On the evening of June 24, a magnitude 7.2 foreshock struck north-central Venezuela and, 39 seconds later, a magnitude 7.5 mainshock followed. Both were shallow. The destruction has been concentrated in the northern coastal state of La Guaira and in the capital, Caracas, where La Guaira has been declared a disaster zone. Official figures, which remain the authoritative source for loss of life, ranged, as of June 26, from roughly 188 to 235 dead and more than 4,300 injured, with those numbers expected to rise as search and assessment operations continue.

In the hours that followed, GeoPoll reached households directly through a WhatsApp rapid needs assessment. Between the morning of June 25 and midday June 26, 425 people across the country answered. They told us where the ground shook hardest, what their homes look like now, and what they need to get through the next night.

This is not a story about the whole country. The earthquake was not felt everywhere, and the data makes that clear. It is a story about a band of states along the central coast and capital region where lives were upended, and about the families there who took a moment, in the middle of fear and uncertainty, to tell us what is happening.

Our hearts are with them. The purpose of this assessment is to put an accurate, fast, household-level picture into the hands of the relief and aid organizations responding now, so help reaches the right places without delay.

Why this data matters in this disaster

Two features of this emergency make direct household data unusually valuable.

The first is the clock. Experts widely regard the first 72 hours after a major quake as the most critical window for saving lives, and access to water is often the deciding factor for those still trapped or displaced. In that window, the gap between what responders know and what is actually happening on the ground is where aid is delayed and lives are lost. Relief agencies on the ground, including PAHO and the Red Cross, are still rapidly assessing needs and mapping where to send resources.

Speed of information is itself a form of relief.

The second is the information environment. Disruptions to power and telecommunications, in an already limited information environment, have made it hard for residents and their families abroad to learn what has happened. The United Nations has stressed that timely access to reliable information will be vital to protecting lives in the days ahead. A survey that reaches people directly on the phones already in their hands, and lets them speak for themselves, helps close exactly that gap.

The impact was concentrated, and our data confirms where

The single most important finding is geographic, and it aligns closely with the official picture. When we map self-reported shaking intensity by state, a clear cluster emerges along the north-central coast and capital corridor, the same areas authorities and humanitarian agencies have identified as worst affected.

Felt intensity by state, on a 1 to 10 scale, and the share of respondents who reported violent shaking (8 to 10):

• La Guaira: average 9.2, with all respondents reporting violent shaking
• Capital District (Caracas): average 8.8, 88 percent violent
• Carabobo: average 8.7, 80 percent violent
• Miranda: average 8.4, 80 percent violent
• Aragua: average 8.4, 74 percent violent
• Guárico: average 7.5, 58 percent violent

These six states account for 201 of our 425 responses, roughly 47 percent. La Guaira, which residents rated as the most severe, is the same state where authorities have declared a disaster zone and officials report that more than 70,000 families are affected. Our independent, household-level data points to the same epicenter of suffering.

Outside this band, the picture changes sharply. States such as Zulia (average 2.4), Táchira (2.1), Nueva Esparta (2.4), and Mérida (3.3) reported little more than a tremor. This contrast is the actionable part: the need is not spread thinly across Venezuela, it is concentrated, and resources directed to the central coast and capital region will reach the people in crisis.

Inside the impact zone: what households are facing

Within those six states, the difference from the rest of the country is stark across every indicator we measured. This is the texture inside the aggregate official totals: not how many families were affected, but what those families are living through tonight.

Homes are damaged. In the impact zone, 99 households reported minor damage and 10 reported severe, unsafe, or destroyed homes, including one home completely destroyed in La Guaira. Across the rest of the country combined, only 2 households reported severe damage.

Families are displaced. In the impact zone, 41 respondents said they will not sleep in their own home. Of those, 22 are staying with relatives or neighbors, 11 are sleeping outdoors or in the street, and others are in shelters or do not yet know where they will sleep. This mirrors what responders are seeing in Caracas and La Guaira, where many residents are spending nights outside, afraid that weakened buildings could collapse in an aftershock.

Water is the most acute shortage. In the impact zone, 19 households reported no drinking water at all and 64 more reported only limited water. Caracas alone accounts for 10 of the households with no water and 23 with limited supply. With water widely identified as the deciding factor for survival in this window, this is among the most urgent signals in the data.

Food and power are strained. 87 households in the impact zone reported limited food and 11 reported none. On electricity, 47 reported intermittent power and 9 reported none.

People are cut off. In the impact zone, 67 respondents could reach only some of their family and friends, and 3 could reach none. Roads are blocked or partially blocked for 18 respondents, slowing both escape and the arrival of help. Hospitals were reported damaged, closed, or unreachable by 14 respondents, at a time when health facilities are already operating under mass casualty protocols.

The human toll, in the words of those reporting it

We are intentionally not publishing our own casualty figures. Official numbers exist and should remain the reference for loss of life.

What we can responsibly share is how many people, in their own homes, reported these emergencies. Each number below is a household that reached out:

• 10 respondents in the impact zone reported someone trapped in a building, across La Guaira, Caracas, Carabobo, Aragua, and Miranda. No respondent outside the impact zone reported anyone trapped.
• 10 respondents reported injuries in their household, one of them flagging an urgent, life-threatening medical need.
• 8 respondents reported a family member missing.
• 8 respondents reported a gas leak or fire risk near their home, a danger that compounds in the hours after a quake.

Behind each of these is a voice. One respondent in Caracas, sleeping outdoors after their home was damaged, wrote only that they need “un hogar,” a home. A mother in Caracas wrote that her son is in La Guaira and she has not been able to reach him since 11 that morning. In La Guaira, where a home was completely destroyed, a respondent now in a public shelter asked for one thing: “hogar.” Others, even those displaced to relatives’ homes, asked first for water and food, and several asked for psychological support and simply for calm: “tranquilidad, estamos muy nerviosos.”

What people are asking for

When we asked what information households need most but cannot get, the answer in the impact zone was overwhelming: 127 respondents want aftershock and safety updates. Another 17 want to know whether it is safe to return home, 10 need to know how to get medical help, 10 are trying to locate missing family, and 8 are looking for shelter.

This is the information gap made concrete. In an environment where reliable updates are hard to come by, people are not only short on water and shelter, they are short on the knowledge they need to stay safe and make decisions. The most requested immediate needs in open responses were consistent and basic: water, food, shelter, and reassurance. These match the priorities relief actors have named, from the Red Cross call for emergency shelter and trauma care to the government distribution of drinking water, food, mattresses, and blankets. They are needs a coordinated relief effort can meet quickly if directed to the right places.

Why speed and precision matter now

This assessment was completed in under 28 hours, with responses arriving from the morning of June 25 through midday June 26. That speed is the point. The data here narrows the gap between what responders know and what is happening on the ground, and it does so through the voices of the people living it.

It shows where the earthquake hit hardest, confirming the official focus on La Guaira and Caracas, and it adds resolution inside those areas: water and shelter for the central coast and capital region, medical outreach where hospitals are compromised, family-tracing support for those still searching, and trusted safety information for communities bracing for aftershocks.

We are sharing this assessment, and the live dashboard (with near-realtime numbers since the survey is still in the field) alongside it, openly with the relief and aid community. The dashboard lets responders filter by state and explore each indicator in detail, and it continues to update as more responses arrive.

To the families across La Guaira, Caracas, Carabobo, Aragua, Miranda, and Guárico who answered while living through this: thank you. Your voices are now part of the effort to bring help to your communities.

This rapid needs assessment was conducted by GeoPoll via WhatsApp survey. Figures reflect 425 completed responses collected June 25 to June 26, 2026, and represent an early-stage, unweighted sample of self-reported conditions. They are intended to guide and accelerate humanitarian response and to complement, not replace, official damage and casualty figures, which remain the authoritative source for loss of life. Responses were collected anonymously, and quotes are published without identifying information.

For more information:

GeoPoll specializes in reaching people that other data collection methods miss, gathering direct household input from hard-to-reach and crisis-affected populations across emerging markets, fast.

If your organization is responding to this earthquake, we want this data in your hands, and we are ready to help you use it. The full, updated dataset will remain ready and available, and our team can break it down by state, indicator, or population group to match what your response needs. We can also field follow-up questions to the same households or launch a new rapid assessment within hours, so your decisions stay grounded in what people on the ground are reporting.

Reach out to the GeoPoll team to access the data, request a custom cut, or set up a briefing.

The post Report – Inside the First Hours After the Venezuela Earthquake appeared first on GeoPoll.

On 15 May 2026, the Democratic Republic of the Congo declared its 17th Ebola outbreak. Within 48 hours, the World Health Organization declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. As of late May, more than 1,200 suspected and confirmed cases had been reported with over 260 deaths. The outbreak is caused by Bundibugyo virus, a rare Ebola strain for which no approved vaccine yet exists. Imported cases have been confirmed in Uganda, Germany, and the Czech Republic.

For GeoPoll, the news triggered an immediate question that has driven our work for the past twelve years: how do we collect reliable, representative data from communities that field teams cannot safely or easily reach, fast enough to inform a live response.

This article walks through GeoPoll’s published experience supporting responses to Ebola, COVID-19, cholera, and Mpox across Africa and Asia, and lays out what we offer partners now.

Where it began: West Africa, 2014

The 2014 to 2016 West Africa Ebola outbreak killed nearly 12,000 people across Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. It also became the moment that mobile data collection in humanitarian crises moved from promising idea to operational reality.

When the outbreak peaked, GeoPoll was finalising its SMS survey system in Liberia. As we documented in the Journal of Health Communication, that timing meant we could begin running surveys immediately. We did not have to build infrastructure from scratch in the middle of a crisis. The same is true today. Our platform, panel, and mobile network operator integrations are in place in the affected countries before the next outbreak begins.

What we did across the West Africa outbreak

In the years that followed, our SMS and CATI surveys in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea covered a range of programme questions. Several of these projects are documented in published case studies and peer-reviewed work:

• Food security tracking with the United Nations World Food Programme. Over three months in Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea, we collected indicators on food prices, wages, and household coping. The work adapted the reduced Coping Strategies Index for mobile delivery, with prior validation showing no significant difference between mobile and face-to-face collection. Case study.
• Market functionality monitoring for the Famine Early Warning Systems Network. Panel-based SMS surveys with market traders in Sierra Leone and Liberia, tracking market sizes, operating costs, stock levels, and agricultural activity through ten rounds. Case study.
• Long-term economic impact surveys for the USAID Bureau for Africa and FHI360. Thirteen rounds of nationally stratified surveys in Liberia and Sierra Leone between January and June 2015, tracking income, employment, food prices, and schooling. Sample base of 1.8 million in Sierra Leone and 1.6 million in Liberia, with 1,000 completes per country per round. Case study.
• Health communications research with Johns Hopkins University in Liberia. SMS-based community dialogue and rumour tracking, supporting Ebola risk communication and community engagement. Documented in the academic literature.
• Community perceptions in Sierra Leone with Keystone Accountability. Assessing how the population viewed the international community’s response in real time.

Across the West Africa outbreak, GeoPoll reached more than 100,000 people. The methods worked because the people we surveyed already had access to mobile phones, our network operator integrations meant respondents incurred no cost to participate, and the SMS and voice modes did not require enumerators to enter quarantine zones or treatment areas.

What we learned

Three operational lessons from 2014 to 2016 still shape how we run surveys during outbreaks today:

• Keep surveys short. On SMS, response rates drop sharply beyond 12 to 15 questions. The constraint forces discipline on what we ask.
• Pre-code open-ended questions. 160-character limits and noisy environments mean structured response options outperform free text for most use cases.
• Always offer airtime credit on completion. Small incentives (we have typically used the local equivalent of about USD 0.50) significantly improve completion rates among low-income respondents.

Beyond West Africa: outbreaks in the DRC and the eastern corridor

Between 2018 and 2020, the DRC experienced two more large Ebola outbreaks in the eastern part of the country, primarily in North Kivu and Ituri. GeoPoll deployed mobile surveys during these outbreaks as well, focused on socio-economic impact and information flow. By the time we entered the COVID-19 era in 2020, we had effectively built a playbook for outbreak response work and applied it across an expanding set of geographies and health threats.

Our experience now spans the major health emergencies of the last decade:

• Ebola: Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea (2014 to 2016) and the DRC (2018 to 2020)
• COVID-19: 30+ countries across sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and North Africa, and Asia
• Cholera: Zambia (2024) and other African geographies
• Mpox: DRC, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Central African Republic, and Kenya (2024)
• Other infectious disease and vaccine work: malaria, polio, measles, yellow fever, and routine immunisation studies across multiple African countries

COVID-19: when the playbook scaled

When COVID-19 reached sub-Saharan Africa in 2020, the methods we had refined for Ebola scaled up overnight. Between 2020 and 2022, GeoPoll ran self-funded and partner-funded research across more than 30 countries, covering economic impact, food security, vaccine acceptance, and risk communication. Findings from our November 2020 vaccine acceptance study across Cote d’Ivoire, the DRC, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, and South Africa were archived publicly in ICPSR and used by researchers and policy makers globally.

We continued tracking vaccine perceptions across multiple rounds. The April 2021 follow-up, reported on the GeoPoll blog, found that fewer than half of respondents (48 percent) felt they had been given enough trustworthy information about the vaccine, a finding that mirrored what we were seeing on the ground.

The COVID work cemented two principles we now apply by default in outbreak research:

• Multi-mode is non-negotiable. SMS reaches the broadest base but limits depth. CATI handles longer instruments and complex skip logic. Mobile web reaches smartphone-heavy segments. In-person fills gaps for offline populations. The best outbreak studies combine modes by design, not as a fallback.
• Trust matters more than reach. A representative sample of people who refuse to answer honestly is not a sample. We invest in respondent identity verification, plain-language consent, and call-centre training in local languages because trust at the moment of the interview drives data quality.

Mpox: turning prior experience into rapid mobilisation

When mpox began spreading through Central and Eastern Africa in 2024, GeoPoll moved into the response within weeks. As we wrote at the time, the parallels with earlier outbreaks were clear: a disease moving faster than traditional surveillance, vaccine hesitancy reshaping its trajectory, and demand from public health partners and pharmaceutical companies for granular, real-time data.

Through late 2024 we ran mpox vaccine acceptance and behaviour monitoring rounds across six African countries: DRC, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Central African Republic, and Kenya. The DRC mpox vaccine acceptance work has since been published in peer-reviewed medical literature and remains one of the largest mobile-based mpox studies on record from that period.

Cholera Zambia: a public-good data drop in the middle of a crisis

In early 2024, while Zambia was managing a cholera outbreak that had infected more than 21,000 people and caused over 700 deaths, GeoPoll ran a self-funded nationwide CATI survey to understand public awareness, water and sanitation access, and behaviour change. The findings were released as a public report on ReliefWeb with an interactive dashboard. The study used a stratified random sample of 400 respondents drawn from our Zambia panel, delivered in English, Bemba, and Nyanja from our Lusaka call centre.

The point of that work was not commercial. It was to demonstrate something that we believe matters more than any single study: in a crisis, the right response is to gather and share data quickly, even when there is no client paying for it.

What we offer partners responding to the 2026 outbreak

The capability that an organisation needs during an outbreak is not abstract. It is a short list of practical things, done quickly and well. Here is what we offer.

Mobile data collection across multiple modes

We run surveys through the channels respondents actually use. Most outbreak studies blend these by design:

• SMS surveys: Free-to-user via mobile network operator integrations. Best for broad reach, short instruments, and reaching low-income or rural populations. Used heavily in our Ebola, COVID, and cholera work.
• Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI): Live calls from our call centres in Nairobi, Lusaka, Dar es Salaam, Johannesburg, and Panama City. Best for longer instruments, complex skip logic, sensitive topics, and qualitative depth.
• Mobile web (link-based): Surveys delivered via WhatsApp, SMS link, or other distribution. Best for smartphone-heavy segments, image-based questions, and longer self-completion.
• GeoPoll App: Our smartphone application supports longer panels and incentivised tracking studies.
• In-person interviewing: Where offline populations or sensitive observations are needed, we deploy trained field teams. Used selectively in our outbreak work, primarily for qualitative and validation purposes.

Reach across affected geographies

GeoPoll has more than 5 million profiled panelists and access to over 250 million individuals across 64 countries. In the geographies most relevant to the current Ebola outbreak, our panel and infrastructure are operational today:

• Democratic Republic of the Congo: active panel and call-centre capacity. French, Lingala, Kiswahili, and Kinande supported.
• Uganda: active panel, English and major local languages.
• Adjacent at-risk countries: Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, South Sudan, Central African Republic, and Kenya all have operational panels.

Speed when speed matters

Outbreak response cannot wait three months for fieldwork. Typical timelines for GeoPoll outbreak studies:

Methodology that holds up to scrutiny

Outbreak research is read by epidemiologists, donors, and ethics committees. Our default methodology is designed to pass that scrutiny:

• CDC-aligned KAP frameworks. We design knowledge, attitudes, and practice instruments to be compatible with established disease-response frameworks.
• Stratified random sampling. By gender, age, and geography. We report margins of error and confidence intervals consistently.
• IRB experience. We have participated in institutional review board processes with universities and research partners. Our research follows ESOMAR and WAPOR ethical standards.
• Transparent reporting. Every study reports its sample size, margin of error, languages, mode, and field period. We do not hide methodology.

Senselytic for real-time qualitative analysis

Outbreaks generate a lot of qualitative signal: open-ended responses, call-centre notes, social listening, focus group transcripts. Senselytic, our AI-powered qualitative analysis tool, helps partners extract patterns from this material in hours instead of weeks. We used it to support analysis on multi-country COVID and mpox studies, and it is a core capability for the current Ebola response.

Two ways partners can engage with us

For the current Bundibugyo outbreak, we are offering two complementary engagement options. They can stand alone or run in parallel:

1. Commissioned research

Bespoke studies designed around a single partner’s questions. Suitable when you have specific decision needs, geographic priorities, or contractual reporting requirements. Examples we are equipped to run today include vaccine acceptance and intent, risk communication effectiveness, healthcare-seeking behaviour, rumour and misinformation surveillance, food security and economic impact in affected zones, and case investigation support.

2. Ebola Outbreak Omnibus Survey

A shared, nationally representative DRC survey where multiple organisations contribute custom questions and receive their own answers plus common themes. Costs are shared, fielding is faster, and results are comparable across participating organisations. Suitable for partners who need data but do not require a full standalone study. A parallel Uganda omnibus will run if there is sufficient interest.

Get in Touch

Bundibugyo Ebola has no approved vaccine. The response will succeed or fail on case finding, contact tracing, risk communication, and community trust. All four depend on understanding what people in affected areas actually believe, know, fear, and need. That understanding cannot be assumed and it cannot be sampled from clinic registers alone. It has to be collected from people, in their own language, on a platform they already use.

GeoPoll has been collecting that kind of data through every major African outbreak of the last twelve years. The infrastructure is in place. The methodology is documented. The team is mobilised. We are ready to support partners working on this response, from public-good monitoring to bespoke programme evaluation, from rapid omnibus participation to long-term tracking studies.

In every outbreak we have worked on, the lesson has been the same: speed compounds. Decisions made on Day 7 with imperfect data are usually better than decisions made on Day 30 with perfect data. We are built to deliver on Day 7.

To learn more, discuss commissioned research, or to participate in the Ebola Outbreak Omnibus Survey, contact us.

The post A decade on the front line: what mobile data has taught us about responding to Ebola and other outbreaks appeared first on GeoPoll.

Descarga el Informe

Supervivencia en Crisis

Más del 10% de las personas en Guatemala y Honduras está planeando migrar, siendo la desesperación económica y la inseguridad sus principales razones para abandonar su país.

Éxodo Migratorio

Más del 10% de las personas en Guatemala y Honduras se están preparando para migrar, citando la desesperación económica y la inseguridad como las principales causas.

Cambio en la Seguridad

Las estrictas medidas contra el crimen en El Salvador han aumentado la sensación de seguridad en el 94% de los ciudadanos. Por otro lado, en Guatemala y Honduras, la percepción de seguridad sigue siendo profundamente inestable.

Colapso de la Confianza

La corrupción y las ineficientes medidas gubernamentales generan desconfianza en la población, quienes han comenzado a depender de remesas y trabajos informales para sobrevivir

The post Informe de GeoPoll: Voces de Centroamérica appeared first on GeoPoll.

GEOPOLL REPORT: VOICES FROM CENTRAL AMERICA

Breaking Insights: The Harsh Realities and Future of Central America in 2025

A Region on the Brink: Survival, Migration, and Hope

Free Download Spanish

Survival In Crisis

More than 80% of Central Americans struggle to afford basic needs, with one-quarter experiencing food shortages every month.

Migration Exodus

More than 10% of people in Guatemala and Honduras are preparing to migrate, citing economic despair and insecurity as top drivers.

Security Shake up

El Salvador’s aggressive crackdown on crime has left 94% of citizens feeling safe, while Guatemala and Honduras remain deeply unstable.

Collapse of Trust

Corruption and government failures fuel skepticism, leaving communities reliant on remittances and informal networks for survival.

The post GeoPoll Report: Voices from Central America appeared first on GeoPoll.

The Power of Mobile-Based Data Collection in Migration Research

Traditional migration studies – in-person surveys or censuses – often fail to capture timely insights, especially for mobile or hard-to-reach populations. Mobile-based data collection is changing the game by enabling real-time, large-scale insights into migration trends​. As in the example above where GeoPoll ran the multicountry Central America survey via phone calls (CATI), mobile surveys (via SMS, voice calls, or mobile web), enable researchers to quickly reach respondents across wide geographies, including migrants on the move or remote communities. This approach offers several advantages over traditional methods:

• Broad Reach: High mobile phone penetration in developing regions means even remote communities or dispersed groups can be reached – populations that might otherwise be missed by face-to-face research.
• Speed & Scale: Mobile surveys can be deployed and completed within days, providing real-time insights during a migration crisis. They also easily scale to tens of thousands of respondents across multiple regions – a level of responsiveness traditional methods cannot match.
• Cost-Effectiveness: Without needing to send field teams, mobile data collection significantly lowers the cost per respondent​, freeing up resources that would otherwise go to travel and logistics.

Mobile-based migration research is not just theoretical – it’s already being used in the field. For example, the UN World Food Programme’s mVAM project successfully used phone surveys at scale to monitor refugee populations, a further proof to this method’s effectiveness in humanitarian settings​.

Why Migration Research Matters for Policymakers and Development Organizations

Understanding migration patterns and drivers has real implications for policy and aid. Effective policies hinge on accurate, up-to-date data about migration flows. Knowing where, why, and how people move is essential for designing interventions that balance the needs of migrants with those of origin and destination communities​. Data-driven insights help stakeholders in several ways​:

• Monitor Trends: Detect spikes in migration, seasonal movements, or new routes so governments can anticipate and respond to changes​.
• Assess Drivers: Identify root causes (e.g. unemployment, conflict, climate shocks) behind migration​, enabling targeted actions to address those factors.
• Measure Impact: Evaluate how policies or events influence migration patterns and migrant well-being.

High-quality migration data is critical for designing and evaluating policies that yield economic, social, and humanitarian benefits​. With solid evidence in hand, decision-makers can create targeted solutions – from job programs to address economic drivers, to security initiatives that curb violence, to improved aid plans for refugees​. In short, data-driven migration research enables governments and organizations to move beyond guesswork and respond with informed strategies.

GeoPoll’s Role in Advancing Migration Insights

As migration challenges change, so must our methods of understanding them, and embracing mobile-based research allows us to capture trends as they unfold and craft more responsive policies. Governments and organizations have much to gain by adopting data-driven approaches – from designing better job opportunities at home to providing timely support for refugees abroad.

In an interconnected world, leveraging real-time data is an advantage and a necessity for managing and providing a more proactive response to migration. Data-driven research should be a cornerstone of how we tackle migration issues, ensuring that policies are guided by migrants’ actual needs and motivations.​

GeoPoll has been at the forefront of mobile-based migration research, pioneering innovative methods to collect data from populations that traditional surveys often miss​. With experience administering remote surveys in over 120 countries​, GeoPoll partners with governments, development agencies, and NGOs to gather reliable data on several social issues, including migration trends​. We can deploy questionnaires via SMS, voice (CATI), and mobile web, and rapidly collect feedback from dispersed communities, with near real-time insights. Looking ahead, mobile surveys can be expanded for even deeper insights – from longitudinal studies tracking migrants’ outcomes over time, to quick polls gauging public perceptions of new immigration policies across countries.

To learn more about our capabilities and coverage, please contact us.

The post The Power of Mobile-Based Research in Tracking Migration appeared first on GeoPoll.

Take the example of a MEAL tracker GeoPoll did with a partner in the development sector in South Sudan. The year-long project aimed to monitor food security interventions in real time using mobile-based surveys. GeoPoll used SMS surveys to collect feedback from thousands of beneficiaries every week for a year, allowing for immediate program adjustments and enhanced impact reporting to donors. This near real-time MEAL approach led to improved, continous decision-making and resource allocation.

MEAL Strategies for NGOs

Successful MEAL strategies rely on a combination of timely data collection, community engagement, and iterative learning. Organizations must focus on:

• Real-Time Monitoring: Frequent data collection ensures projects stay on track and allows for immediate adjustments.
• Impact Evaluation: Systematic assessment of long-term project outcomes helps in understanding what works and what doesn’t.
• Accountability Mechanisms: Engaging beneficiaries through mobile feedback loops improves project transparency and community trust.
• Data-Driven Learning: MEAL is not just about tracking; it’s about using insights to refine strategies and improve impact.

The Role of Mobile Data Monitoring

Mobile technology is revolutionizing MEAL by offering real-time, scalable data collection solutions. GeoPoll’s mobile-based surveys enable NGOs, donors, and policymakers to:

• Track Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in Real Time: SMS, IVR, and mobile web surveys allow for frequent, remote data collection, reducing reliance on field visits.
• Enhance Reach and Representation: Mobile surveys ensure voices from hard-to-reach populations are included in evaluations.
• Improve Cost-Effectiveness: Mobile data collection reduces operational costs compared to traditional face-to-face methods.
• Increase Data Accuracy and Security: Automated data collection minimizes human error and provides instant digital records.

Mobile Tools for Donor Impact Reporting

Donors require transparent, data-backed impact reports to validate funding effectiveness. Mobile-based MEAL tools support this by:

• Enabling Quick Survey Deployment: NGOs can rapidly distribute surveys to beneficiaries, field staff, and stakeholders.
• Providing Dashboards for Live Data Visualization: Interactive dashboards offer real-time insights into project progress.
• Ensuring Continuous Feedback Loops: Mobile channels allow beneficiaries to report challenges or provide suggestions in real time.
• Supporting Remote Monitoring in Crisis Situations: Mobile data collection is invaluable for tracking projects in conflict zones, disaster responses, and remote regions.

The Bottomline

Recently, mobile-based MEAL solutions have transformed the way NGOs, donors, and policymakers track project success. With proven impact now a core concern for donors, organizations use mobile technology to enhance monitoring efficiency, improve accountability, and generate real-time insights that drive impactful decision-making. As digital tools become more accessible, integrating mobile into MEAL strategies will be key to ensuring the success of donor-funded projects worldwide.

For the last decade, GeoPoll has perfected mobile-based MEAL solutions tailored for emerging countries. Our platform enables real-time data collection, analysis, and impact reporting to drive data-informed decision-making. Learn more about how GeoPoll can support your MEAL strategies—contact us today!

The post MEAL: Using Mobile to Track the Impact of Donor-Funded Projects appeared first on GeoPoll.

The Malnutrition Crisis in the Horn of Africa

The Horn of Africa, comprising countries Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Djibouti, has one of the highest rates of food insecurity globally. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), prolonged droughts and erratic rainfall patterns have drastically reduced agricultural productivity, leading to widespread hunger and malnutrition. In addition, conflict-driven displacement and economic disruptions further exacerbate the crisis, making access to nutritious food increasingly difficult for millions.

Malnutrition manifests in various forms, including acute malnutrition, stunting, and micronutrient deficiencies. In Somalia alone, UNICEF estimates that nearly half of all children under five are malnourished, with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) posing a life-threatening risk. Addressing this crisis requires more than food aid; it necessitates a data-driven, systems-based approach to enhance resilience and long-term food security.

The Power of Data in Strengthening Food Systems

Data-driven solutions are transforming how governments, NGOs, and development agencies respond to malnutrition. By collecting and analyzing real-time data, stakeholders can identify trends, predict food shortages, and implement targeted nutritional interventions. Key data-driven strategies include:

1. Early Warning Systems
   • Predictive analytics help identify regions at risk of food shortages by monitoring weather patterns, crop yields, and market prices.
   • Organizations like the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) provide data that informs emergency responses and policy decisions.
2. Mobile-Based Data Collection
   • Mobile surveys enable rapid data collection from affected populations, offering real-time insights into food consumption patterns and nutritional deficiencies.
   • GeoPoll has been at the forefront of leveraging mobile-based surveys to gather food security data in hard-to-reach areas. For example, GeoPoll has worked with WFP to conduct remote surveys to assess food access and affordability, allowing humanitarian organizations to design timely interventions.
3. Market and Pricing Data for Food Security
   • Understanding market dynamics is critical to addressing food insecurity. Real-time monitoring of food prices and availability helps anticipate supply chain disruptions.
   • GeoPoll’s mobile-based price tracking solutions have been instrumental in providing insights into staple food price fluctuations, helping policymakers stabilize markets and protect vulnerable consumers.
4. Impact Evaluation of Nutrition Programs
   • Data analytics play a crucial role in assessing the effectiveness of food aid and nutrition programs. By measuring dietary intake, food distribution efficiency, and health outcomes, stakeholders can refine their approaches.
   • GeoPoll’s survey capabilities allow organizations to track program impact over time, ensuring resources are directed where they are needed most.

The Way Forward: Strengthening Data-Driven Food Security Solutions

To effectively tackle malnutrition in the Horn of Africa, governments, donors, and NGOs must invest in more robust data collection and analytics capabilities. Key recommendations include:

• Expanding mobile-based survey methodologies to reach marginalized communities.
• Strengthening collaboration between public and private sectors to enhance food system resilience.
• Leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to predict food crises more accurately.
• Ensuring data transparency and accessibility to support evidence-based policymaking.

Malnutrition in the Horn of Africa is a complex, multifaceted issue that requires innovative, data-driven solutions. Leveraging real-time data collection, predictive analytics, and mobile-based research can help stakeholders make informed decisions to strengthen food systems and improve nutritional outcomes. GeoPoll remains committed to supporting these efforts by providing reliable, timely data that informs impactful interventions.

As the region continues to grapple with climate and economic challenges, integrating data-driven strategies into food security initiatives will be crucial in building a more resilient and nourished Horn of Africa.

Please contact us to learn more about our work in food security and nutrition.

The post Tackling Malnutrition in the Horn of Africa: The Role of Data in Strengthening Food Systems appeared first on GeoPoll.

Why Data Matters in Migration Policy

Effective migration policies hinge on accurate, up-to-date data. Understanding where, why, and how people move is essential for designing interventions that balance the needs of migrants with those of source, host, and transit countries. Data helps policymakers:

• Monitor Trends: Identify spikes in migration flows, seasonal patterns, and emerging hotspots.
• Assess Drivers: Determine the root causes of migration, such as unemployment, violence, or environmental changes.
• Measure Impact: Evaluate how policies, such as visa restrictions or deportation agreements, influence migration trends and the livelihoods of migrants.

In recent years, advancements in mobile data collection, geospatial mapping, and survey methodologies have revolutionized how migration data is gathered. Mobile-based surveys, for example, allow for real-time insights into migrant experiences, giving information that static censuses or administrative records often miss.

Current Context: Policy Shifts and Migration Impacts

The current wave of policy changes in North America, including stricter border controls and expedited deportation measures by the US, has brought fresh urgency to the need for comprehensive migration data. These policies not only affect migration routes but also have profound social and economic implications for Central America. Mass deportations, for example, can strain local economies, disrupt families, and amplify vulnerabilities in communities already grappling with high poverty and unemployment rates.

Understanding the ripple effects of such policies requires more than anecdotal evidence. Governments and organizations must lean on robust data to assess both short- and long-term impacts, ensuring that their responses are informed and equitable.

Bridging the Gap Between Data and Policy

Despite the availability of tools and technologies, many regions in Central America face data gaps. Informal migration, for instance, is notoriously hard to track, and the transient nature of migrant populations adds complexity. Bridging this gap requires partnerships across borders, sectors, and disciplines.

At this intersection of policy and data lies an opportunity to create meaningful change. Organizations like GeoPoll have pioneered innovative methods for collecting migration data, leveraging mobile technology to reach populations that are often invisible in traditional surveys. Near-real-time insights empower decision-makers to adapt policies based on emerging trends and to better understand the lived experiences of migrants.

Challenges in Data Collection

Despite technological advances, collecting accurate and comprehensive migration data remains fraught with challenges. These barriers not only hinder the ability to fully understand migration dynamics but also highlight opportunities for innovation and collaboration.

Access Limitations

Reaching migrant populations—especially informal migrants—poses significant obstacles:

• Undocumented Populations: Migrants without official documentation may avoid participating in formal surveys due to fears of detection or deportation.
• Remote Areas: Migrants traveling through or residing in isolated regions often lack access to reliable communication infrastructure, making it difficult to include their voices in traditional surveys.
• Language Barriers: Linguistic diversity among migrants can reduce the accuracy and reliability of responses, particularly when surveys fail to accommodate multiple languages or dialects.
• Trust Issues: Many migrants are wary of sharing personal information due to privacy concerns, further limiting participation rates.

Methodological Challenges

Even when access is possible, migration research involves navigating complex methodological hurdles:

• Privacy Concerns: The sensitive nature of migration data, including personal identifiers and migration status, creates ethical dilemmas and often limits the scope of data collection.
• Cross-Border Legal Restrictions: Data sharing between countries is often hindered by regulatory barriers, complicating efforts to understand transnational migration patterns.
• Rapid Population Movement: Migrants’ mobility can disrupt longitudinal studies, as participants may become unreachable over time.
• Resource Constraints: Limited budgets and capacity often restrict the frequency and depth of surveys, especially in under-resourced regions.

Solutions and Opportunities

Addressing these challenges requires innovative solutions, many of which align with GeoPoll’s expertise in mobile-based data collection and advanced analytics. GeoPoll offers scalable, adaptable methods to overcome these barriers:

• Mobile Surveys: GeoPoll’s mobile technology reaches remote populations via SMS, voice, and mobile web, ensuring that even hard-to-reach groups can participate.
• Localized Questionnaires: Surveys are designed in multiple languages and tailored to the cultural context, improving response quality and inclusivity.
• Building Trust: GeoPoll emphasizes transparency and anonymity, fostering trust among participants and encouraging higher engagement rates. With local teams in the areas, we build a relatability that helps open up respondents and provide the required local context.
• Real-Time Insights: GeoPoll’s platform enables quick turnaround times, delivering actionable data that adapts to the fast-changing dynamics of migration.

Looking Ahead: Building a Data-Driven Future for Migration 

As migration continues to shape the socio-political landscape of Central America, data will play an increasingly vital role in crafting effective policies. Policymakers, researchers, and development organizations must collaborate to ensure that the data they collect and analyze leads to actionable insights that protect the rights of migrants while addressing the needs of host communities.

GeoPoll is uniquely positioned to support these efforts, offering tools and expertise that address the challenges of migration research head-on. By partnering with governments, NGOs, and international organizations, GeoPoll contributes to a data-driven understanding of one of the most pressing challenges of our time.

For more information on how GeoPoll’s migration data solutions can support your work, contact us today.

The post The Intersection of Policy and Data: Understanding the Impact of Migration and Immigration Policies in Central America appeared first on GeoPoll.

Public health challenges are deeply intertwined with human behavior. From vaccine hesitancy to lifestyle habits driving non-communicable diseases (NCDs), understanding and influencing behavior is at the core of improving global health outcomes. While the importance of behavior change in public health is well established, accessing timely, reliable data on population behaviors remains a challenge, particularly in low-resource and hard-to-reach regions.

This is where innovative, data-driven approaches are bridging the gap. Mobile technology, in particular, has emerged as a critical tool for gathering insights into health behaviors quickly and efficiently. By identifying barriers to behavior change, understanding cultural contexts, and highlighting areas of intervention, real-time data empowers governments, NGOs, and healthcare organizations to design targeted solutions that drive measurable public health improvements.

The Critical Role of Behavior Change in Public Health

Behavior change is a cornerstone of public health initiatives worldwide. Whether it is encouraging communities to adopt preventive measures during a pandemic or promoting healthier lifestyles to combat rising NCDs, success hinges on understanding and influencing human behavior.

For example, the adoption of vaccines has been one of the most effective tools for combating infectious diseases. However, vaccine hesitancy—driven by fear, misinformation, and cultural beliefs—continues to undermine progress. Behavioral barriers often prevent individuals and communities from engaging in preventive or curative health measures, even when access to healthcare is available.

Similarly, lifestyle-related NCDs, such as heart disease, obesity, and diabetes, are on the rise worldwide. These conditions are directly tied to behaviors such as poor diet, lack of exercise, and smoking. Tackling these requires more than education; it demands actionable insights into the root causes of these behaviors, as well as culturally relevant approaches to encourage change.

Behavioral insights offer public health stakeholders the tools to:

• Identify the root causes of health behaviors, such as economic pressures, misinformation, or lack of access to services.
• Address gaps in knowledge through targeted communication and culturally appropriate messaging.
• Measure intervention effectiveness and adapt campaigns to improve outcomes.

Real-time, localized data is essential to understanding these nuances and informing strategies that resonate with specific populations. Without this data, even the best-funded initiatives may fall short of achieving behavior change.

Leveraging Mobile Data to Understand Health Behaviors

Mobile data collection has transformed public health research, particularly in regions where traditional survey methods face significant barriers. Mobile surveys are faster, more affordable, and capable of reaching geographically or socially inaccessible populations. They provide a window into real-time behaviors, allowing public health stakeholders to act quickly.

For example:

• Monitoring Pandemic Behaviors: During the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the Mpox and Ebola outbreaks, GeoPoll conducted rapid surveys to understand mask-wearing habits, social distancing compliance, and vaccine acceptance across multiple countries. These insights helped health authorities tailor awareness campaigns and address public concerns in real time.
• Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition: In areas where literacy levels are low, GeoPoll’s voice-based surveys for Unicef allowed mothers to share their experiences accessing healthcare services, identifying barriers such as distance to facilities, cost, health-seeking behaviour and access to nutrition services.
• Health Lifestyle Changes: Most public health initiatives require lifestyle changes at the community and individual levels. For example, many populations in LMICs practice open defecation due to a lack of latrines and toilets, which leads to the spread of many communicable diseases such as cholera, as food and water get contaminated. Mobile-based surveys can help understand the prevalence at the beginning and also to evaluate the impact of interventions. For example, GeoPoll worked with DFID’s Nyumba ni Choo in Tanzania to measure the improvement to sanitation after nationwide campaigns to sensitize populations.
• Nutrition and NCD Prevention: Behavioral surveys have highlighted the factors influencing poor dietary habits and sedentary lifestyles, offering actionable insights for intervention programs promoting healthier behaviors.

Mobile-based data collection overcomes common limitations of public health research, such as low response rates, high costs, and the time delays associated with face-to-face methods. The tools gather data quickly and effectively, and they provide a vital foundation for behavior change interventions.

Targeting Youth Behavior for Lasting Impact

Another great example where mobile-based surveys are particularly impactful is among the youth. Young people are at the forefront of public health challenges and solutions and are also the keys to sustainable interventions for the future. As the largest and fastest-growing demographic in many regions, youth are particularly vulnerable to issues such as mental health, risky behaviors, and NCDs. However, they are also digital natives who can serve as powerful advocates for behavior change within their families and communities.

• Mental Health Awareness: Increasing stress, depression, and stigma around seeking help are prevalent among young people. Behavioral data highlights the need for mental health education and accessible support systems, particularly in underserved regions. GeoPoll recently conducted a successful survey on mental health via our mobile app, which probably would not have been as successful among older people in rural areas.
• Sexual and Reproductive Health: Understanding youth attitudes toward sexual health, contraception, and education helps stakeholders develop culturally appropriate interventions. Surveys show that misconceptions and lack of access remain major barriers to informed decisions around sexual health. In the past, GeoPoll worked with PSI to conduct surveys on experience using the OraQuick Self-Test HIV kits.
• Lifestyle and NCD Risk: Youth behavior is foundational for preventing NCDs. Data indicates that sedentary lifestyles, poor nutrition, and smoking habits often begin during adolescence. By promoting behavior change early, public health initiatives can create healthier generations. One way of getting across this information is via the media – whether social or traditional – and this can be followed up by media monitoring.

Young people are not just participants but key drivers of change. With the right data, youth-centered interventions can be tailored to engage them meaningfully and amplify their role in achieving public health goals.

Combating Misinformation to Enable Positive Behaviors

Misinformation has become one of the greatest challenges to public health efforts. From myths about vaccines to misconceptions about diseases, misinformation can erode trust, hinder interventions, and exacerbate health crises.

Understanding misinformation requires continuous, real-time monitoring of public perceptions. For instance:

• When novel malaria vaccines were launched across Africa, a multicountry survey highlighted common fears and misconceptions, such as concerns about side effects or skepticism about efficacy. This data informed targeted awareness efforts that directly addressed these myths with factual, culturally sensitive messaging.
• In times of outbreaks, such as Mpox or COVID-19, misinformation about transmission methods created panic and led to harmful behaviors. GeoPoll’s rapid data collection enabled health organizations to respond quickly and correct these misunderstandings.

Using such surveys, public health stakeholders can design campaigns that rebuild trust and promote positive health behaviors by identifying misinformation early and understanding its spread.

Turning Behavioral Insights Into Actionable Change

Behavioral data is a powerful tool, but its value lies in its ability to drive real action. Insights gathered through innovative data solutions help public health organizations:

• Design effective policies: Governments can identify health priorities, allocate resources efficiently, and address systemic gaps in healthcare access.
• Measure and adapt campaigns: NGOs and health stakeholders can evaluate the success of their interventions, identify what works, and refine strategies for better outcomes.
• Improve healthcare delivery: Data highlighting barriers—such as cost, accessibility, or stigma—informs improvements in health systems and service delivery.

For instance, a campaign to increase vaccination rates may start with identifying why uptake is low, whether due to logistical challenges, misinformation, or cultural barriers. Behavioral data enables tailored solutions, such as awareness drives, improved access, or community engagement initiatives, ensuring the intervention achieves its goals.

The Bottomline

Behavior change is essential to solving the world’s most pressing public health challenges, from infectious disease outbreaks to the rising burden of NCDs. However, achieving behavior change requires a deep understanding of the factors influencing people’s actions. By leveraging innovative tools like mobile data collection, public health stakeholders can gather the insights needed to address barriers, combat misinformation, and design interventions that drive lasting impact.

From engaging youth populations to strengthening health systems and tackling misinformation, behavior-focused approaches informed by real-time data are transforming public health outcomes. As we face an increasingly complex global health landscape, the ability to understand and influence behavior will remain at the heart of building healthier, more resilient communities.

This is where GeoPoll comes in. Leveraging mobile technology and innovative data solutions, GeoPoll enables governments, NGOs, and public health organizations to gather real-time insights on behaviors that impact health. GeoPoll’s data empowers stakeholders to design targeted, actionable solutions that drive measurable improvements in public health. Please contact our team to learn more.

The post Public Health Change: Understanding Behavior Through Data appeared first on GeoPoll.

Survey Methodology

The study was conducted in Portuguese using GeoPoll’s Mobile Web research platform. Mobile Web is a link-based survey mode that can be taken on a very basic mobile phone browser.

For this survey, GeoPoll randomly sampled members from the extensive GeoPoll database of mobile subscribers in each province in Mozambique. This approach is called simple random sampling and accesses the overall database each day. The sampling strategy was intended to gather data from a range of age groups, gender, and locations within Mozambique.

To bolster the survey’s reach throughout Mozambique, GeoPoll also deployed online advertising channels, leveraging a methodology tailored to the specific demographics and profiles of the intended respondents.

In total, 750 respondents participated in the survey. All 11 provinces in Mozambique were represented, with the largest segments from Maputo and Maputo City.

The distribution by gender was 77% male, 22% female, and 2% that specified “other.” Most respondents fell within the 25-34 age range at 61%, followed by the

16-24 age range at 23%, and the 35+ age range at 17%.

All 750 respondents included in the survey were required to own or otherwise have access to a smartphone.

Survey Findings

Key takeaways from the research include:

• Although 95% of respondents in this study personally own a smartphone and the remaining 5% have access to a smartphone owned by a spouse, family member, friend, etc., only 69% of respondents consider themselves the primary user of the smartphone (suggesting a significant number of shared devices).
• Slightly more men consider themselves the primary user (71%) compared to women (64%).
• Women are more likely than men to have just started using a smartphone within the past year (10% vs. 5%).
• Social media and messaging are by far the most widely installed and used smartphone apps across gender and age groups.
• Almost all respondents use Facebook (93%), and most use WhatsApp (81%) and SMS/text messaging (79%).
• Most smartphone users regardless of gender or age rely on mobile data as their primary means for accessing the internet (93%) and access the internet multiple times a day (88%).
• Most access social media multiple times a day (87%), primarily using their smartphone (79%), and spend at least 30 minutes each time they access it (72%).
• Data costs pose the biggest challenge to using social media and apps (69%), followed by internet connectivity (37%), and privacy concerns (31%).
• Perceptions of social media’s impact on local culture and society skew positive overall. A third of respondents believe the impact is very positive (32%), ranging from 39% for respondents ages 35+ to 24% for respondents ages 16-24.
• Most respondents across gender and age groups are using health-related apps or chats on their smartphone (84%), and almost all express at least some level of trust in the apps/chats they use.
• When asked which types of apps they would prioritize if they had limited time, money, or access to their phone, by far the largest segment of respondents said health apps (48%), rising to 52% for women.

Click here to download GeoPoll’s full written report on smartphone and social media usage in Mozambique.

About GeoPoll

GeoPoll provides full-service research solutions in more than 120 countries globally, focusing on low- and middle-income countries. Every year, GeoPoll completes over 5 million surveys via multiple mobile-based remote and in-person data collection modes, powered by a network of 10,000+ interviewers from 65 call centers, local teams, and direct partnerships with mobile network operators. Contact us to learn more about this study and our capabilities.

About Project Last Mile

If you can find an ice-cold Coca-Cola product almost anywhere in Africa, why not life-saving medicines? Project Last Mile is a global cross-sector partnership between donors, ministries of health, and the private sector that translates supply chain and marketing best practices from the Coca-Cola ecosystem into customized solutions for public health challenges. We focus on route-to- market, cold chain strengthening, and strategic marketing and communications. We aim to improve access, availability, and demand for life-saving medicines and health services down to the last mile in Africa. Since the first pilot in 2009, Project Last Mile has transformed into a leading public-private partnership for health. We have undertaken over 59 projects across 17 African countries, impacting the lives of more than 43 million people.

Find out more at www.projectlastmile.com.

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