The Capacity Foundation has set itself the task of interviewing all 4,000 households in TA Malenga Mzoma’s 60 villages. This follows the landmark baseline household survey carried out in 2016, which led directly to the founding of Capacity.
The 2016 survey sample was very large, covering 1,200 (30%) of the total households in Malenga Mzoma and asking questions on a range of issues: health, education, poverty levels, land and livestock holdings, water and food security, housing stock and sources of income.
It showed in statistical terms the reality of people’s lives.
Starting in March 2021, the survey is being run again with a threefold purpose:
1 – to check progress in the areas sampled in 2016;
2 – to obtain a 10% baseline sample of all 60 villages;
3 – to start a rolling survey which will re-interview households every two years.
The 10% sample will enable the community to prioritise where the loan programme should be extended, where more adult literacy classes should be started, where more farming developments fields should be launched and so on.
Like the original 2016 survey, the questionnaire has been devised by Lilongwe Technical College led by Wilson Chawaza-Phiri, Head of Community Development and Social Development Programmes.