Gallup Africa to automate data collection in Kenya

COMPUTING

By Semaj Itosno, Nairobi, Kenya

Gallup Africa intends to use mobile handsets in its data gathering across Africa.

Speaking in Nairobi at a media workshop, Gallup Africa Research Director Idi Pembere said the company will equip all the data collecting staff members in the field with hi-tech BlackBerry phones that will boost transmission of data collected in the field to their central database at the Nairobi head office.

Pembere said the firm’s adopting of mobile technology aims at improving data collection from the field, record, organize and store collected data.

“The company has already hired internationally trained professionals who will help to build capacity of the new technology that will boost in data collection, design and implement the Gallup’s new data management system,” Pembere said.

The BlackBerry handsets will be distributed to all research assistants who will be based in all the counties in Kenya after they have been trained on how to use them.

The phones also come with an inbuilt global positioning system (GPS) capability to assist the users accurately map all data collected in different locations around the country.

"These BlackBerries will ensure our staff have telephone, SMS and e-mail access to the headquarters and with each other from any location," said Pembere.