RISD PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE

RISD has extensive previous experience in participating in quantitative and qualitative studies.

  1. Since January 2020: Initial evaluation of  Venture37 project on “the Integrated Management of Fall Army Warm on maize in the Democratic Republic of Congo”.

RISD is working with IMC Worldwide Inc.on  this project, which is being implemented by Venture37 and funded by USAID. This study is being conducted by RISD in the provinces of Eastern Kasai (Miabi Territories, Tshilenge, Kabeya Kamuanga and Katanda), Lomami (Ngandajika, Luilu, Kamiji and Lubao territories), Nagorno-Katanga (Kipushi, Kambove, Kasenga, Sakanya)  and South Kivu Territories   (Uvira, Kabare, Walungu and Kaleheterritories). RISD’s role is to contribute to the literature analysis (review of the literature in French), to conduct qualitative surveys (Project Gender Analysis, Analysis of the situation related to the management of the CLA) and quantitative surveys (surveys of small households producing maize). To do this,, electronic data collection tools are used in this case recorders, the phone for telephone surveys during the emergency state period and Android tablets equipped with ODK Collect software. In addition to this, RISD’s role is to recruit and train field teams (investigators and supervisors) in all provinces concerned, to prepare training modules for field teams, to sample villages and households, to participate in the preparation and cleaning of the questionnaire, to ensure quality control of the data collected, to ensure the logistics of data collection and to write the report of the collection process.

  1. From December 2017 up today: Études des cas sur “Local humanitarian action in the Democratic Republic of Congo : capacity and complementarity in South-Kivu and Kasaï Central” (décembre 2018 – mars 2019) ; “ Collective approaches to risk communication and community engagement in the Ebola Response in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo” (Janvier 2020 – Septembre 2020) ; “Understanding Coordination and Leadership to the Response to Democratic Republic of Congo Ebola Virus Disease in South Kivu, North Kivu and ITURI Provinces” (En cours)

Indeed, RISD is working with the Humanitarian Policy Group  (HPG) of  the Overseas Development Institute  (ODI) to conduct these case studies in  the  provinces  du of  South Kivu,  North Kivu,Kasai Central  and    Ituri. These studies have received funding fromODI, UNICEF and USAID..  RISD’s role  is to contribute to the literature review,  recruit and train research consultants, oversee the collection of qualitative data (with key figures and focus groups) and conduct interviews, monitor the quality of the data, and contribute to the production of the final report of each study. To date, more than one hundred interviews with key informants and focus groups have been conducted with national, international civil society organizations and state structures involved in Humanitarian Action and Response.  These studies were conducted after receiving the approval of the competent authorities at all levels including the coordination of the response (OCHA), the National Ethics Committee, etc.

  1. From May 2020 up today: Mid-term evaluation of the performance of the “Feed the Future, Strengthening Value Chains” project run by the TETRA TECH-led Consortium in South Kivu.

This evaluation was conducted by RISD, in partnership with ME-A/PEEL (Program Evaluation for Effectivenes and Learning)/USAID in the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Kivu, Kabare, Kalehe and Walungu Territories. RISD’s role was to support the recruitment process for Local Consultants, provide a Deputy Field Coordinator and Evaluation Specialist, coordinate the entire work of National Consultants, ensure quality control of notes taken by National Consultants, produce an FCR table, manage the logistics of evaluation and track the online survey. The sample size was nineties-six (96) focus groups (FGD) and interviews with key characters (KII) and 1003 CATI surveys.

The tools used in this evaluation are the Dictaphones for FGDs and KIIs and maintenance guides. The CATI survey used the ARCGIS platform. All required approvals were obtained from the authorities and maintenance and surveys were conducted with SVCA project clients and partners at all levels.

  1. February 2020: Final evaluation of the project “Young Burundian Refugees for Information, Dialogue and Peaceful Coexistence” run by

This evaluation was carried out by RISD on behalf of Internews, which is implementing the project in the Democratic Republic of Congo under the funding of the European Commission. To this end, investigations were carried out at the Sites of Burundian Refugees and in the host communities of Lusenda, Mulongwe, Uvira, Sange and Kamanyola. A mixed methodological approach was used combining both qualitative and quantitative research to better understand the means acquired by Burundian refugees and host communities to express their opinions and the level of acceptance of refugee and host communities through dialogue and information sharing. The qualitative approach includes focus groups (FG) and interviews with key people (KII), while the survey was conducted to collect quantitative data. The research conducted 20 KII and 8FG and a survey of a sample of 293 people. In total, the study affected 391 people, 45.8% of whom were women1. RISD’s role was to carry out this evaluation by participating in the design of the methodological approach, the design and programming of the survey questionnaire in the KoboCollect software; coordination, cleaning and analysis of qualitative and quantitative results; production of the evaluation report. Prior to this study, visas and authorizations from provincial and local authorities were obtained.

  1. From August 2018 to September 2019: study on the effects of coupons for essential household items (AME) of the Rapid Response to Population Movements (RRMP) programme on socio-economic measures and on the health of beneficiaries’ households in the programme’s intervention areas.

Thisstudy  was conductede  on behalf of UNICEF/DRC in partnership with Bukavu Catholic University, New York University, Simons University, Wageningen University and 3IE. RISD’s role was to recruit and train investigators and supervisors, coordinate and supervise collection in North Kivu in the territories of Beni, Masisi, Walikale,  Lubero  and Rutshuru;  Organizing meetings with Health Zones/Zones, training local nurses to collect anthropometric data on children aged 0 to 5; contribution to data analysis, data development  and presentation of results. The samplesize, consisting of all displaced households in the community and individuals Panel, was 3,000 households. The tools used for this research were among other things for anthropometric measurements: Hemocue, Test strips, Toises carpets, balances, Receptacle, TDR boxes, test boxes, UAC. OdK Collect software was used to collect data in the field using tablets. Prior to the conduct of this study, approvals were obtained from the relevant authorities including the Ministry of Health and the Provincial Division of Health of North Kivu, the facilitators of health facilities in the territories of  Beni, Masisi, Walikale,  Lubero and Rutshuru..

  1. From October 2018 to the present: Project Studies and Assessments:  “Integrated Youth Development Activity  –  IYDA””

RISD is working with education Development Center  (EDC) to  conduct  studies and evaluations of the USAID Integrated Youth Development (ADIJ) Project in the DRC. These l’ studies/assessments  refer  to the Analysis of gender, contextual risks, cohesion factors, educational needs, analysis of potential public or private partnerships,  and studies of learners’  cohorts..  For each cohort of project learners  in the     School Catch-up Centres (CRS))  and professional  learning centres   (CAP),)qualitative and quantitative surveys  are  conducted annually to assess theirknowledge. Qualitative  data   are also  collected from key des senior des  staff and focus groups made up  of  CRS, CAP,  des  student parents,  local leaders and students themselves.

To date, five studies/assessments have been conducted on behalf of this project. RISD’s role is to carry out all the research and evaluations related to the ADIJ project, recruit and train investigators, conduct pilot testing and field collection activities, provide logistics for all collection activities, develop data collection tools, schedule the ODK Collect questionnaire, conduct and supervise the collection of qualitative and quantitative data in North and South Kivu (in Goma, Bukavu, Walungu, Kabare and Kalehe) and produce the reports. On average, the sample for each study/assessment is 1,500 individuals. All the authorisations required from the competent authorities of the country have always been sought and acquired before the conduct of the activities.

  1. Octobre 2018 – août 2020 : (1) “Assessing the Impact of Industry Due Diligence in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo: Understanding and Reinforcing Women’s Vital Roles in Mining Communities” (“Study”). (2) Gender dimensions of COVID in Artisanal and Small-Scale MiningTowns in DRC (“Study”)

Since 2018, RISD has been working with Harvard University’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital  (BWH) to assess the impact of the mining industry’s due diligence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (North and South Kivu) as well as the Gender Analysis in the  COVID context in artisanal and small-scale mining areas in the Democratic Republic of Congo. RISD’s  roleis to recruit and train investigators; to participate in the design, cleaning and programming of questionnaires in the Kobo Collect software; to collect qualitative and quantitative data from mining stakeholders;     overall coordination ofthe study and logistics management of the collection. The sample size  was  3,500 miners and other players involved in the mining sector. These surveys were carried out partly face-to-face using tablets, but also on telephones during  the period of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study was approved by the ethics committee of Harvard University and the approvals of the local authorities of the DRC were obtained beforehand.

  1. June 2019 up today : Morality, Authority, and Empathy: How to Elicit Altruism toward the Internally Displaced

Since June 2019, RISD has worked with New York University in Abu-Dhabi in a study on: “Morality, Authority, and Empathy: How to Elicit Altruism towards the Internally Displaced”. The study, which is still ongoing, is being carried out in South Kivu among 2,800 households in 15 villages in Kalehe territory. The study seeks to understand the level of altruism of host families towards IDPs depending on whether there is co-ethnicity or not. RISD’s task is to recruit and train investigators, coordinate the project, manage the logistics of collection, program and deploy the questionnaire in ODK Collect, collect quantitative data and load data collected on the server. This study received approval from the New York University Ethics Committee and approvals from local authorities were obtained prior to the conduct of the study.

  1. May 2016 – June 2018: Final assessment of the African Enterprise Challenge (AECF), an agricultural and   food and social security project in eastern and western DRC

This evaluation was conducted in North Kivu and Tshopo province by RISD in partnership with AGRA,  Ecorys,  Esco-Kivuand  Wangeningen  University..  The overall purpose of the AECF evaluation  was to know where, when, for whom, how and why investment approaches work in different contexts. Approximately 1,000 households (400 beneficiaries and 600 control households)  were surveyed in both provinces..

RISD’s role was to clearly identify the impacts of AECF’s interventions (development and systemic, positive and negative, intentional and unintentional) on the various stakeholders involved (e.g. farmers, smallholders, etc.). To do this, RISD’s tasks were to clean up the survey questionnaire in collaboration with the University of Wangeningen, to manage the logistics of data collection, to recruit and train enumerators, to supervise field collection teams, to sample households, to ensure quality of data collected and sent to the server. The collection was done on tablet using the ODK  ODK  Collectsoftware. All authorities required authorizations in both provinces were obtained prior to the conduct of the study.

  1. January 2015 – July 2015: Research on sharing social networks in rural DRC for agricultural inputs and the chance of dissemination between farmers

The purpose of this research was to evaluate social networks to determine who among the population would be best placed to disseminate new agricultural inputs and technologies. This study was conducted by RISD in partnership with Wangeningen University (funded by the Dutch Government) in South Kivu (Kabare, Walungu, Mwenga, Uvira, Kalehe). The study was conducted in 40 villages, among 3000 households. RISD’s role was: recruitment  and training of investigators, cleaning up the survey questionnaire,  managing the logistics of data collection, supervising field collection teams, sampling households, distributing inputs (fertilisers), ensuring quality of data collected and sent to the server. The data was collected by tablet using the  ODK  Collectsoftware.

  1. January 2017 – July 2017: Study on Gender-Based Conflict and Sexual Violence in South Kivu, DRC

Conducted by RISD in collaboration with the University konstanz  (funded by the German Bank of Development), this study also had a behavioural analysis component that assessedsthe level of compassion of respondents towards victims of sexual violence. It was conducted in South Kivu, in the territories of Kalehe and Fizi with 1000 households and 100 village chiefs. RISD’s role was the administrative and technical management of the project,  the recruitment and training of investigators, the cleaning and translation of the survey questionnaire, the logistical management of data collection, the supervision of field collection teams, the sampling of households, the cleaning of the collected data and their sending to the server. The data was collected electronically using the tablets in which the  ODK  Collect software was installed.

  1. June 2016 – September 2016: Study on social norms, conflicts and gender in eastern DRC, security and socio-economic aspects.

This study was conducted by RISD in partnership with Columbia University  in South Kivu in the territories of Uvira and Walungu. It was a mixed study in which qualitative and quantitative data were collected.. The qualitative surveys were conducted in 20 villages where interviews were conducted with  40  focus groups and  40 individual interviews with key figures (village chiefs). .  Quantitative data were collected during interviews. RISD’s role was to recruit and train investigators, participate in the development and translation of the maintenance guide, coordinate,, supervise field data collection  and  logistics management. The tools used for data collection included recorders (dictaphones) and image boxes.

  1. June 2014 – June 2016: Youth training on peace and capacitation of English teachers in South Kivu

RISD, in partnership with the U.S. Embassy has trained several cohorts of young people on peace and has ability English teachers from South Kivu. plusieurs cohortes de RISD’s role was to design training modules, recruit training consultants, supervise training, manage logistics, issue  certificates  to participants, create peace and English learning clubs, and finally

  1. September 2014 – October 2014: Evaluation of the Kahawa Bora ya Kivu project and Gender Inclusion:

In partnership with the Eastern Congo Initiative, RISD conducted the evaluation study of the Kahawa Bora Ya Kivu project in the territories of Kabare, Kalehe and Idjwi. The objective of this study was to understand gender differences within coffee farming cooperatives in partnership with ECI and to consider mechanisms for integrating women and the principles of good governance in the coffee value chain. RISD’s role was to recruit and train investigators, participate in the development and translation of the maintenance guide, oversee qualitative data collection and logistics management.

  1. March 2014 – June 2015: Study on the sexual safety, trafficking and abuse of women, men and children in mining communities in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo:

In partnership with Social Impact Inc.. ,  RISD implemented this study,funded by  USAID,,  which aimed to know the nature and scale of trafficking of women, men and children in mining communities (Gold, Coltan and Cassitérite sites) in DR Congo; the knowledge and attitudes of communities about trafficking and understanding conflicts in these communities in order to assess opportunities to protect actors in this field. Qualitative and quantitative surveys were conducted in the provinces of South Kivu and Tanganyika.  RISD’s role was to recruit and train investigators, participate in the development and translation of the survey questionnaire and maintenance guide, coordinate and supervise qualitative data collection, logistics management and the drafting of the collection report.