Recent Projects
Project Rwanda DIGITISATION
The project entailed the qualitative research component of a program in Rwanda to inform inclusive and poverty-reducing policies and programs regarding the digitisation of the Rwandan economy.
Client: Cenfri and their client, Mastercard Foundation, in collaboration with the Rwandan Ministry of ITC and Innovation.
Country: Rwanda
- Project leader for the demand side research
- Brainstorm partner with the Cenfri team on appropriate methodology and implications of findings.
Objective of the research:
- Obtain qualitative information and evidence to focus on expanding access to inclusive digitalization across key sectors of the Rwandan economy, specifically agriculture, and the retail sector.
- Explore how Rwandans use mobile money (and digital payments in general) and investigate barriers to uptake.
Scope and methodology:
Research was conducted in Kigali, Huye and Muzanse:
- Rapid ethnographic immersions with 15 merchants and 7 farmers;
- Qualitative in-depth individual interviews with 37 farmers, input providers and aggregators; and
- Quali-quant interviews with 57 retailers and 40 customers.
Duration of project:
- September 2021: developing research instruments.
- October and November 2021: Fieldwork in Rwanda.
- December 2021: Report preparation.
Deliverables:
- Research report with case studies and individual profiles
Project RDS
The project formed part of a user mapping study conducted by the Gobee Group in South Africa (in Gauteng and Western Cape) and Ethiopia. Fieldwork was conducted during the Covid-19 pandemic before members of the public in South Africa had been immunised. Personal in-depth interviews were indicated; a balance had to be achieved between safety protocols to prevent the spread of Covid-19 to respondents and the field team, and achieving a rapport with respondents.
Client: Gobee Group and their client, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Country: South Africa: Gauteng and Northwest provinces
Responsibility:
- Project lead
- Moderator of individual interviews with health care professionals.
- Brainstorm partner with the Gobee Group on appropriate data collection methodologies and data analysis approached (which was used by field teams in other regions).
- Brainstorm partner with the Gobee Group on insights and recommendations.
Objective of the research:
- Obtain an in-depth understanding of mothers’ perspectives on childbirth and care of neonates
- Explore the current and potential treatment practices for RDS.
- Determine the gap between the prescribed protocols of diagnosis and treatment of RDS versus the actual situation in health care facilities.
Scope and methodology:
- 13 rapid-ethnographic personal engagements with South African and foreign national mothers of babies under 12 months of age, who had been born prematurely.
- Personal in-depth interviews: 8 with nursing health care workers and 5 with specialist clinicians involved in care of premature neonates.
- 15 shift observations in neonatal ICU wards in tertiary facilities.
- 1 focus group discussion and 2 in-depth interviews with paramedics involved in transporting neonates.
Duration of project:
- January to March 2021: Development of research instruments and fieldwork.
- April 2021: Analysis and reporting.
Deliverables:
- Research report: insights and recommendation document, including illustrative case studies.
- Detailed summary of each interview with verbatim quotes.
- Journey map of mothers.
- Personas of mothers.
Tech SAVVY
The project entailed the qualitative research component of Cenfri’s Skills for the Digital Economy project.
Client: Cenfri and their client, Mastercard Foundation
Country: Kenya
Responsibility:
- Project leader for the qualitative research
- Joint moderator of experimental groups
- Brainstorm partner with the Cenfri team on appropriate methodology and implications of findings.
Objective of the research:
- Quantitatively measure the level of youth digital skills in Kenya, and obtain context surrounding the quality and use of these digital skills to access economic opportunities.
- Assess the current demand for professional digital skills in the Kenyan economy; evaluate the perceptions and attitudes of the youth towards the gig economy.
Scope and methodology:
- Youth digital skills: 13 experimental focus groups:
A task-based experiment was designed to observe and record the digital skills of youth in a controlled and real-time environment. The experiment was conducted in a group setting, but tasks were completed on an individual basis. On completion of the tasks, respondents participated in discussions.
- Professional digital skills: 30 in-depth individual interviews:
Duration of project:
- January and February 2019: Development of baseline and research instruments
- March and April 2019: Fieldwork in Nairobi, Kenya
- May and June 2019: Report preparation.
Deliverables:
- Research report, including case studies and individual profiles.
- Short film of three respondents, filmed in respondents’ own environment.
- Presentation of findings at Expert Roundtable on Skills for the Digital Economy, in Nairobi in May 2019, convened by Cenfri.
Projects with users of digital Platforms and GIG Workers
CRC has conducted three projects on behalf of Cenfri that explored attitudes and perceptions of workers and clients of digital platforms. The first phase of each study was qualitative in nature to identify the needs of users. Cenfri incorporated the findings in survey questionnaires. To ensure that respondents clearly understood the questions and answered appropriately, the questionnaires were tested using an innovative methodology, called Cognitive Action Research. The research was done in collaboration with The Plain Language Institute from South Africa.
Clients: Companies that create digital platforms
Countries: UK, Kenya and Rwanda
Responsibility:
- Project lead
Objective of the study:
- To better understand the experiences and needs of platform users and gig workers
- To inform the design of value-add products
Data collection methodology and sample size:
In person in-depth interview in each country: between 20 and 30 for the qualitative phase; for the Cognitive Action Research, 3 Rounds of 8 interviews each.
Duration of the project:
- Qualitative research: approximately 4 weeks per country for fieldwork and 2 weeks for analysis and report preperation
- Cognitive Action Research: approximately 2 weeks per country
Deliverables:
- Qualitative research: PowerPoint presentation
- Cognitive Action Research: Questionnaire to be used on Survey Monkey
Project TPP
This study explored the use of formal financial products amongst low income earners in South Africa. The original data collection methodology (of focus group discussions) had to be innovatively adapted after a National State of Disaster, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, was declared in South Africa in the third week of the fieldwork.
Client: Bankable Frontiers Associates (BFA) and their client TymeBank, on behalf of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Country: South Africa
Responsibility:
- Project lead
Objective of the study:
Develop Target Product Profiles for digital financial services to direct pro-poor retail systems in South Africa (and other countries in Africa).
Scope and methodology:
- 520 quantitative interviews conducted in Gauteng and KZN.
- 49 in depth qualitative telephone interviews, nationally in urban and rural areas; conducted in the language of choice of respondents.
- 10 mystery shopping interviews at bank outlets in busy shopping malls.
Duration of the project:
February, March and April 2020
Deliverables
- Tables of quantitative figures with graphic interpretations.
- Detailed summary of each in-depth interview with verbatim quotes.
- Written report with recommendations
- PowerPoint presentation
Contact Us
Iske Van den Berg
M.A (RAU) MBL (Unisa)
South Africa
t: +27 83 306 2655
e:iske@iskecrc.co.za