Our Expertise and Services
What we doSince our foundation in 2002, EDI has grown to be one of East Africa’s most respected research house with a strong global reputation for high quality survey design and data collection services aimed at assessing international development program impacts, measuring results and evaluating potential solutions to global poverty.
We have conducted or been involved in over 100 research projects in the following sectors: Agriculture and Livestock, Economic Development, Education, Health, Social Welfare, Water and Sanitation and Cross Sectoral. Please click here to see examples of the projects we have carried out by sector.
Impact Evaluations
EDI has conducted multiple Impact Evaluations that have been experimental or quasi-experimental in nature as well as various randomised survey experiments.
CAPI Surveys
We were the pioneers in the use of electronic surveys across East Africa and have been conducting CAPI surveys since 2007. We have created the best tools to enhance the type and accuracy of the data that can be evaluated.
Mobile Phone Surveys
EDI have embraced the use of mobile phone surveys for frequent follow-up rounds and have proved to be particularly successful with 95% response rates.
Supplementary Data Collection
Many of our surveys now involve the collection of supplementary data from bio-medical to water quality and anthropometric data. We have qualified teams of nurses and other professionals and equipment to enable this.
Qualitative Research
There is little analytical work we do that does not involve some form of qual-quant combination to contextualise and inform data through focus group discussions, semi-structured interviews, and small group interviews.
Students and Opinion polling
EDI interviewed many students whilst implementing an experiment on behalf of the ‘UWEZO’ initiative. We are currently conducting an opinion poll that tests the ability of voters to formulate coherent views on the use of gas revenues in Tanzania.
LSMS Type Surveys
We designed, piloted & implemented the Kagera Health Development Survey (KHDS) questionnaire; a survey including all standard LSMS modules. KHDS is one of the 60+ ‘official’ LSMS surveys that exist worldwide and its data are posted on the LSMS website.
Experiments in Survey Methodology
EDI has conducted various research into survey modules and methodologies, for example, the impact of CAPI on data quality, interview time and costs, how risk perception is measured, or how to design a shock module
Data Analysis, econometrics and report writing
EDI is particularly adept at statistical analysis and report writing. We have conducted all types of statistical analysis typically required in an impact evaluation, such as dif-in-dif regressions and propensity score matching