valuable time left for more innovative solutions to be created.

At GeoPoll, we strongly believe in utilizing our resources and know-how as data collection experts to assist in times of humanitarian crisis. For this reason, we have publicly released results from various studies conducted during the coronavirus crisis to facilitate organizations in their humanitarian work. Our studies include results on handwashing frequency, quarantining behavior, concern surrounding the virus, and even how the crisis has affected finances for people in sub-Saharan Africa. Please contact us if you have any questions about the studies or capabilities for future projects.

The post WASH Innovations in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Sub-Saharan Africa appeared first on GeoPoll.

Now, with the global coronavirus pandemic and oil crisis that are expected to push SSA into a recession, the steps taken to stimulate the region’s economies are even more critical than they were only six months ago. The pressure on sub-Saharan Africa has drastically increased. An area that has focused on growth alone must now face a daunting economic recovery.

To face such a challenge, SSA will need to use the limited resources available as efficiently as possible. This need for efficiency is what has electrification on development experts’ minds as a critical tactic for sub-Saharan Africa to pull itself back up economically. In this post, we will explore why the electrification of SSA is more crucial than ever before.

Unreliable Electricity’s Impact on Sub-Saharan Africa

Despite progress in the electrification of SSA, more than 600 million people are still without electricity, and the available electricity is costly and unreliable. According to Energy for Growth, an organization focused on energy poverty, African companies average being without power for 50 hours per month. Such outages have cost companies as much as 31% in their sales.

The lack of reliability at this capacity increases business costs and creates uncertainty surrounding overhead expenses for business owners; this makes being a business owner less accessible and desirable. In turn, it affects how many jobs business owners can provide. A World Bank report on Africa as a whole claimed that power outages in the continent limited employment opportunities in highly skilled jobs by 35-41% and limited self-employment by 32-47%. Additionally, research has shown that costly and unreliable energy is one of the primary limitations for job creation for almost every country in Africa.

Electrification for Industrialization

Although electrification can create job opportunities that are crucial for economic recovery, this is due primarily to electrification’s role in industrialization. Industrial processes require human labor, but, more importantly, industrial processes require large amounts of energy to function.

Reliable and cost-effective energy for manufacturers would positively impact SSA’s economy because it would allow for increased production volumes, profit margins, and job availability. Additionally, industrialization can bring an increase in self-reliance for economies and present opportunities for international trade—both of which are positive for economic recovery. Beyond this, manufacturing can also help a nation accumulate capital, which can be re-invested back into long-term economic growth tactics.

Electrification for Healthcare

Electrification is necessary to stimulate job creation and capital accumulation for economies in SSA, but without a healthy population of citizens, electrification can only go so far in aiding economic recovery. In order to combat the coronavirus pandemic, healthcare facilities in SSA need electricity. Only about 60% of healthcare facilities in the region have electricity. Out of the minority of facilities with electricity, only 34% of hospitals and 28% of other healthcare facilities have reliable electricity. Even if a vaccine for the virus is just around the corner, healthcare facilities without reliable electricity will not be able to keep vaccines cold—which will mean coronavirus can threaten the lives of populations in SSA until the problem is solved.

Takeaways of Reliable Electricity Access for Economic Recovery

Sub-Saharan Africa faces an upward battle to recover from the economic impact that coronavirus has had on the region. Experts have spoken out on the various tactics SSA could use to grow economically for years now, but the recession has increased the pressure to change quickly. When seeking solutions to economic recovery, the increase in access and reliability of electricity presents multi-prong benefits that make the tactic a potentially powerful use of limited resources.

At GeoPoll, we specialize in remote data collection in areas of the world that are hard to reach through traditional methods. For this reason, we conduct monitoring and evaluation campaigns for a variety of development organizations. Projects like these track progress of development initiatives, like the expansion of electricity access and reliability. To learn more about our research capabilities, contact us today.

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Economic impacts of COVID-19

The economic shocks following the coronavirus pandemic are predicted to disproportionately impact countries with the least robust financial safety nets, which includes the emerging markets found in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and Latin America that rely on global trade as a source of income. These same countries often rely on outside funds to grow, yet risk-averse investors are more likely to assist economies that show stronger potential for a quick return on investment—such as those in established nations. For less-established economies, COVID-19 is likely to bring struggle due to decreased demand for exports and decreasing options for external assistance as all countries around the globe begin to feel the economic impacts of the pandemic.

Microfinance and financial inclusion

In addition to the struggle for many countries to secure loans in the wake of coronavirus, millions of the most vulnerable people in the world struggled to secure loans or other forms of credit before coronavirus for the same reason; banking institutions tend to avoid high-risk, low-reward models which may not pay off in the short term. As such, small loans with high interest rates provided by microfinance institutions, or MFIs, are one of the few options for these vulnerable individuals to obtain credit or access to savings.

MFIs play an integral role in the financial inclusion movement. The money MFIs lend is often used by the otherwise financially excluded to pay for personal expenses or to start a business. Without MFIs there would be even fewer resources for the financially excluded to invest in a small business for long-term income generation, and in turn, social mobility would be even further from accessible.

Financial Inclusion and Coronavirus

The economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic that are anticipated by economists will likely negatively impact the financial situation of people reliant on micro-lending. COVID-19 related restrictions are preventing the most vulnerable populations around the world from earning money and the global economic recession is anticipated to tighten wallets around the world. These impacts of coronavirus will mean more people than ever will need financial assistance, while at the same time those with outstanding micro-loans will find it difficult to repay their debts.

For the MFIs funding small loans, a dip in repayment rates can easily result in their demise. Due to the high-risk and low-reward of microlending to people who cannot always repay debt, MFIs are in a fragile financial state in which they need a steady income from debt holders to stay afloat. According to CGAP, “A slip in repayment rates from 95 to just 85 percent would render many MFIs insolvent in less than a year.”

A steady decrease in MFIs would slow down the financial inclusion movement and re-erect barriers for the most vulnerable people to overcome during the global financial and public health crises. Due to the imminent threat to MFIs, other methods for progressing financial inclusion, like accessibility and widespread use of mobile money, are more important now than ever before.

Conducting research on the use of mobile money and other financial services is one of the things GeoPoll’s data collection platform is extremely useful for. GeoPoll’s reach and targeting options allow for comprehensive research studies across socio-economic classes. One example of a study we conducted on the use of financial services is available for free download and can be found here. For more information on our capabilities, experience, and more, contact us today.

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