Taking Responsibility - 2015 Research Clubs of Africa competition in Kenya

The theme of Kenya's major CSR initiative this year was Wealth Creation in Africa.

On July 4, Kenya hosted the finals of their 2015 Research Clubs of Africa competition. 

 

Launched in 2008, RCA is the CSR arm for Ipsos in Kenya. 

 

This capacity building program is targeted at students aged 14-18 years old with two key objectives: 

 

  1. To encourage students to choose research as their career path
  2. To make them think and work around topical issues - the theme this year was Wealth Creation in Africa.

 

Each year, a final competition takes place between schools in Nairobi, Nyeri and Nakuru.  

Students are requested to research on the selected topic using their school and community as sampling areas. 

 

Findings and recommendations are shared with the school, community and governing bodies to help them make informed decisions.

 

The three winners selected by the 2015 jury of Ipsos senior Directors and clients this year were:

 

  1. Lenana School (Nairobi) with their Flip Side- Lenana School Moneymine
  2. Lady of Mercy High School (Nairobi): Wealth creation in Africa through Infrastructure
  3. Bishop Gatimu Gandu Girsl (Nyeri): The role of youth in wealth creation in Africa through Agriculture.

 

Pauline Mwatu coordinates the RCA program - she comments:

 

​RCA is generating a growing impact in the country. Recently, P&G was able to commence a sanitary distribution program after a presentation delivered by one of the member schools. last year, the Kenya National Examination Council implemented one the RCA reports on fraud to curb examination cheating in secondary school. Ipsos teams here are proud to be volunteering for the RCA initiative, to mentor students and help them take a brief, develop research objectives, propose a methodology, develop field tools, collect and analyze data and write a report.

 

RCA current membership stands at 60 public schools in Kenya with over 4500 members.

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