AYV News, September 2, 2026
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), in partnership with Statistics Sierra Leone (Stats SL), has concluded a one-day orientation for field personnel who will undertake a nationwide Rapid Census Awareness Perception Survey.
The orientation, held at Doha’s Hotel in Bo, was designed to equip field personnel with the knowledge and skills required to conduct the one-week survey, which will assess public awareness, confidence, knowledge and perceptions of the upcoming 2026 Population and Housing Census.
The findings are expected to provide important evidence to guide and strengthen Census communication and public engagement efforts, including identifying information gaps, concerns, misconceptions and areas requiring greater public awareness.
Speaking at the orientation, the Director of Communication and Public Relations at Statistics Sierra Leone, Samuel Ansumana, described the survey as critical to the Census communication process. He noted that the findings would help Stats SL and its partners better understand public awareness levels and inform the planning and implementation of targeted communication interventions ahead of the Census.
Mr. Ansumana also conveyed the appreciation of the Statistician General, Andrew Bob Johnny, and the management of Statistics Sierra Leone to UNFPA for its continued partnership and support to the Census communication and public engagement process.
As part of the orientation, Baileh Molleh, UNFPA Consultant on the project, took participants through the use of Survey123, the digital platform that will be used for data collection. He explained that field personnel are expected to work only within their assigned Enumeration Areas (EAs) and that adult members of selected households will serve as respondents.
Mr. Molleh also emphasised the importance of informed consent, confidentiality and ethical conduct during data collection. He urged field personnel not to discuss respondents’ answers with neighbours or other members of the community and to probe responses neutrally where clarification is required. He further cautioned field personnel against teaching or correcting respondents, arguing about rumours or political views, or promising respondents any benefits or outcomes as a result of their participation in the survey.
The sampling methodology was presented by SillehBah, Principal Statistician and GIS Specialist at Statistics Sierra Leone, who explained that 200 Enumeration Areas have been purposively selected across the country, with 2,000 interviews scheduled to be conducted during the exercise.
Dr. Foluke Adebayor, UNFPA Cartographic Consultant working on the Census, provided further clarification on the selection of Enumeration Areas, the sampling methodology and issues identified with the Survey123 application. She noted that GIS Mentor Ibrahim Kolapowould undertake hands-on technical sessions with the team and field personnel to address the application and programming issues before deployment. She also admonished the team to maintain high integrity during the survey.
The orientation concluded with a detailed review of the survey questionnaire, during which participants were taken through the questions and data collection procedures to ensure a common understanding and consistency in data collection before deployment to the field.
The rapid survey is expected to provide timely evidence on public perceptions of the Census and contribute to more effective, evidence-based communication and public engagement as Sierra Leone prepares for the 2026 Population and Housing Census.
