Our Unique Approach to Data Collection
At IFA, we ensure that every voice is heard—from urban neighborhoods to the most remote villages in Sierra Leone. Our data collection process is inclusive, participatory, and locally grounded, designed to reflect the lived realities of diverse communities, including persons with disabilities (PDWs), women and girls, and other marginalized groups.
Whether in rural, semi-urban, or urban settings, we hire and train local enumerators who speak the language, understand the culture, and can build trust. This approach not only removes language and accessibility barriers but also enhances the relevance and accuracy of the data we collect, reflecting anticipated impacts in those communities. We prioritize transparency, community ownership, and data quality at every step. Our methodologies emphasize consent, ethical practices, and meaningful participation, especially when working on sensitive issues or with at-risk populations. Our teams are experienced in conducting both quantitative and qualitative research across sectors such as environment, health, education, governance, youth, gender, and livelihoods.
With a robust database of trained enumerators, field coordinators, and translators across West Africa, IFA can rapidly mobilize hundreds of personnel to implement large-scale field campaigns—even in hard-to-reach or post-crisis environments. Our teams are equipped to navigate logistical challenges and ensure no community is left behind—because at IFA, the last village matters just as much as the first.
Why Choose IFA for Data Collection in Sierra Leone
Locally Rooted, Professionally Trained Teams
At IFA, our enumerators, field coordinators, moderators, and translators are more than just data collectors—they are trusted members of the communities we serve. Recruited through a rigorous, merit-based process, our team brings deep local knowledge, cultural fluency, and lived experience. We invest in intensive in-house training to ensure every fieldworker upholds the highest standards of ethics, accuracy, and respect, especially when working on sensitive or high-stakes topics.
Proven Expertise in Complex, Inclusive Fieldwork
IFA has a solid track record of managing large-scale, complex data collection campaigns—often in some of the most remote and underserved areas of Sierra Leone. From fragile settings to fast-moving evaluations, we navigate challenges with flexibility and accuracy. Our inclusive methodology ensures that no voice is left out, reaching women, youth, persons with disabilities, and marginalized groups, even in the last mile. We bring data home from where others can’t reach.
Quality You Can Trust, Evidence You Can Act On
Our commitment to data quality is uncompromising. We design tools on trusted digital platforms such as SurveyCTO and KoboCollect, with embedded logic, skip patterns, and validation rules. Every project includes real-time checks, spot audits, back-checks, and GPS/audio verification to ensure integrity. We don’t just collect data—we produce evidence that decision-makers and communities can rely on.
Rapid Deployment, at anytime, anywhere in Sierra Leone
With a pre-vetted network of hundreds of trained enumerators, IFA can quickly mobilize research teams across Sierra Leone. Our operational systems are built on a scale, from small qualitative studies to nationwide surveys, without compromising quality or community trust.
Our Data Collection Services
At Information For All (IFA), we offer a full range of customizable, high-quality data services designed for development partners, government agencies, researchers, businesses, and civil society organizations working in Sierra Leone and across West Africa. Whether you’re measuring community impact, designing a new program, or responding to a crisis, we deliver data you can trust—fast, inclusive, and actionable.
- Large-Scale Surveys (Quantitative Fieldwork)
We design and implement multi-district and nationwide surveys, managing every stage—from tool design and translation to real-time monitoring and clean datasets. With hundreds of trained enumerators and supervisors in our network, we can reach thousands of respondents, including hard-to-reach rural populations. Our use of digital platforms (e.g., SurveyCTO, KoboCollect) ensures secure, error-reduced, GPS-tracked data collection.
- Qualitative Research & Human-Centered Insights
IFA specializes in Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), Key Informant Interviews (KIIs), participatory community dialogues, and ethnographic-style observation. We ensure diverse voices are captured, especially youth, women, people with disabilities, and other marginalized groups, bringing depth and context to every dataset. Our trained facilitators use inclusive techniques to foster open, safe, and insightful conversations.
- Phone & SMS-Based Surveys
During outbreaks such as Ebola, COVID-19, and Mpox in Sierra Leone, IFA continued to reach communities using remote data collection tools. We conduct structured phone interviews, IVR (Interactive Voice Response) surveys, and SMS polls to capture timely insights when face-to-face access is restricted. We work with mobile network partners to ensure broad coverage and inclusivity, even in low-literacy populations.