ENHANSE PROJECT
ENHANSE Project (a USAID-funded NGO) aims at achieving enabling environment for developmental activities programming in Nigeria by fostering partnerships of organizations in both public and private sectors that can begin to enhance the environment for integrated health and education programs.
 
MARS pre-tested the content and aesthetics of a 30-page action point document (developed by ENHANSE) targeting four programme themes: HIV and AIDS/TB, Child Survival (CS), Reproductive Health, and Basic Education. We conducted 8 focus groups (for 8 different audiences) in each of 9 selected states in Nigeria (72 focus groups in all).
 
IPAS Nigeria
Ipas (a Packard Foundation funded NGO) provides capacity building to nurses/midwives and doctors in post abortion care (PAC) – a hitherto rare service. In a Training Follow-up Survey, we followed up on about 300 trainees from 101 service delivery points in Lagos, Sokoto, Kebbi, FCT, Borno and Rivers. The objective was to establish the factors that were hindering or facilitating providers in delivering high quality PAC services.

Discovery of constraints inherent in the delivery of high quality PAC services necessitated another survey: Removing Barriers to Midwives’ Role in Providing PAC: A Survey of Opinion Leaders – which covered 9 states in the 6 geo-political zones of Nigeria and the FCT.
Again in January 2013 we concluded a formative research for a proposed intervention by Ipas Nigeria in Abia State Polytechnic, Aba. Objective was to understand the reproductive health needs and challenges faced by the intended recipients (students) so as to guide the design and implementation of the intervention. 
Information obtained from the study was later used to finalize the quantitative tools used for the evaluation of the intervention. The study involved self-administered quantitative questionnaires (due to the sensitive nature of the subject) and separate FGDs among male and female students of the institution.
 
The Respond Project, Johns Hopkins University
In February 2012 we concluded a study in Benue and Oyo states on the perception and use of long-lasting and permanent family planning methods on behalf of The Respond Project of Johns Hopkins University Centre for Communication Programs. 
Conducted through focus group discussions and in-depth interviews, the study involved the use of free listing, pile sorting, multi-dimensional scaling methods for analysis. 
 
Networks, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
In March 2012 we concluded a Formative Research on Net Care and Repair in Nasarawa state on behalf of Networks, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A. The study sought to understand the protective, adaptive, and repair behaviours among net users in Nasarawa State Nigeria, to inform the development of a care and repair pilot intervention in the state. 
 
Study involved six focus groups and 15 semi-structured in-depth interviews among adult net users in two LGAs. Our research tasks included adaptation and translation of the research tools into two local languages, pre-testing the tools, conducting the FGDs and IDIs, transcription and back translation of the transcripts into English.
 
Support to National Malaria Programme (SuNMap)
 
In 2012 we also conducted a pricing survey for The Support to National Malaria Programme (SuNMap) in six states of Nigeria: Lagos, Ogun, Anambra, Kano, Katsina, and Niger. Involving a total sample of 3,600, the study sought to understand the cost dynamics within the distribution chain for long-lasting insecticide treated nets (LLINs) with the view to easing impediments to access of LLINs by the poor and vulnerable in the target states. The engagement was limited to fieldwork management, data collection and tabulation. We conducted a repeat of the study in 2014.
 
In 2013 we conducted a four-stage campaign evaluation study on LLINs in six states in Nigeria (Lagos, Ogun, Anambra, Kano, Katsina, and Niger) on behalf of SuNMap. Involving a sample size of 9,300, the study covered trade and consumer respondents in over 50 urban, semi-urban, and rural areas of the target states. The study was conducted over a period spanning nine months. 
 
In 2014 we also conducted a Formative Research preparatory to SuNMap’s intervention in three additional states: Kaduna, Enugu, and Jigawa. The purpose was to collect information that would be used in developing communication briefs, messages and materials tailored to state level peculiarities and for generic marketing of malaria prevention and treatment products. The study involved FGDs among pregnant women, heads of households, and mothers with children aged less than 5 years, and IDIs among health service providers and community leaders.
 
In 2015, we carried out a three-stage Campaign Evaluation Study on Artemisinin Combination Therapy (ACT) and Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) kits for malaria SuNMap in nine states of Nigeria: Lagos, Ogun, Anambra, Kano, Katsina, Niger, Jigawa, and Enugu, Cross River. Involving a total sample of over 5,000, the study covered trade and consumer respondents in over 50 urban, semi-urban, and rural areas of the target states.
 
Health Communication Capacity Collaborative (HC3)
HC3 is USAID funded NGO that is engaged in malaria and family planning interventions in several states Nigeria. In the first quarter of 2017, MARS was commissioned to pre-test a “Beta Life” mHealth tool that delivers drama using mobile phones and interactive voice response (IVR) to provide information and decision triggers on family planning to couples in Kaduna, Nigeria. In the third quarter of 2017, we conducted a CAPI-based pre- and post-study that involved the use of IVR to deliver family planning messages to 2,000 couples in Kaduna State, Nigeria.