Staff at Ubuntu Research and Rural Development Company have been conducting socio-economic research in Zambia and other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa for close to two decades. They know the economic and social context of a greater part of Africa, and they know how to tap into the latent development-oriented data embedded in Africa’s current socio-economic fabric, thereby helping to unlock Africa’s development potential.

We go everywhere, in search of knowledge.

Innovative, ICT-based

We use innovative data collection methods that improve efficiency and quality. We are experienced in mobile data collection.

Integration of survey research data with geographic information systems

We have the capability to integrate survey research data with geographic information systems (GIS) for better and more pinpointed design, planning and monitoring of development projects. GIS, used in combination with survey data, for instance, gives greater analytical capability to a researcher. Possibilities are many. The figure below shows the use of toilets in a rural Zambian community. Survey data on toilet usage is overlain on Google earth using QGIS, giving the researcher possibilities to analyze toilet usage in the context of other geographical features (housing population, surface water (rivers/streams) forest density, nearness to a paved road, etc. Collection of geospatial data in socio-economic surveys is made possible through the use of mobile devices (smartphones and tablets) with GPS receivers.

 

 

Highly developed statistical and analytical abilities

No matter how efficiently data is collected, if it is not properly or adequately analyzed, the data collection effort is useless. At Ubuntu Research and Rural Development Company, we have highly developed statistical and analytical capabilities that turn raw data into knowledge using various statistical tools which include SPSS and STATA. Interested in qualitative data analysis? We will gladly do that.