Using Yazi for Impact Research in the Magaliesberg Biosphere

‍

Background & Objectives

The Magaliesberg Biosphere, in collaboration with the University of Pretoria, sought to conduct a wide-reaching landscape assessment to inform their ten-year review and support the global BECOME project—a seven-university consortium investigating youth engagement and conservation in biospheres. The primary objectives were:

• To capture perceptions, challenges, and benefits of living in the biosphere from diverse community voices.
  
  
• To increase youth participation in research, supplementing previous in-person youth workshops with digital, scalable data collection.
  
  
• To pilot an accessible, media-rich, mobile-first methodology for future NGO and impact projects.
  
  

Why Yazi?

Traditional research methods—especially paper or email-based surveys—were seen as limiting in terms of both reach and representativity. The partners needed:

• A tool that would be trusted and familiar to local communities (especially young people).
  
  
• The ability to collect rich qualitative data (voice notes, images, video) in addition to text responses.
  
  
• A platform that allowed rapid, wide distribution, ideally leveraging existing networks (e.g., WhatsApp groups).
  
  

Implementation: How the Study Was Run

1. Survey Design and Ethics Approval

• The survey was co-designed by the biosphere team and the University of Pretoria, with ethical clearance handled for the youth component.
  
  
• Questions were structured to include a mix of simple checkboxes and more reflective, open-ended questions. (A learning: more complex questions early in the survey increased drop-off, which was an important insight for future projects.)
  
  

2. Distribution via WhatsApp Groups and Networks

• Instead of collecting thousands of individual numbers, the team generated a secure survey link, shared with explanatory text and the Biosphere’s logo to enhance trust.
  
  
• This link was distributed across large WhatsApp groups (some >200 members), sent to university lecturers to share with students, and posted on Facebook.
  
  
• The message explained the purpose (supporting the ten-year review), reassured respondents of anonymity, and highlighted the use of WhatsApp for convenience and low data usage.
  
  

3. Participation & Response Management

• Over 568 people started the survey in the first month—a reach that would have been impossible via phone or email, especially given local context and limited contact lists.
  
  
• The survey was kept open for an extended period to allow for ethics approval and targeted youth outreach.
  
  
• Drop-off was monitored in real-time: the platform dashboard allowed the team to see at which question respondents disengaged and to adjust messaging and outreach accordingly.
  
  

4. Qualitative Data Collection

• Respondents could reply in their language of choice, use emojis, and—crucially—submit voice notes, photos, and even short videos.
  
  
• Voice notes, often hundreds of words long, provided context-rich, story-driven insights about daily life, conservation challenges, and local sentiment. Images shared ranged from local landmarks to daily scenes, adding qualitative depth beyond survey tick-boxes.
  
  

5. Data Analysis & Representation

• The dashboard enabled easy filtering by age group, location, and response type (text/voice/image), helping researchers see, for example, how youth versus older adults engaged.
• The platform maintained respondent anonymity, but responses could be grouped by area based on participant self-reporting, offering geographic insight without breaching privacy.
  
  

Key Results & Impact

Broad and Inclusive Reach:

• Successfully engaged a large and demographically mixed sample via WhatsApp—covering youth, adults, rural and peri-urban communities.
  
  
• Particularly effective for youth outreach after targeted follow-ups and coordination with university channels.
  
  

Rich Qualitative Insights:

• Over 100 voice notes and dozens of images/videos submitted, providing rich, context-specific evidence that written surveys alone rarely deliver.
  
  
• Audio and visual content allowed the research team to “hear and see” impact stories directly, supporting more nuanced reporting to funders and stakeholders.

Learning for Future Research:

• Early placement of “hard thinking” questions led to increased drop-off. Future surveys will move conceptual or reflective questions later, to retain engagement.
• WhatsApp link distribution via trusted group admins and branded communications significantly boosted uptake and trust.
• The platform’s analytics made it easy to monitor participation, adapt the outreach strategy in real time, and identify under-represented groups.
  
  

Researcher Takeaways: Why Use Yazi for NGO or Impact Projects?

• Mass Reach Without Needing Individual Contacts: WhatsApp link sharing is ideal for NGOs working with networks or community groups, not individual phone lists.
• Media-rich, Qualitative Data: Go beyond numbers—gather authentic voice and visual evidence to support your monitoring, evaluation, and impact storytelling.
• Agile, Cost-effective, and Trusted: No need for custom apps or expensive panels. Leverage what people already use daily.
• Actionable Analytics: Track participation, drop-off, and demographics in real time to ensure you’re reaching the right people.
• Ethics and Youth Inclusion: The process can easily integrate with university/partner ethics requirements and adapt for targeted youth engagement.
  
  

How Was It Perceived by the NGO Partner?

“It’s a useful tool—you can get quite far and wide, and that’s quite nice. The ability to analyse by area and see media responses helps us understand who we’re reaching, and what’s really happening on the ground. We’d be happy to use it again, and to recommend it to others looking for real community insight.”
— Belinda, Magaliesberg Biosphere