Documenting the World’s Invisible

Interview: Melanie Edwards

Melanie Edwards is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Mobile Metrix, a market research company that assists the ‘invisible poor’ by gathering data that shares their reality with the world. In the following interview, Melanie elaborates on the origins of Mobile Metrix, its theory of change, and the needs it seeks to address.

What is your professional background and what got you interested in the issue of undocumented populations?

My interest was sparked while serving in the Peace Corps in Togo, West Africa some years ago. Poverty was not just a headline but the reality I experienced day-to-day. I was struck by seeing this recurring phenomenon of an invisible population and realizing how much we don’t know about issues like their family size, educational level, and health needs. It was apparent that, on a macro level, important decisions were being made by governments, corporations, and foundations based on inaccurate numbers. This had a ripple affect on all kinds of communities and development projects. Without accurate information you can never truly solve a certain problem. Accurate information is the fundamental first step to solving any social problem. How can people be reached if we don’t know who they are?

How extensive is the issue of the invisible poor globally?

If you think of a pyramid of seven billion people globally, four billion form the base of that pyramid and live on incomes of less than $3,000/year. One billion of these are totally off the radar screen. We know that they’re there. What we don’t know is what education level they have, what their health situation is, whether they’re employed, and what their basic needs are. These are incredibly important issues when it comes to developing an appropriate response.

What is the solution offered by Mobile Metrix?

We pursue a grassroots, bottom up approach. Our solution lies in employing the community in assessing their own needs then distributing critical products and services to meet these needs. People are more willing to give information to people they know. We train MobileAgents™ – young people within the community – to collect vital data. Locals also have access into communities that is unparalleled by others, such as the ability to navigate complex shantytowns and avoid drug-trafficking dangers. Demographic data gets aggregated into a central database and is disseminated to our clients, be they a government agency, corporation, or foundation/nonprofit.

We recognize that collecting data alone is not enough. Data on a shelf just sits there. We also incorporate the marketing and distribution of products and services. A marketing approach could include encouraging people to attend a health education seminar or job skill classes. We recently conducted a project with the World Economic Forum in São Paulo, Brazil. It had to do with getting people connected to employment information, coupled with training them on how write a resume and get a job. MobileAgents™ collected information on existing job skills and marketed a seminar to residents aimed at enrolling them in skill-building classes.

How do you select and train MobileAgents™?

We begin by identifying well-trusted and respected community leaders – often church or nonprofit leaders -- who have spent their life working on behalf of the community. This is how we develop trust within the community. These leaders assist us in selecting a pool of candidates between the ages of 18 and 25. We then conduct interviews in conjunction with local leaders. We select MobileAgents™ based on their proven track record of service to the community, their leadership skills, technology prowess, etc.

Each MobileAgent™ is trained in effective communication, computing skills, and surveying techniques. Our MobileAgents™ make twice the minimum wage. Fifty percent of our last round went on to college or another job. One in particular was with a gang. He’s now making three times the minimum wage and is enrolled in college, majoring in technology. The untapped human resources in these communities are amazing. From a social standpoint, this is what it’s all about – providing young people opportunities to develop themselves.

What is Mobile Metrix currently working on?

Right now, we’re working on a project in Rio de Janeiro aimed at preventing Dengue fever. Earlier this year, more than 75,000 cases of Dengue, and 91 related deaths, were reported in the area. As favelas are typically fertile breeding grounds for dengue-carrying mosquitoes, we’re combining door-to-door education and prevention efforts with collecting data. Our trained MobileAgents™ educate heads of households about the virus and how it’s spread.

The types of questions asked by MobileAgents™ include a person’s family size; their level of education; their understanding of Dengue and how it’s transmitted; and whether they, their family members, or neighbors have ever had the disease. Then, the MobileAgent™ observes the home, looks for incubators for the disease – such as stagnant water – and initiates an education component. Residents are also invited to attend a seminar in the community given by one of the Rio city government’s “Combat Dengue” specialists. A couple months later, we go back to conduct an impact assessment and see whether and how behavior has changed.

For example, we’ve identified communities where 25% of the residents have had dengue in 2008. This information helps decide where to target resources.

How is data collected?

At the moment, we are using survey software on handheld computers – PDAs – and are exploring transitioning to Smart phones. Smart phones will help facilitate communication between MobileAgents™ in the field and expedite data access.

Collecting data electronically is faster, more accurate, more secure, and more economical than traditional methods, which in the developing world often involve pencil and paper surveys. Our methodology dramatically decreases the chances for errors. Our paperless nature also saves thousands of trees.

Who do you target with Mobile Metrix’s services?

We’re set up as a nonprofit – a social enterprise model – with a diverse revenue generation stream. We target those who can use this data – local governments, NGOs, corporations, foundations – and especially those who can bring critical products to the community, be it healthcare companies that offer pharmaceuticals, banks that can give micro-credit loans, or telecom companies that offer Internet access.

For further information, visit: www.mobilemetrix.org.