Evidence from our work, grounded in practice.

A humanitarian cash-for-education initiative sought to increase school attendance among children displaced by Boko Haram conflict in Northern Nigeria. Many of these children had dropped out due to insecurity, poverty, or being forced into labor. Our task was to establish a baseline and endline evaluation framework to understand how cash transfers influenced education outcomes.

We carried out quantitative household surveys across three states, with a sample size of 1,200 households. These were complemented by FGDs with caregivers and in-depth interviews with teachers and school heads. Indicators included enrollment rates, attendance frequency, financial stress, and coping strategies.

At baseline, only 43% of school-aged children in target households were attending school regularly. By endline, attendance had risen to 72%. Reports of early child labor dropped, and over 60% of caregivers said the cash reduced school-related stress.

Our findings informed a revised disbursement model synchronizing transfers with school terms and supported policy advocacy that led to a pilot long-term education subsidy for internally displaced children.

The client aimed to assess the baseline status and final outcomes of a rural WASH intervention in 20 under-resourced primary schools. The program intended to improve hygiene, water access, and sanitation facilities to reduce absenteeism and water-borne disease among schoolchildren.

Research360 Africa designed and executed a baseline and endline study combining observational checklists, hygiene behavior surveys, and self-assessment tools for students. We also held key informant interviews with headteachers and maintenance staff to understand facility upkeep and water source reliability.

At baseline, 60% of schools lacked functional water sources, and latrine-to-pupil ratios averaged 1:110. Many pupils reported missing class due to diarrheal illness. By endline, water access had improved in 18 of the 20 schools, and latrine ratios were brought down to 1:48. Hygiene knowledge among pupils improved markedly.

The findings supported a national-level grant proposal to scale similar WASH infrastructure in hard-to-reach communities. The study also highlighted best practices in maintenance and community ownership that were later built into future project designs.

Our partner wanted to measure the effectiveness of a vocational training program focused on agribusiness for unemployed youth in two agricultural regions. The objective was to track how the training affected employment, income generation, and entrepreneurial behavior.

We used a longitudinal panel design, enrolling 500 youth participants and tracking their progress over two agricultural cycles. Data tools included structured surveys, income diaries, and key informant interviews with local business mentors and cooperative leaders. The study was conducted in both highland and lowland agrarian zones for comparative insights.

At baseline, only 18% of participants reported any form of income-generating activity. Post-training, this number rose to 41%, with 33% crediting the program directly for enabling them to start agribusiness ventures. Access to microcredit and confidence in applying farming innovations also improved significantly.

The study provided the evidence needed to scale the training program to three more districts. It also helped redesign curriculum components to better align with local crop cycles and market needs, making vocational skills more relevant for rural youth.

The client needed a clearer picture of why maternal healthcare uptake remained low among South Sudanese refugee women in Ugandan border settlements. The objective was to inform the design of more culturally sensitive health outreach.

We conducted 400 structured interviews with refugee women of reproductive age and held 24 focus groups with midwives, traditional birth attendants, and youth representatives. “We used journey-mapping techniques to track their experience from pregnancy to postnatal care.

Only 27% of women reported accessing formal antenatal services. Fear of unfamiliar clinic procedures, language barriers, and lack of female healthcare staff were major deterrents. Traditional beliefs around birthing remained strong, especially among new arrivals.

Insights helped design a new community outreach strategy involving female translators and mobile midwife clinics. The study’s results also shaped a cross-border maternal health harmonization policy adopted by multiple stakeholders.

The client aimed to map child nutrition outcomes and food insecurity trends in Nairobi’s informal settlements. Prior data was fragmented and outdated, and localized insights were needed to shape targeted health interventions.

We conducted 1,200 household surveys across three major slum areas. Enumerators used tablet-based tools with GPS tagging to map food sources and malnutrition hotspots. Anthropometric measurements were also taken for children under five.

The mapping informed the placement of new nutrition clinics and community feeding points. It also supported a local government proposal to regulate school snack vendors in high-risk zones.

The objective was to generate real-time livestock trade data across informal cross-border corridors to help mitigate price volatility and support pastoralist livelihoods.

We worked with 15 market monitors across border towns and pastoral hubs. Weekly data was collected using SMS-based forms on herd movements, livestock prices, and trader feedback. Data was triangulated through focus groups and trader associations.

The client needed to understand the current reach, service quality, and unmet demand for family planning services across rural and peri-urban health zones.

We completed 2,500 exit interviews at public and private health facilities. Data was collected using KoboToolbox and linked to geospatial mapping. Youth and male partners were specifically targeted as often-overlooked groups.

Insights led to the roll-out of “male-friendly” family planning corners and peer-led counseling for adolescents. District health officers also used our dashboard to track stockouts and improve supply planning.

In the early stages of COVID-19, there was a lack of data on how gender roles, care burdens, and economic shocks were affecting women and girls across urban and rural contexts.

We implemented a mixed-methods rapid assessment using phone interviews, digital polls, and SMS prompts. The sample included 1,000 women across five regions, segmented by age, employment status, and household type.

To better understand employment dynamics in urban informal settlements, our client required real-time data on income sources, work conditions, and vulnerability levels among informal workers. Previous estimates were outdated and failed to capture shifts due to urban migration, youth unemployment, and post-COVID disruptions.

We deployed a multi-city data collection effort across three major slums in Kenya. Using a hybrid sampling model combining GPS-based enumeration and snowball referrals, our team surveyed over 3,200 informal workers, including domestic workers, boda-boda riders, vendors, and waste recyclers. Enumerators were recruited locally and trained to navigate ethical concerns, safety, and respondent fatigue. In addition to CAPI-administered surveys, we used digital diaries with 100 participants to track daily income and expenditure fluctuations over 30 days.

Our client needed granular, localized data on health access among nomadic and semi-nomadic communities in the arid Afar and Somali regions of Ethiopia. Existing national health datasets lacked reach into these mobile populations, creating blind spots in service delivery planning.

We deployed mobile data collection teams on motorcycles and camels, covering 34 hard-to-reach kebeles. Enumerators, recruited locally and trained in basic health protocols, used GPS-enabled tablets to capture data on health-seeking behavior, distance to facilities, immunization coverage, maternal care, and traditional healing practices. We also used participatory mapping with elders to understand seasonal migration routes and health barriers.

In response to worsening food insecurity and rising inflation, our partner commissioned a rapid data collection project to assess household coping strategies and market price dynamics in conflict-affected regions. Traditional monitoring systems were disrupted, and real-time visibility was urgently required.

We trained local enumerators and partnered with agro-dealers to collect weekly market data in 18 markets across Centre-Nord, Sahel, and Est regions. Simultaneously, we surveyed 1,800 households using mobile surveys, capturing food consumption scores, dietary diversity, debt levels, and school meal reliance. A subset of households participated in SMS-based monthly trackers for trend validation.

A coalition of partners launched a multi-platform sexual and reproductive health (SRH) campaign for adolescents, including radio messaging, school clubs, and peer educators. “The evaluation aimed to assess awareness, behavior change, and service uptake.

We surveyed 1,500 adolescents aged 13–19 and conducted FGDs with teachers, peer educators, and health workers. We also used clinic record audits to track changes in SRH service uptake across intervention and control schools.

Awareness of SRH rights increased by 46%. There was a 30% rise in contraceptive uptake among sexually active teens. Teachers and parents reported more open dialogue on SRH. However, some resistance was observed in conservative communities, prompting further engagement strategies.

A global education foundation implemented a two-year digital learning project across 40 rural primary schools, providing tablets, e-learning content, and teacher training. The client commissioned an impact assessment to determine the program’s effects on learning outcomes, teaching practices, and digital literacy among pupils.

We applied a quasi-experimental design using matched control schools for comparison. Standardized literacy and numeracy assessments were administered at baseline and endline to over 1,500 pupils. Classroom observations, interviews with teachers, and focus groups with students were conducted to understand pedagogical shifts and technology usage. The theory of change model guided the indicator selection and attribution analysis.

Pupils in intervention schools showed a 21% improvement in literacy scores, compared to 9% in control schools. Teachers reported increased confidence using digital tools and more interactive lesson delivery. However, electricity access and device maintenance remained key bottlenecks in several schools. Girls' digital usage increased significantly, closing earlier gender gaps in access.

An international NGO aimed to assess the long-term impact of its women-led Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) program on household resilience, asset accumulation, and gender relations three years post-intervention.

We applied a contribution analysis method, tracing pathways between participation in VSLAs and observed outcomes. A mixed-methods approach included household surveys with 800 past VSLA members, FGDs with women and their spouses, and key informant interviews with community leaders. We also used recall-based income and shock-response profiling to assess resilience.

Over 65% of participants reported increased savings and diversified income sources. Households in the program were twice as likely to report recovering quickly from financial shocks, such as illness or crop failure. Women reported improved decision-making power in the home, though tensions with spouses emerged in some cases where financial dynamics had shifted. Many groups evolved into informal cooperatives or joint businesses.

A major international health donor partnered with the national government to strengthen Ethiopia’s primary healthcare delivery. Our role was to provide third-party Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) over a 3-year period, ensuring timely feedback loops and accountability for all activities implemented across 5 regions.

We developed a structured M&E framework aligned with OECD-DAC criteria - tracking inputs, outputs, outcomes, and unintended effects. Field teams conducted quarterly data collection through health facility surveys, direct observation, patient exit interviews, and health worker performance audits. In addition, mobile-based dashboards were used to streamline monthly reporting from health posts and district health offices.

The project achieved 78% of its planned output targets, including improved availability of essential drugs and expanded immunization coverage. However, issues emerged with staff retention in rural areas and delays in replenishing maternal health supplies. Real-time data flagged these problems early, allowing for immediate remedial action.

Our continuous feedback loop enabled adaptive programming. For example, after identifying low antenatal care visits in Somali region, mobile clinics were rapidly deployed. By year three, those visits had increased by 46%. Additionally, our final evaluation highlighted sustainability gaps in local capacity-building, informing the donor’s next cycle of investments.

A donor consortium funding grassroots initiatives in rural Uganda needed to ensure that small NGOs could track and report on their results effectively. Many lacked basic M&E systems, leading to inconsistent data and poor visibility of impact.

We designed and delivered a six-month mentorship program targeting 15 local NGOs. The program included in-person workshops, field-based coaching, and M&E system audits. “Each partner received tailored support to develop logframes, data tools, indicator definitions, and internal reporting structures.

All 15 NGOs successfully developed operational M&E plans and began submitting quarterly reports using standard formats. The quality of data improved across the board, with better alignment between activities and reported outputs. Peer learning among NGOs fostered new collaborations and efficiency.

Donors noted improved accountability and used the success to scale funding to an additional 10 local partners. Several NGOs were able to secure new grants based on their strengthened M&E systems.

A major international NGO implemented a youth entrepreneurship program in northern Nigeria targeting unemployed youth. After the first year, a process evaluation was commissioned to understand whether the program was being delivered as planned and where improvements were needed.

We reviewed training delivery logs, observed classroom sessions, interviewed trainers and participants, and analyzed time-use patterns. Key process indicators included trainer preparedness, curriculum coverage, and dropout rates. We also tracked linkages between training and mentorship support.

While training quality was generally high, 40% of participants lacked follow-up mentoring, and several locations were delivering outdated business models. Participants requested more practical modules and exposure to digital tools. These gaps had not been visible in routine monitoring.

The implementing agency restructured its mentorship model, updated training materials, and added a digital marketing module. The evaluation prevented implementation drift and contributed to higher participant satisfaction in subsequent cycles.

A reproductive health program targeting adolescent girls needed third-party monitoring to ensure outreach quality, clinic accessibility, and service uptake. We were contracted to provide quarterly monitoring support over 18 months in Nampula and Zambézia provinces.

We conducted spot checks in schools, youth centers, and health clinics. Interviews with adolescent girls, SRHR providers, and parents helped track satisfaction, trust, and cultural barriers. We also analyzed service data from district clinics to monitor trends.

While outreach coverage was strong, only 48% of adolescent girls felt comfortable accessing services. Clinics reported increased demand for contraception, but privacy and judgmental staff were cited as major barriers. Cultural resistance was also reported in remote areas.

The findings prompted youth-centered training for clinic staff and the introduction of female-only service hours. Program implementers also redesigned peer educator materials for better cultural sensitivity. Our quarterly briefs kept funders informed of evolving needs and adaptation progress.

A global NGO implementing a vocational skills programme for out-of-school youth in Eastern Uganda sought a mid-term evaluation to assess implementation fidelity, training relevance, and employment outcomes. The goal was to ensure the program remained on track and responsive to changing economic conditions.

We deployed a mixed-methods evaluation across three districts, engaging 600 youth through structured surveys, while also conducting FGDs with trainers, local employers, and program managers. We applied a results-based management lens and developed a customized scorecard to track performance across key indicators-employment status, income levels, and skill application. The evaluation also reviewed training curricula against labor market demand.

Only 48% of trained youth had transitioned into income-generating activities, with major gaps in job linkage support and limited access to start-up capital. However, satisfaction with training content was high (87%), and youth reported improved confidence and soft skills. Employers noted mismatches between the training provided and market expectations in areas such as digital literacy and customer service.

The evaluation informed a program redesign that included internship placements, private sector partnerships, and entrepreneurship support. The client also shifted to a modular training model to allow faster adaptation to emerging skills needs.

As part of a multi-agency health response in Dadaab refugee camps, the client sought real-time monitoring of outreach efforts to track service delivery, stock levels, and uptake of maternal and child health services across camp zones.

We established a mobile-based data collection system integrated with a live Power BI dashboard. Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) used ODK-enabled tablets to record data from each household visit. Monitoring covered ANC visits, immunization rates, family planning uptake, and availability of key supplies like ORS and contraceptives. Weekly data reviews were held with field supervisors for validation and action.

Monitoring showed high dropout between first and fourth ANC visits (only 32% completion), low male engagement in family planning discussions, and frequent shortages of iron supplements. However, immunization uptake remained above 90%. Response time to stock-outs reduced from over two weeks to 72 hours.

The system enabled rapid course correction. CHV routes were redesigned to improve follow-ups, male-targeted messaging was introduced, and logistics partners improved supply chain responsiveness. The dashboard is now used as a template for other humanitarian health programs in the region.

An international NGO launched a program in Johannesburg and Cape Town to expand adolescent access to mental health services through school-based counselling, peer support clubs, and digital helplines. A monitoring system was needed to track usage patterns, identify service gaps, and evaluate early-stage outcomes.

We developed a mixed-methods M&E framework, including weekly digital tracking via mobile apps, monthly session logs by counsellors, and quarterly SMS surveys to adolescents (n=500). Data was disaggregated by gender, school, and age bracket. A feedback mechanism using anonymous suggestion boxes helped collect qualitative insights from youth.

Service uptake was highest among girls aged 13–16, while boys showed low engagement. Anxiety and exam stress were the most commonly reported issues. Peer clubs had stronger participation than hotline services. Students recommended more after-school availability and sessions in local languages.

Our partner aimed to design a youth empowerment program targeting Nairobi’s informal settlements. However, there was limited data on what skills young people desired, what employers required, and what barriers existed. We were commissioned to conduct a comprehensive needs assessment to inform program design and stakeholder engagement.

The study used a multi-pronged approach involving 800 youth respondents across Kibera, Mathare, and Mukuru. We also conducted 30 key informant interviews with employers, local government officers, and training institutions. FGDs explored perceptions of opportunity, constraints, and trust in current service providers. Special attention was paid to the intersection of gender, education level, and digital inclusion.

The most demanded skills were digital literacy, plumbing, catering, and salon work. However, 67% of youth said cost and lack of information blocked access to training. Employers expressed concern over poor soft skills such as punctuality and communication. Only 22% of young women felt safe traveling to training centers after 5 p.m., and very few had consistent internet access.

The findings guided the partner to establish mobile training units within settlements and introduce evening classes with safety escorts. The program also included life skills coaching and subsidized childcare. Our needs assessment became the foundation of the donor proposal, which secured funding for a three-year urban livelihoods program targeting over 5,000 youth.

Our partner planned to roll out a subsidized input distribution scheme targeting smallholder farmers affected by erratic weather and pest infestations. However, before launching, they needed clear data on what inputs were most needed, access barriers, and the local distribution ecosystem. We were brought in to conduct a robust needs assessment.

We surveyed 1,200 smallholder farmers across four districts using structured questionnaires and GPS-assisted farm observations. Key informant interviews were conducted with local agro-dealers, extension workers, and cooperatives. Special modules assessed gendered differences in land ownership, input access, and decision-making power within farming households.

The most requested inputs were drought-tolerant maize, fertilizer, and pesticide kits. Only 38% of women-headed households had accessed extension services in the past year. Many respondents highlighted delayed input availability, long travel distances to markets, and low trust in government supply chains. The assessment also uncovered post-harvest losses due to lack of proper storage.

The insights led the implementing partner to create a tiered input voucher system, coupled with mobile delivery trucks to reach remote areas. The program also incorporated training on storage solutions and allocated more extension workers specifically to women farmers. Our report played a central role in designing a more gender-responsive and efficient input subsidy model.

A donor consortium sought to launch a re-entry education program for adolescents who had dropped out of school, particularly in underserved rural districts. They required a needs assessment to understand the causes of dropout, the learning needs of adolescents, and feasible re-engagement pathways.

We conducted surveys with 800 out-of-school adolescents and their guardians, along with interviews with school officials, community leaders, and local education officers. Focus group discussions were held separately with boys and girls to explore gendered dimensions of dropout. We also analyzed secondary data from district education offices.

The leading causes of dropout included early marriage (38% of girls), long travel distances to school, economic hardship, and negative peer influence. Most adolescents expressed willingness to return to school if flexible learning models were introduced. Guardians, while supportive in principle, cited the need for their children to contribute to household income. Teachers and headmasters indicated that few schools had resources to accommodate re-entry learners.

A public health NGO planned to extend primary healthcare services to nomadic pastoralist communities in Northern Kenya. To guide service design and deployment, they commissioned a needs assessment to map out health challenges, access barriers, and community preferences in these mobile populations.

Our team adopted a mobile ethnographic research approach, shadowing pastoralist groups over several weeks. We conducted structured interviews with 400 community members, traditional birth attendants, and local healers, and reviewed clinic records from three sub-county hospitals. Participatory mapping and seasonal calendar tools were used to understand health-seeking behavior across migration cycles.

The assessment revealed that maternal and child health issues were the most pressing, with high incidences of preventable complications due to poor antenatal care and reliance on traditional medicine. Access barriers included long distances to health facilities, lack of culturally appropriate services, and distrust of external healthcare workers. Vaccination uptake was particularly low among children under five, and gender norms restricted women’s autonomy in seeking care.

The client, an urban poverty reduction initiative, aimed to map the socio-economic conditions of residents in Nairobi’s informal settlements to inform equitable budgeting and service provision. The study focused on areas with high population density, insecure tenure, and poor access to services.

We conducted over 1,200 household surveys across four major slums (Kibera, Mathare, Mukuru, and Korogocho). We collected data on income sources, food security, education, housing conditions, and vulnerability to eviction or shocks. In-depth interviews and community forums enriched the quantitative findings with lived experiences.

An international NGO sought to evaluate the socio-economic recovery of conflict-affected households in North Kivu, focusing on livelihoods, market participation, and access to services. The goal was to design long-term reintegration programs for returnees and host communities.

Using a mix of household surveys, focus groups, and market mapping tools, we profiled 900 households in conflict-prone zones. We assessed income recovery, food security, coping strategies, and asset rebuilding. Special attention was given to female-headed households, demobilized youth, and internally displaced persons (IDPs).

Over 70% of respondents had no stable income source. Subsistence farming had resumed but yields were 38% lower than pre-conflict averages. Markets were disrupted, and access to microcredit remained limited. Social cohesion indicators were low, with persistent tensions over land.

A regional foundation working on youth development wanted to understand barriers to employment among out-of-school youth, especially in coastal towns affected by declining fishing incomes. The study aimed to identify training gaps and alternative livelihood options.

We surveyed 600 youth aged 18–30 and conducted FGDs with jobseekers, employers, and vocational trainers. We used a skills mapping matrix to assess formal and informal competencies and conducted value chain assessments for key local industries.

Only 21% of youth had completed secondary education, and 64% lacked any formal training. Fishing declines had displaced many traditional livelihoods, yet tourism, agro-processing, and crafts were underexploited. Women faced double exclusion due to childcare burdens and mobility constraints.

The study led to the development of tailored vocational programs in agro-tourism and small-scale manufacturing. It also influenced donor funding for coastal youth entrepreneurship and informed a local youth policy review process.

During the prolonged drought period, a humanitarian consortium needed rapid socio-economic data to inform relief prioritization. The focus was on asset loss, income disruption, food security, and market functioning.

We designed a high-frequency phone survey using a rotating panel of 1,000 households. The tool collected weekly data on food prices, consumption, water access, and coping strategies. Remote qualitative interviews with community leaders and traders complemented the data.

Cereal prices had tripled in two months, with 78% of households skipping meals. Livestock mortality surged, and local markets had collapsed in several zones. Over 60% of respondents reported selling productive assets, indicating severe distress.

A women’s empowerment network commissioned a study to explore how rural women were participating in economic life and what barriers they faced in accessing credit, markets, and land.

We used a feminist research lens, combining 700 structured surveys with storytelling interviews. We analyzed access to productive resources, time use, decision-making autonomy, and informal work burdens. Participatory rural appraisals helped map gendered value chains.

Women spent an average of 9 hours/day on unpaid work. Only 15% owned land, and fewer than 10% accessed formal credit. Despite this, women led 60% of microenterprises in poultry, crafts, and vegetable sales. Patriarchal norms and limited mobility constrained scale-up.