Over the course of three dynamic days in Ramallah, government officials and project implementers from World Bank Group-funded projects across the Palestinian territories, gathered in person and online to experience the Geo-Enabling Initiative for Monitoring and Supervision (GEMS) program. This innovative program is designed to empower local teams and strengthen projects implementation, particularly in fragile and conflict-affected environments, by leveraging simple, yet effective technology and building on local capacity. Through immersive, hands-on training with the open-source tool KoboToolbox, participants learned how to harness real-time, digital field data – collecting, analyzing, and visualizing information to closely track progress across a broad range of projects, from water and education to economic development, social protection, infrastructure and beyond. With each new skill learned, these Palestinian changemakers are now equipped not only to monitor, but to lead, adapt, and ensure their communities continue to move forward, even when facing access difficulties.
Held in Ramallah from February 2 to 4, the workshop focused on empowering Palestinian institutions to independently lead their own digital monitoring and supervision efforts. Participants came from ministries, and project implementation units supporting the Ministry of Finance and Planning, the Palestine Water Authority, the Palestinian Energy Authority, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Social Development, the Ministry of Digital Communication, in addition to the High Council for Public Procurement Policies, the Palestinian Land Authority, the NGO Development Center, the Palestinian Heritage Trail, DAI (the Ministry of National Economy), and the Municipal Development and Lending Fund (MDLF). These teams learned practical skills to track progress, manage risks, and respond swiftly to challenges in the field.
Accessible to everyone — no IT expertise required — the GEMS system stands out for its simplicity and flexibility. Even from remote locations, users can capture critical data offline using smartphones or tablets. Once connectivity is available, their information seamlessly syncs to the central server, ensuring that project oversight continues uninterrupted and in near real-time. This innovative approach transforms raw digital data into powerful visualizations, helping teams monitor progress, manage risks, and adapt quickly throughout project cycles. Even when conflict, insecurity, or logistical constraints restrict access to certain areas, GEMS empowers local staff to have a view of what’s going on with a project, providing fresh insights from the field and keeping development efforts moving forward.
Kobo Toolbox is a valuable tool for enhancing remote monitoring in challenging contexts. Its strengths in questionnaire design, monitoring and evaluation, and data collection enable effective tracking of on-ground implementation and systematic data gathering from municipalities, engineers, and consultants, while promoting accountability and transparency. The Municipal Development Lending Fund (MDLF) plans to integrate GEMS into its existing systems and looks forward to further advanced training to strengthen its use.
READ MORE: https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2026/03/09/building-local-capacity-for-monitoring-world-bank-funded-projects-in-fragile-contexts-and-beyond
