Des Chiffres et Des Jeunes (DCDJ) Program
The DCDJ program seeks to improve the data ecosystem in Côte d’Ivoire, increase the supply and demand for data – particularly health data – and to train and support data users.
Des Chiffres et Des Jeunes (DCDJ) is a program led by Development Gateway (DG) and funded by the MCC-PEPFAR Data Collaboratives for Local Impact (DCLI) Program. DCLI and aims to empower individuals, communities, and organizations, including stakeholders in subnational areas, to use data to improve lives, contribute to ending HIV/AIDS, and help address local development needs and priorities. The DCDJ program aims to bolster the subnational supply and usage of data for citizens of Côte d’Ivoire, engage youth as champions of these services, and fuel innovation to address rising data and information needs.
The DCDJ Program uses several approaches to improving the data ecosystem in Côte d’Ivoire
Fellows Program
DCDJ’s mainstay is the Fellowship program, implemented together with local partner SEJEN. Ivorian youth apply to complete an 8-week data science training program at Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Statistique et d’Economie Appliquée d’Abidjan (ENSEA) in Abidjan, then are placed in government organizations, NGOs and, health organizations working on HIV/AIDS to apply their skills. DCDJ has trained 86 Fellows since the first cohort in September 2018. DCDJ recruits and selects each cohort of Fellows through an in-depth selection process, prioritizing a highly technical , diverse, gender balanced group. Across cohorts, we have implemented the SuperFellows program to streamline management and support, adapted roles iteratively, enabled the Fellows to develop innovative tools that address challenges around data use. To address challenges like retention rates for women, DCDJ highlights mentorship and learning support such as a data science club and strong alumni network that provides continued support with job postings, ways to continue involvement, and networking opportunities. Partnering with local organizations and a strong team of women leaders, DCDJ provided professional development opportunities for Fellows, as well as NGO leaders, mentors, and DCDJ staff.
Data Fellow: Murielle
After her eight week training, Murielle was placed with the National AIDS Control Program (PNLS) working with both the M&E and the Care and Treatment Departments. After completing an initial assessment, she saw inaccuracies in the data coming from clinics and pharmacies. Murielle visited the reporting sites, and learned that workers were not properly trained, she then provided data quality training multiple sites. She said, “If the data at the bottom of the ladder is broken, it will impact the results at the top.”
Open Data Readiness Assessment
In partnership with SBC4D, we conducted an assessment of the government’s readiness for open data through an Open Data Readiness Assessment (ODRA), which identifies barriers and challenges to open data use. Using the ODRA findings, we developed an action plan to address those barriers and improve the supply of data. We conducted the ODRA in partnership with the Ministry of Planning, and shared findings across several government ministries. Informed by the ODRA our work has focused on Man, Daloa, Boake, San Pedro, and two neighborhoods in Abidjan, and has worked to promote the creation and use of sub-national (local-level) data.
Data Inventory Platform
Launched in May 2020, DCDJ’s Data Inventory was designed to provide an inventory of available local datasets and to connect interested parties to the data owner. DCDJ worked on community outreach to explain the inventory benefits and use, increase awareness, and to train NGOs on how to upload and update metadata on the platform. After launching the platform, training continued to focus on data privacy and anonymizing data. 234 people are now trained on how to access and submit data, and 523 datasets have been collected from 86 organizations across health fields. The Data Inventory is available here.