Changemaker

From July 22^nd to July 24^th, 2025, the University of Bonn (UoB) and Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) hosted an intensive and interactive Training of Trainers Workshop for the Changemaker Work Package 5 (WP5) initiative in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The workshop brought together data collection leads and technical teams from Tanzania, Kenya, Burkina Faso, and Europe, including representatives from AAPH, MUHAS, KEMRI, CRSN, and the UoB. The goal was to equip country teams with practical skills, ethical grounding, and standardized tools needed to train enumerators for adolescent-focused data collection across multiple domains within the Changemaker project.

Day 01: Setting the Stage for Ethical and Youth-Friendly Data Collection

The workshop commenced with welcome remarks and a grounding session led by Prof. Bruno Sunguya (MUHAS) and Prof. Ina Danquah (UoB). Participants were introduced to the overall WP5 study design, timeline, and intervention components. Emphasis was placed on the values of consistency, precision, and ethical practice, essential to the Changemaker research objectives.

Dr. Raissa Sorgho (UoB) guided participants through key principles of informed consent, data protection, and the assignment of participant IDs, laying a strong ethical foundation for upcoming fieldwork. Later, Frank Mapendo (AAPH) facilitated a hands-on session on adolescent engagement and recruitment in school settings, using role-play exercises to simulate realistic challenges while demonstrating strategies to mitigate the same.

The afternoon transitioned into a technical deep dive into ODK (Open Data Kit), a digital tool for survey administration. Trainers Nils Wortmann (UoB) and Frank Mapendo led participants through the mobile application navigation, data entry, and troubleshooting; using modules on mental health, physical health, nutrition literacy, WASH, and school gardening. The day concluded with energizing practice sessions, boosting participants’ confidence to train enumerators in their home countries.

Day 02: Digging Deeper into Survey Tools and Contextual Adaptation

Day Two began with reflections on Day One and focused discussions on the Urban Farming Tool, with participants offering feedback to enhance clarity, remove jargon, and adapt examples to resonate with adolescent respondents. Facilitators noted that this valuable input would be shared with tool developers for revision.

The spotlight then shifted to the African Food Propensity Questionnaire (AFPQ). Prof. Ina Danquah introduced the tool, explaining the logic behind its structure, culturally adapted food items, and the importance of interviewer attentiveness. Rhodah Nekesa (UoB) provided detailed guidance on navigating the food frequency response options—highlighting the variation across food categories.

In an interactive segment, Rhodah led participants through portion-size calculations and frequency estimation using contextual examples. Country teams actively engaged in adjusting the AFPQ to reflect local diets by adding or removing food items. These contextualized versions will be critical in ensuring culturally relevant, accurate dietary data collection during upcoming fieldwork.

Day 03: Applying Tools to Screening Adolescent Nutrition and Health

The third day was dedicated to practical and technical training on two key assessment tools; the EzRex and the Mid-Upper Arm Circumference z-score (MUACz).

The morning began with an introduction to the EzRex haemoglobin testing device, where the EzRex experts demonstrated its functionality and walked participants through the screening process, result interpretation, data storage, and device troubleshooting. The session emphasized on procedural accuracy and ethical action, particularly around case detection and referral processes for adolescents with suspected anaemia.

In the afternoon, Raissa and Rhodah introduced the MUACz method, a refined version of the standard MUAC that incorporates age and sex considerations. Teams conducted field simulations using MUACz tapes and ODK forms, allowing participants to practice, assess, and confidently record data under realistic conditions.

By the training’s conclusion, teams had not only built their technical capacity but also strengthened cross-country collaboration and understanding of adolescent nutrition tools. These sessions marked a critical step toward enabling high-quality, ethically sound, and youth-centered data collection across all participating countries.

Looking Ahead

The Changemaker WP5 Training of Trainers Workshop served as more than just a technical exercise, it was a convergence of shared purpose, expertise, and passion for improving adolescent health outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa. With strong partnerships and a united vision, the trained country teams are now well-positioned to roll out field enumerator trainings and implement research that will inform effective interventions in nutrition, WASH, mental health, and beyond for school-going adolescents in the region.

Co-authors: Rhodah Nekesa and Given Sam