Nort-West LL:Project Overview

Background and contact

NWLL was officially launched in September 2010 as part of the proposed North West Science Park initiative. The aim of the NWLL is to promote and facilitate the sustainable social development of communities (especially rural communities) in the North West Province of South Africa; by means of existing scientific and/ technological innovations and interventions. The NWLL is part of the LLiSA network in South Africa, and is managed by Research Logistics cc, a research company based in Potchefstroom that specialises in community-based research and interventions in and around the North West Province.

NWLL has a dual purpose: Firstly, it acts as a “voice” (platform) for communities in the North West Province to articulate the actual needs (priorities) and expectations within their particular communities (a so-called open user-driven innovation or “bottom-up” approach); and secondly, it acts as a liaison (or channel of communication) between all other stakeholders (e.g. communities, institutions, industries, and government) in an attempt to further incubate (development), test and perfect innovations or interventions.

Research Logistics (RL) was established in 2008 to provide logistical and technical support to researchers/ companies in the field, but due to strong market needs expanded its services (in 2010) to include community-based contract research and community engagement/ stakeholder-relations services. In early 2010 RL also extended its research activities to neighbouring provinces in central South Africa (i.e. parts of the Free-State, Limpopo and the Northern Cape).

Services offered by RL:

• Social research planning and design (quantitative, qualitative or mixed-methods)
• Logistical and project management
• Fieldwork (data collection)
• Contract research
• Community engagement

RL team:

RL is owned and managed by Hendri Coetzee, a trained research psychologist and psychological counselor in the category “community mental health”. He is supported by Chester Moeletsi and Tshadinyana Phetoe. Tshadi is an MA research psychology student at the University of the North- West’s Potchefstroom campus. She currently works for Research Logistics on a part-time basis while completing her formal studies on HIV stigma reduction and intervention. Chester is an experienced project manager currently responsible for all RL’s logistical arrangements and fieldwork management.

• Contact person: Hendri Coetzee
• Email: hc.researchlogistics@gmail.com
• Mobile: +27 0 82 213 4816
• Telephone:

Vision

NWLL will be instrumental in changing the quality of life and standard of living of communities in the region through identifying, facilitating and implementing community-driven, socio-technological solutions.

Mission

To create a platform for communities in the North West Province to ensure that actual needs and expectations are identified, incubated, and communicated to the relevant stakeholders. To establish a point of contact/entry in each municipal district in the North West Province and wider region to enable easy access to the platform. To incubate or facilitate the further development and testing of scientific or technological innovations and interventions in the North West Province.

Location

North West Science Park, North West Province, South Africa (Research Logistics contact details)

Communities (baseline project)

Between June and September 2010 Research Logistics conducted a baseline research project in the Dr. Kenneth Kaunda District of the North West Province as part of a Living Labs initiative. The main focus of this project was to compile a profile for ten, preselected communities in the Dr. Kenneth Kaunda District and to determine their actual needs.

• Ikageng and Promosa (Tlokwe municipal area)
• Jouberton, Kanana, Khuma, Alabama and Tigane (City of Matlosana municipal area)
• Borabalo, Lebaleng and Kgakala (Maquassi-Hills municipal area)
• Tshing (Ventersdorp municipal area)

Similar projects will also be conducted in the remaining three districts of the North West Province in due course. The larger project will take approximately 5-6 months to complete and will be executed in three consecutive phases: phase 2 Dr Ngaka Modiri Molema (Central) District, phase 3 Dr Ruth S. Mompati (Bophirima) District, and phase 4 Bojanala District.

What problem is being addressed ?

• Needs of communities in the North West Province

Available documents: Summary of needs in the Dr. Kenneth Kaunda District

A more integrated discussion of the needs in the Dr. Kenneth Kaunda District

Map of study area

Proposed Solution

If you are also passionate about helping people through science and technology, please contact the RL team so that we can assist you.