The Aquaya Institute (Aquaya) is a non-profit research organization focused on water and sanitation.
With support from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Aquaya assists government agencies in achieving 100% coverage of safe, sustainable, and equitable drinking water supplies. In rural Uganda, estimates suggest that 40% of handpumps, the primary source of drinking water for over half of the population, are non-functional at any point in time. One key challenge is that many rural communities in Uganda struggle to set aside sufficient funds to pay for hand pump maintenance.
Aquaya Institute’s prior research and findings from several NGOs in Uganda indicate that VSLAs linked with a strong Area Service Provider (like Whave) could significantly improve rural communities’ capacity to manage hand pump maintenance. VSLAs have strong financial management and accountability mechanisms that promote trust among members and are more effective at collecting water funds than preexisting committees.
With support from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Aquaya is initiating a randomized controlled trial to rigorously evaluate how Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) influence water point functionality and the uptake of preventive maintenance services. The study will engage up to 50 communities in Kikuube District, Uganda, where some communities will establish VSLAs with dedicated water funds for handpump management. The evaluation will focus on outcomes such as maintenance service uptake, water point performance, and community practices related to upkeep, sustainability, and resilience.
Field Enumerator Primary Responsibilities
- Train with the Aquaya staff on the research protocol, locating water points, asking survey questions, and how to transcribe. The training will be held before data collection.
- Travel to the study areas and locate sites for data collection (community) according to the study protocol.
- Determine respondent eligibility and collect written informed consent
- Conduct FGD and interviews, and record data on a mobile phone.
- Throughout data collection, ensure that data collection devices are well-maintained
- Ensure the confidentiality and integrity of collected data.
- Report regularly to the field supervisor on progress and any issues encountered in the field
- Assist with other tasks related to the fieldwork that may be assigned by the Aquaya staff.
Required Skills
- Fluency in at least two of the following languages: Runyoro, Alur, and Swahili.
- Fluency in English
- Experience with field data collection using digital applications
Experience in Qualitative surveys, including key informant interviews and FGDs - Working knowledge of ethics for conducting human subject research
- Attention to detail
- Excellent record keeping
- Punctuality
- Ability to work independently and in a team
Desired Skills
- Working knowledge of using GPS apps to locate places
- Adaptability
Being a field-based activity, it is expected that the enumerator will navigate field situations and difficulties such as long walks, difficult terrain, and changing weather, among others, where field transport means may not be able to reach.
Oversight
The enumerator will report to Aquaya’s Program Associate for the duration of the data collection. Quality control checks will be conducted by both Aquaya’s Senior Research Officer and Program Associate throughout the data collection to ensure high-quality work.
Compensation
The field enumerators will be paid at a competitive daily rate and a per diem for days
