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Project Name

Handwashing practices - The role of health professionals vs religious leaders (Pilot)

Name of Client:

Center for Int Development (CID) - Harvard University

Start Date

May 2024

Location

Lahore, Pakistan

Completion Date

December 2025

Project Team
Adil Ahsan

Principal Investigator (Harvard)

Muhammad Zubair Rafique

Assignment Manager

Dr. Aamir Hayat Niazi

Field Coordinator

Sajjad Aslam

Data Manager

Project Description

This project was a multidimensional study designed to measure the impact of community influencers—specifically Imams and Lady Health Workers (LHWs)/vaccinators—on shifting public health and social behaviors. By evaluating the synergy between religious guidance and professional health advice, the study sought to understand how trust and authority figures can collectively drive positive change within rural and semi-urban communities in the Lahore district.

The evaluation utilized a robust longitudinal framework, employing both Baseline and Endline surveys to capture behavioral shifts over time. Our methodology integrated a diverse approach to data collection, balancing the depth of face-to-face field surveys and community-led interactive sessions with the efficiency of Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI). This hybrid model allowed our team to capture qualitative insights from community gatherings while maintaining the quantitative rigor required for large-scale social research.

A key highlight of this project was the close, high-level collaboration between Versatile Consultants and the Harvard University research team. Working alongside world-class academics, we ensured that our data collection instruments, field protocols, and analytical approaches met international research standards. This partnership was instrumental in transforming raw field observations into a sophisticated evaluation of how community-embedded leadership can be leveraged to improve health outcomes and social norms. By bridging the gap between local grassroots engagement and global research expertise, this project provided essential insights into sustainable behavioral change strategies for the region.

Services Provided

For this high-profile collaboration with Harvard University, Versatile Consultants managed the complete operational execution of both the Baseline and Endline evaluations. We initiated the project by onboarding a specialized team of five experienced enumerators and a field coordinator directly from the Lahore district. Recruiting locally was vital for building immediate trust during community sessions and ensuring the team possessed an intimate understanding of the social landscape in Lahore’s rural and semi-urban localities.

Our technical team worked closely with the international research partners during the pre-operational phase, providing key localized inputs to finalize the complex survey instruments and design tailored training manuals. Following the tool finalization, we conducted intensive training sessions for the field staff. This training equipped them with the specialized communication skills required to facilitate sensitive community sessions and conduct structured surveys with selected couples in the target communities.

Logistically, the project required a carefully synchronized workflow to manage both ground field visits and telephone-based tracking. To achieve this, Versatile Consultants developed an advanced tracking sheet that gave our management team complete visibility over daily field movements and interview completions.

By enforcing rigorous real-time monitoring protocols throughout both data collection waves, we ensured immediate validation of respondent data. This meticulous quality control framework guaranteed that the behavioral data collected on the ground matched the elite academic standards required by the client’s analytical team.

OUR PORTFOLIO

Projects That Turn Data into Impact

Our portfolio highlights collaborations with leading organizations and institutions. Discover how our expertise in research, monitoring, and data analysis supports better decisions and stronger programs.

Project Name AreaClient/Partner Organization(s)Timeline-
The impact of sermons on beliefs and behavior in Punjab,PakistanPunjab, PakistanHarvard UniversityJuly 2024 - Feb 2026Veiw
Effect of Affordable, Accessible, and Safer Commutes to Girls in KP. (KP-RAP Project)Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, PakistanThe World Bank GroupMay 2024 - Dec 2025Veiw
Institutional reform and women’s De facto rights in Punjab, PakistanPunjab, PakistanThe World Bank, IGC, and NBERDec 2022 - Aug 2025Veiw
Infant Feeding Project LHWs SurveyPunjab, PakistanCERPJuly 2025 - Oct 2025Veiw
Handwashing Practices and the Role of Health Professionals vs Religious LeadersLahore, PunjabCenter for Int Development (CID) - Harvard University May 2024 - Dec 2025Veiw
Phone Survey on the reservation wedge: labor supply of college-educated women in Pakistan" (Phase I to IV)Lahore, PunjabLondon School of Economics (LSE) and MITAug 2022 - Sep 2023Veiw
FATA Reforms Public Opinion Barometer Household SurveyFATA, Khyber PakhtunkhwaUNDP/FATA Research CenterMay 2020 - Dec 2020Veiw
Ex-Post Evaluation of projects implemented by GIZ titled " Utilization of Skills Provided" (A. Community and B. Government Staffs) from 2009-2017FATA, Khyber PakhtunkhwaGIZ/FATA Research CenterNov 2018 - Dec 2018Veiw
Survey for Digital Accessibility & Literacy (DAL)Punjab and KPKBritish CouncilOct 2016 to Nov 2016Veiw
Trusted Research Partnerships

Collaborating with leading institutions to deliver high-quality data, research, and evaluation services.

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