Field ID โ€” JY / SL / 2026

James Yambasu

Survey Researcher & Data Analyst based in Freetown, Sierra Leone. I design, collect, clean, and deliver field data for market research and development projects.

Location
Freetown, Sierra Leone
Primary Tool
KoboCollect
Education
BSc Maths & Statistics
Status
Availableโ–Œ
001 โ€” About

I handle the full data process, end to end.

I have run survey fieldwork across Freetown and Western Area using KoboCollect, working with Big Markit and Insight Research and Media Firm. I know how to move between communities, verify responses in real time, and submit clean records the same day.

My academic training is in Mathematics and Statistics at Fourah Bay College, where I work with inference, quantitative analysis, and data methods. I use Excel for cleaning, summary tables, and basic statistical analysis.

I am a selected participant in the MoCTI Learn2Earn Programme, Cohort 2, where I completed all six freelancing and data modules, and I currently serve as an Undergraduate Research Fellow at the International Youth Council on Gender Equality.

Niche
Field surveys, data cleaning & analysis, market validation, research support for NGOs
Tools
KoboCollect, Microsoft Excel, Google Docs, PowerPoint
Languages
English (Professional), Krio (Native)
Currently
Year 2, BSc Mathematics & Statistics, Fourah Bay College
002 โ€” How I Work

From a blank questionnaire to a finding someone can act on.

01
Design
Build the survey instrument from scratch โ€” sampling, question logic, and definitions agreed before anyone goes into the field.
02
Collect
Deploy and field the survey in person, moving between communities and verifying responses in real time.
KoboCollect
03
Clean
Export, de-duplicate, and structure the raw dataset so every row is usable and every field is consistent.
Excel
04
Analyse
Apply descriptive and inferential statistics to find what the data actually says, not what it's assumed to say.
05
Deliver
Present findings as charts, summaries, or a short report โ€” built for the audience that has to act on it.
003 โ€” Experience

Real organisations, real datasets.

JAN 2026 โ€” PRESENT
Undergraduate Research Fellow
International Youth Council on Gender Equality
  • Review and synthesise published literature on gender equality and social equity.
  • Produce research summaries and literature reviews for organisational publications.
  • Present findings to internal and external audiences supporting evidence-based advocacy.
  • Two research pieces submitted and published to organisational columns.
APR 2026 โ€” MAY 2026
Survey Research Assistant
Insight Research and Media Firm
  • Designed and deployed survey instruments using KoboCollect for market research projects.
  • Conducted field data collection serving business, organisation, and government clients.
  • Cleaned and organised exported datasets in Excel for client reporting.
MAR 2026
Survey Research Assistant
Big Markit
  • Led an end-to-end market validation survey for a digital commerce platform operating across Africa.
  • Built the survey instrument from scratch and deployed it via KoboCollect.
  • Cleaned the dataset and produced statistical findings for market positioning strategy.
2025
Field Enumerator
Budget Advocacy Network
  • Conducted structured field data collection for a study on women-led micro-enterprises in Sierra Leone.
  • Gathered survey responses across multiple sites, maintaining data accuracy throughout.
004 โ€” Skills

What I can deliver against.

Core proficiency
Data Entry
Field Research
Data Analysis
Market Research
NGO / Development Reporting
Data Visualization
Also working with
Survey Design KoboCollect Microsoft Excel Statistical Analysis Market Validation Literature Review Research Summarization Social Research Policy Analysis Data Cleaning Microsoft Word PowerPoint
005 โ€” Education & Certifications

Formal training, applied directly.

Education
BSc Mathematics & Statistics
Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone
2024 โ€” 2028 (Expected)
Certification
Mastering Freelancing โ€” Module 6
Sierra Leone Learning Passport
Completed May 2026
Certification
Peace Leader Studies
Hekima University College & Jesuit Worldwide Learning
Sep 2024 โ€” Jun 2025 ยท Grade B
Programme
Learn2Earn Programme โ€” Cohort 2
MoCTI ยท UNICEF Sierra Leone ยท ITC (KOICA READY Salone)
Selected Participant, 2026
006 โ€” Proof of Work

Selected field projects.

Market Validation
Big Markit โ€” Market Validation Survey
Built the questionnaire from scratch, deployed via KoboCollect, and led field collection across Freetown. Findings informed the platform's market positioning.
View on Upwork
Market Research
Insight Research and Media Firm
Designed and deployed survey instruments for market research projects serving business, organisation, and government clients in Sierra Leone.
View on Upwork
Field Research
Budget Advocacy Network
Field enumeration for a study on women-led micro-enterprises in Sierra Leone, using KoboCollect across multiple survey sites.
View on Upwork
๐ŸŸก In Progress
Pharmacy Stock-Out Open Dataset
Field tracking of essential medicine availability across Freetown pharmacies โ€” Christex Foundation open data bounty. Data collection underway.
Progress 65%
Ask for details
Literature Review
Gender Equality Research โ€” IYC
Literature reviews and research summaries on gender and social equity, produced as Undergraduate Research Fellow.
View on LinkedIn
Always Open
Your project here
Need field data collected, cleaned, or analysed in Sierra Leone? This is where that case study will sit.
Start a conversation
007 โ€” Data Dashboard Preview

What the data looks like after cleaning.

A sample from the Big Markit survey โ€” showing daily customer traffic patterns by respondent type.

Merchants
78%
Student Agents
62%
Street Agents
45%
Source: Big Markit Market Validation Survey, March 2026 ยท n=120 respondents
008 โ€” Testimonials

What clients say about working with me.

๐Ÿ’ฌ

Testimonials coming soon.
After I complete my first few client projects, this space will feature feedback from the organisations I've worked with.

If you'd like to be the first to leave one, let's work together.

009 โ€” Contact

Have field data that needs collecting, cleaning, or explaining?