Mobile Monitoring Technology for Rural Development in Malawi and Senegal

The Hunger Project (THP) is an international non-profit organization that works to end hunger and poverty through sustainable, grassroots, women-centered strategies. Since its establishment in 1977, THP’s program activities have reached more than 24,000 villages across 12 countries.  However, collecting accurate monitoring and evaluation data in these rural communities require extensive coordination and resources. Despite recent technological advancements in mobile data monitoring, much of THP’s quarterly data collection is still paper-based – adding considerable time and risk of error to accurate data collection. 

In the fall of 2014, The Hunger Project enlisted a team of six student consultants from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) to develop and pilot a mobile monitoring tool, which could replace the organization’s paper-based quarterly data collection system. The SIPA team was also tasked with designing a scale-up strategy for implementing the tool across THP’s eight Africa program countries. To fulfill the project objectives, the team utilized a mixed methodology of desk review, interviews, and site visits to Malawi and Senegal. 

The SIPA team’s final report assesses the strengths and weaknesses of the current THP M&E quarterly data collection process, limitations of African Internet and cellular networks, and makes recommendations for implementing and scaling-up the use of mobile technology in THP’s quarterly data collection.