Data Mansah, a mobile-first community of volunteers that aims to provide citizen-generated data for social and economic good, has conducted its second specialised training for its dedicated volunteers. The training, which took place in Freetown on Saturday, October 12 2024, was geared towards enhancing the skills of the volunteers in mobile data collection and survey ethics. ‘Mansah’ means leader in Koranko, one of the local dialects in Sierra Leone.

‘Data Mansahs’ (as the volunteers are commonly called) from nine districts were trained to roll out surveys, adhering to ethical standards to ensure data integrity. This is part of equipping the team “to gather ethical actionable insights on topical issues that can shape citizens’ behaviours and support policy making for a more empowered Sierra Leone.”

Data Mansah’s mission is to empower everyone with citizen-generated data. The network was founded by Dr. Yakama Manty Jones to collect, analyse and share data on topical issues that will complement official statistics for civic education, advocacy and decision-making by multiple stakeholders while building a critical mass of youth with skills in data collection, analysis and related fields.

“I founded Data Mansah because I have learnt that data is important for decision-making,” said Yakama. “The goal is to collect data on topical issues surrounding the economy, human capital development, human welfare, and gender inequality (among others) so that we will be able to complement official statistics for civic education and advocacy.”

Founder of Data Mansah, Dr. Yakama Manty Jones

Training Content and Structure

The training was facilitated by Harry Henry Kargbo, Data Manager at Meraki Analytics SL, a partner of Data Mansah. He taught the participants skills such as planning and conducting surveys, as well as following ethical principles guiding the data collection exercise. Participants also learned how to conduct surveys using mobile phone applications like KoboToolbox.

The training also included group exercises through which the trainees learned to problem-solve based on real-life scenarios similar to what they could experience in the field. It covered areas like informed consent, confidentiality, vulnerable respondents, coercion and honesty. The essence of the exercise was to assess the participants’ initial understanding of the training content.

Training of Data Mansahs by Harry Henry Kargbo

“We wanted to know whether learning had taken place and whether or not they understood,” said Kargbo. Participants also had an interactive session to learn from one another through questions and answers.

Following this training, the Data Mansahs will conduct a survey on the labour market in Sierra Leone. The survey intends to generate citizens’ views on the drivers of employment/ unemployment, the effectiveness of current interventions by the Government and partners, access to job market information, and what is needed to improve the employability of youths. This data would be used for advocacy and engaging policy makers, academia and the private sector.

Testimonies from Participants and Benefits of Becoming a Data Mansah

Nenneh Kadijah Sesay is a final year economics student at Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone and a Data Mansah. She believes she can contribute to the decision-making space with the data she collects with Data Mansah. “The data we gather will be the people’s voice. It will communicate people’s needs and preferences,” said Nenneh.

Nenneh Kadijah Sesay

Joseph Aruna joined the training from Kenema, Eastern Sierra Leone. He has been a Data Mansah for about a year now. “I joined (the team) to enhance decision-making through citizen-generated data,” said Aruna. He appreciates the skills and knowledge he has acquired from Data Mansah and plans on using it to contribute to national development and the empowerment of others.

Joseph Aruna

Data Mansah is on a recruitment drive, searching for committed data enthusiasts who will serve as volunteers. These individuals will gain valuable skills in mobile data collection, data analytics, and dissemination. They will also be recommended for paid data collection interventions and related job opportunities.

Members of Data Mansah

About Data Mansah

Data Mansah collects, analyses and disseminates data on topical issues affecting society and the economy through surveys leveraging hybrid technologies with a focus on mobile data collection. The network aims to be the trusted source for enriched citizen-generated data, complementing official statistics to nurture a society where data-driven insights fuel progress and positive change.

Data Mansah’s membership has grown from 10 inaugural members to 167 across Sierra Leone. It has previously trained and certified 45 youths in mobile data collection techniques. Data Mansah has also rolled out and published findings on things such as The Citizens’ 2023 Wishlist, Top 5 wishes for Sierra Leone in 2023 and Top 5 wishes of Sierra Leoneans for their personal lives.

In 2023, Data Mansah partnered with Sierra Eye and Meraki Analytics to conduct the largest independent opinion poll for the 2023 multi-tier elections in Sierra Leone.

Data Mansah’s vision is to empower leaders through data – to be the driving force behind a society where data-driven insights inspire informed decisions, amplify civic engagement, and transform the next generation of young minds into skilled stewards.

Video highlights from the training can be found here.