Could this revolutionise how NCA collect data?

Zambia staff and partners trained in digital data collection as part of NCA's new digitalisation initiative.

Use of Magpi in Zambia. Photo: Bellah Zulu / Norwegian Church Aid.
Use of Magpi in Zambia. Photo: Bellah Zulu / Norwegian Church Aid.

NCA has invested in Magpi, a digital data collection tool with cloud-based mobile collection, communication, and data visualization tools to improve effectiveness in the way data is collected, managed and analysed.

“Digital data collection can help improve data availability through real time availability of information, which would be helpful in generating donor reports,” said the Digitalisation Manager for NCA in Oslo, Martha Kristine Syversten during a NCA's Joint Country Programme (JCP) in Zambia and partners “Magpi” training held in Lusaka Zambia.

The five days training held from September 25-29 was attended by selected JCP staff and partner representatives from the Churches Health Association of Zambia (CHAZ) and the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB). Other participants came from NCA's office in Malawi.

JCP Head of Programmes Margaret Machila with some partners in the field. Photo: Bellah Zulu / Norwegian Church Aid.
JCP Head of Programmes Margaret Machila with some partners in the field. Photo: Bellah Zulu / Norwegian Church Aid.

JCP Head of Programmes Margaret Machila with some partners in the field.jpg Picture caption: JCP Head of Programmes Margaret Machila with some partners in the field.

The training highlighted various areas in digital data collection with a specific focus on key concepts in the survey design process, practical use, data protection and ethics, including a field visit to test the tool.

The Programme Officer for Economic Empowerment and Women in Governance from ZCCB, Sr. Elizabeth Moonga, commented:

“This digital way of collecting and analysing data will help save time and help us cover a large area during data collecting. But we should also consider and address the issue of access to technology, especially for people living in rural areas.”

70 yr old Florence Kamwi was one of the respondents when testing Magpi. Photo: Bellah Zulu / Norwegian Church Aid.
70 yr old Florence Kamwi was one of the respondents when testing Magpi. Photo: Bellah Zulu / Norwegian Church Aid.

Chipo Kachiwala, the Project Coordinator for Economic Empowerment at NCA Malawi, reflected on what he thinks would be the benefits of digital data collection in the long run:

“This way of collecting data is generally cost effective and efficient and will help us with data quality compared to paper. It will also help with timely and quality report writing.”

During the opening session of the training, the Country Director for NCA/JCP Zambia, Mr. Harald Nyeggen Sommer, gave a broad outlook on the relevance of digital tools in data collection:

“Magpi has the potential to improve the way we do our monitoring and reporting but it’s the quality of input in these tools that makes the difference. Therefore before anything else we should first ask – what kind of results are we looking for and how are we going to get them?”

NCA PMER Advisor Bodil Michelsen in the talks to Mr Damiano Musati. Photo: Bellah Zulu / Norwegian Church Aid.
NCA PMER Advisor Bodil Michelsen in the talks to Mr Damiano Musati. Photo: Bellah Zulu / Norwegian Church Aid.

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