RECOVR Sierra Leone: Tracking the Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Sierra Leone Agriculture Education Financial Inclusion Governance Health & Nutrition Peace & Recovery Entrepreneurship & Private Sector Development Social Protection

RECOVR Sierra Leone: Tracking the Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic

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Researchers

Shana Warren, Doug Parkerson, Elliott Collins

Abstract

Tracking how people’s lives are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic can enable policymakers to better understand the situation in their countries and make data-driven policy decisions. To respond to this need, IPA has developed the RECOVR survey—a panel survey that will facilitate comparisons, document real-time trends of policy concern, and inform decision-makers about the communities that are hardest-hit by the economic toll of the pandemic.

Project Outcomes of Interest

Some of the key questions the survey aims to answer at the global level include the size and scope of the disruptions to government service provision, work disruptions and type of disruptions, whether and how households with school-aged children are spending time on education since schools have been closed, extent to which people are skipping necessary healthcare, identification of populations most at risk of skipping necessary healthcare.

Key Findings


Round 1:

  • Around 10% of respondents or someone in their household have developed mental health symptoms since COVID-19 reached the country.
  • 45% of employed individuals have earned less pay than they did in a typical week before the government closed schools.
  • 60% of respondents say they have had to deplete savings to pay for food since February 2020.
  • More than 40% of respondents say they have had to limit portion sizes at meal times or reduce the number of meals they eat.
  • 63% of respondents say their main concern regarding primary and secondary school-aged children in their household is their children falling behind in education.

Round 2:

  • One in four respondents reported developing mental health symptoms, more than double the proportion since May.
  • Total employment reported increased slightly compared to May 2020, but was still 15 percentage points less in October than February 2020.
  • For 48 percent of respondents it would be impossible or very diffcult to come up with 200,000 Leones within the next 30 days.
  • There was a 20 percentage point increase between rounds in respondents reporting needing to limit their meal portions.
  • One in five respondents below the poverty line is concerned about their school-age children having enough to eat versus one in ten respondents above the poverty line.
  • One fifth of respondents is concerned about physical violence towards minor children or between romantic partners.

Link to Results

Round 1: Full results presentation, blog post summarizing the key takeaways, and webinar (video recording) sharing the results and their policy implications.

Round 2: Full results presentation and blog post summarizing the key takeaways.

Impact Goals

  • Build resilience and protect the financial health of families and individuals
  • Build resilient and adaptable businesses and employment opportunities
  • Improve social-safety net responses
  • Improve women’s health, safety, and economic empowerment
  • Keep children safe, healthy, and learning
  • Promote peace and safety, and improve humanitarian response
  • Reduce COVID-19 transmission rates

Project Data Collection Mode

  • CATI (Computer-assisted telephone interviewing)

Link to Public Data

https://dataverse.harvard.edu/dataset.xhtml?persistentId=doi:10.7910/DVN/KIPFWO

Results Status

Results