3 days ago
‘River of Life method helps collect insights from vulnerable adolescents'
KARACHI: The Data and Research in Education – Research Consortium (DARE-RC) hosted the second edition of its webinar series 'Building Communities of Practice in Education', bringing together highly accomplished Pakistani and international education researchers to share critical research findings and strategies for improving Pakistan's education system.
DARE-RC is a pioneering education research initiative, generating actionable insights to drive evidence-based education reform nationwide. It is led by Oxford Policy Management (OPM) with consortium partners Aga Khan University Institute of Education (AKU-IED) and Sightsavers, and funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
The webinar episode 'Exploring the River of Life Participatory Method' featured Dr Asma Zubairi, an Associate Professor at the University College London (UCL), and Dr Rabea Malik, a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Development and Economic Alternatives (IDEAS). This method will be used in a research study commissioned by DARE-RC to be led by Dr Rabea Malik within Sindh.
During the webinar, the speakers presented the River of Life participatory method as an innovative method to gather in-depth data while working with vulnerable adolescents, particularly those affected by climate-induced emergencies or those who may be marginalised.
This topic is essential for understanding how to leverage participant-centred approaches in education research. If implemented well, the River of Life method can generate rich, narrative-based data.
In discussion with Dr Sahar Shah (Senior Research Manager at DARE-RC), Dr Asma Zubair and Dr Rabea Malik drew on experiences from the Girls' Education Challenge evaluation across Ghana, Kenya, and Nepal, focusing on its relevance for marginalised out-of-school adolescent girls and its potential application to the context of Pakistan.
Education practitioners, policymakers, government representatives, academics and researchers engaged with the experts and raised queries related to the notion of 'agency' and 'opportunities' embedded within the methodology, navigating data collection among vulnerable groups, and the impact of this approach when speaking to children with varying personalities, or those who may be differently abled.
Dr. Asma elaborated on how the River of Life method allows vulnerable young people to map out and provide critical insights into their lives such as their experiences of services, peer and family influences, barriers and negative experiences, and empowering experiences at different stages of their lives. It can also help them consider alternative future aspirations.
While the method promises a rich and nuanced investigation into the lives of vulnerable populations, it does not come so without its challenges. Dr. Asma highlighted that while this research method was used to gather insight into the lives of 98 adolescent girls across Ghana, Kenya and Nepal, its effective implementation required significant time and conducive physical spaces.
Moreover, there is a risk of triggering traumatic memories for participants which requires nuanced navigation by educational researchers; in this case a psycho-social counsellor was hired during data collection to manage any such instances.
Moreover, this method may potentially lead to fatigue for both the participant and researcher. Additionally, some participants may need more hands-on support compared to others, meaning researchers must arrange for extra assistance to help guide and generate an in-depth discussion.
Dr. Rabea, emphasized that it is crucial to recognise that this is a participant-led approach, and within the context of Pakistan, researchers must be ready to adapt and be flexible in the use of tools to make participants as comfortable as possible.
This episode as part of the DARE-RC webinar series marks a significant step in fostering an evidence-driven approach to education reform in Pakistan. By engaging key stakeholders in meaningful dialogue, the consortium continues to advance its mission of leveraging rigorous research to shape policies that ensure equitable, high-quality learning opportunities for all children, especially the most marginalised.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
