Target is carrying out researches throughout the Democratic Republic of the Congo, within several African countries of Great Lakes and Western Africa countries. Besides the agency is producing in addition of very good quality reports meeting international standards that help advertisers as well as decision – makers to direct their decision in their respective sectors. These reports are in realities fruits of determination and efforts of men and women always willing to provide a good quality service. Zoom on these guys and ladies that are moving through long distances using motor bikes, canoe, walking or even taking flight just for market research.   

Within Target, they hold the position of “Field Manager”, they are in charge of data collection in a city. Because of their work, they are always called to be in the field. They are true information hunters, they push the seeking up to the very last limits, at KENGE or MBARI, at Kinshasa as well as at Brazzaville. They are constantly digging for information as well as reliable data and for that purpose they are ready to take up any challenge.

Manon NTUMBA, Field Manager working within Target since one year is saying: “During a research, we had to go to the heart of Sud – Ubangi province. The journey was very challenging. We took a motor bike, crossed the forest and supported several falls in the sands to finally walk for about 3 km… despite tiredness, we had to sleep in good time in order to make field scouting early in the morning, the following day then start our research”.

Charles BENKANGA found out himself cut from the world during almost all night because he did not have access to the network and his mobile phone battery was down. Travelling from Kinshasa, he was supposed to get to KENGE, about 260 Km at the eastern part of DR Congo capital. The guy was not aware of the misadventure waiting for him there: He is saying: “Normally I was supposed to reach KENGE a Sunday because I had to train surveyors the following day at 8h00 am. I get to the bus station of MASINA BITABE neighborhood around 12h to take my taxi towards KENGE. This journey takes about 4 hours. In my mind, I was thinking that I would reach KENGE around 17h00’. First malfunction: The taxi left the bus station at 18H00, something like 6 hours after the set departure time. On the road, the phone was out of the coverage area. And since misfortune never comes alone, my mobile phone battery was completely down. Thus no way for Kinshasa and KENGE contacts to reach me. We finally arrived at KENGE around midnight, a kind guy that was making the journey with me in the same taxi helped me with his phone to reach Target focal point that came to pick me up to the hotel. As planned, for following day at 8h am, I organized my training session right after appeasing my wife and Target Administrative Assistant that unsuccessfully tried to reach me on the eve of that day.”

There is also some lands in which surveyors are welcomed as little princes. Their stays end up with happiness. As during this journey at LIKIMI and MBONZA located within GEMENA in the province of SUD – UBANGI. The assignment was to perform a research for establishment of a Telecommunication Company agency. Clever, the Field Manager while arriving in that land, He firstly announced the reason of his stay through the public radio waves of local market, specifying that surveyors will be moving from house to house to conduct the study. Quickly, this Target team received the nickname of “The network”.

“I remember one day, while performing our job, we were hungry, we were supposed to purchase peanuts in a family, one of our last respondent saw us in that family and exclaimed by saying “Ah! You are here!” Then he whispered a word in the ear of this old saleswoman of about sixty years old that graciously and freely offered us peanuts beyond even the quantity that we wanted to purchase. Our insistence to pay remained void. This is not the only gift we received on the field.”

But there are also rushes, such as what Merveille BWANGA experienced at Kinshasa port in order to get in a rapid canoe while she was going for the first time to Brazzaville. The fear of losing her luggage, accommodation with uncomfortable areas… all these sacrifices aim at only one purpose: coming up with a good quality result as regards studies reliably matching Congolese social realities.

Their names are Manon, Merveille, Charles… their efforts are marked behind every single study that Target carried since 7 years now.