Evaluation of the Youth and Caregivers Entrepreneurship Development Project in Zambia

Internal report prepared by ChildFund Zambia and ChildFund New Zealand

April 2015

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Table of Contents

Executive Summary 3 Introduction 4 Evaluation Methodology 6 Key Findings: Business Development 7 Income Generation 13 Care and Support to Children 17 Case Studies 21 Lessons Learnt Partnerships 26 Ownership 26 Context 27 Weaknesses 27 Sustainability 27 Conclusions 29 Appendices: A: Y-CEDEP Survey B: Focus Group Discussion Guide C: Key Informant Interview Guide

D: Evaluation Team Members

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Executive Summary

The Youth and Caregivers Entrepreneurship Development Project (Y-CEDEP) was implemented in the

Chongwe District of Zambia from January 2012 to December 2014 in response to challenges faced by

youth and caregivers in terms of local livelihood and employment opportunities.

In anticipation of the end of donor funding, an evaluation was conducted in September 2014 to

ascertain if the project’s three objectives - improved business development skills, increased income

and improved provision of care - had been met. In addition, the evaluation sought to measure the

impact of the project on their communities, their households and themselves as individuals.

An Evaluation Team was brought together comprising community-based staff from the Chongwe

Child Development Agency, ChildFund Zambia staff and ChildFund New Zealand’s Programmes

Analyst. Three days were spent training the team and a further seven spent on data collection. Due

to the capacity and community reach of the evaluation team, the quality and quantity of data

collected exceeded initial expectations. A survey was conducted with 330 out of 655 recipients, eight

focus group interviews were conducted and five key informant interviews carried out.

The evaluation revealed that all three project objectives have been met, and the reach and nature of

its impact has exceeded expectations. Start-up packages made up of training, mentoring and

exchange opportunities combined with inputs (equipment, feed, animals) have enhanced business

operations. Profitability has increased, alongside confidence, and this has resulted in increased

income as well as diversity in income. Village banking has helped individuals to set up their own

businesses and this activity is supplementing farming income and income received from the profit

made by their group business. Entrepreneurship is evident and popular amongst the communities of

Chongwe.

Increased income has helped caregivers and young people to care for and support children and

other vulnerable members of their household. There have been benefits in terms of nutrition,

education and wellbeing that extend wider than the anticipated direct and indirect beneficiaries. Y-

CEDEP has provided a mechanism to support group business and, as a result, the social capital of

communities has been enhanced in terms of access to finance and support systems in times of need.

An analysis of value for money reveals that the project has positively impacted the lives of nearly

4,000 people of Chongwe. The structure of the Y-CEDEP project will allow loans to continue to be

dispersed within Chongwe for some time to come. Following the same microfinance model, but with

a reduction in administration costs, it is predicted that funds can be loaned to new groups until

2028. This signifies the potential timeframe of the impact of this project.

Support from Y-CEDEP has assisted groups to set up village banking which, in turn, can support

individual community members to pursue income-generating activities. Village banking can continue

to operate for as long as there are funds within groups to distribute and redistribute.

In essence, the Y-CEDEP project offered opportunities to recipient groups that had never been

offered to them before. This report was compiled by ChildFund Zambia and ChildFund New Zealand

for the purpose of sharing lessons from this successful project across the ChildFund alliance.

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Introduction

The Y-CEDEP project was designed in response to challenges faced by youth and caregivers in terms

of livelihood and employment opportunities, taking into account the status of national and local

rural economies.

Zambia is a landlocked sub-Saharan country sharing boundaries with Malawi, Mozambique,

Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania. The

country covers a land area of 752,612km2. In 2012 the population of Zambia population was

13,092,666 as shown in table 1 below. The population is young with 66.2% percent of the

population aged between 0 to 24 years, 45.4% of the population aged 0 to 14 years and 20.8% of the

population aged 15 to 24 years.

Zambia is still rising out of its highly indebted country status, with both external and internal debt

comprising a third of its Gross National Product (GDP)1 in 2014. High indebtedness led to structural

adjustments which affected government spending on social services. Zambia ranked 141 out of 187

countries and territories in terms of the Human Development Index (HDI). The HDI is a summary

measure for assessing long-term progress in three basic dimensions of human development: a long

and healthy life, access to knowledge and a decent standard of living2.

One of the major challenges facing Zambia is to reduce prevailing high poverty levels in line with the

first goal of the Millennium Development Goals - “halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of

people living in extreme poverty”.

Statistics released by the Central Statistics Office in 20113 showed that, overall, 60.5% of Zambia’s

total population was poor. Amongst these poor: 42.3% were extremely poor - they could not afford

minimum basic food requirements; and 18.2% were moderately poor – they could afford the

minimum basic food requirements but not basic non-food requirements.

Furthermore, statistics showed that the rural population of Zambia was predominantly poor with

overall poverty at 77.9%, compared to 27.5% of the urban population. In rural areas, two thirds of

the poor were extremely poor and the remaining third were moderately poor.

In addition to high poverty levels, especially in rural areas, there were also high unemployment

levels in Zambia. The 2012 Labour Survey Report showed that the 20-24 age group had the highest

unemployment rate in Zambia at 14.3%, followed by 12.3% for those aged 15-19. The majority of

youth in these age groups live in rural areas such as Chongwe, the designated target area for this

project.

Chongwe, located south of Lusaka (the capital of Zambia) is a peri-urban district. People engage in

small scale farming and other business ventures as a source of income. However, limited inputs

(capital, labour, technology), and lack of access to credit and to business support services has led to

limited business scope and sustainable growth. The inability of rural community members to

engage in sustainable livelihood ventures has been a major factor contributing to rural poverty.

1 http://www.zambian-economist.com/2014/04/zambia-debt-watch-grz-statement.html 2 http://hdr.undp.org/sites/all/themes/hdr_theme/country-notes/ZMB.pdf 3 www.zamstats.gov.zm

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Youth that are involved in economic development activities are less likely to engage in risky and

delinquent behaviour as they have less time to spare for unprofitable activities. Providing

opportunities for youth and caregivers to meaningfully engage in entrepreneurial ventures can

enhance their livelihoods. Income to meet their basic needs and that of their households can help

reduce the frequency of using risky ways to make ends meet. Once empowered, individuals are in a

better position to positively contribute to their communities and national development.

ChildFund’s experience from previous livelihoods projects showed that economic empowerment of

caregivers and youth contributes to positive outcomes for children and young people. These

outcomes include improved health, increased school attendance and confidence, as well as

behaviour change.

Based on this, Y-CEDEP was designed with three objectives:

1. Improve business development skills for 200 youth and 300 caregivers by December 2014

2. Increase income of 200 youth and 300 caregivers in Chongwe District by December 2014

3. Improve provision of care and support to 1,800 children from 300 households of Chongwe

District by December 2014.

Project implementation began in January 2012 with funding from a major donor based in New

Zealand and from ChildFund New Zealand. The 2014 evaluation revealed that over three years the

project exceeded all three objectives in benefitting 655 youth and caregivers, and their households

(an estimated 3,930 indirect beneficiaries). Donor funding ended on 31 December 2014, however

the nature of the project means that funds will continue to revolve after this date. If the same

microfinance model is followed, it is predicted that funds can be loaned to new groups until 2028.

One outcome of Y-CEDEP has been institutional learning for ChildFund Zambia and ChildFund New

Zealand, and local partner Chongwe Child Development Agency. The purpose of this report is to

document how Y-CEDEP has been implemented and what has been achieved so that it can be shared

within ChildFund and with local partners.

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Evaluation Methodology

Regular monitoring of Y-CEDEP was undertaken throughout the three year time period with a view

to evaluate prior to New Zealand donor funding ending 31 December 2014. A participatory approach

to evaluation with a focus on capacity building was prioritised. A team of 25 people was brought

together comprised of staff from ChildFund Zambia, ChildFund New Zealand and Chongwe Child

Development Agency to evaluate the project from 15-27 September 2014.

Chongwe Child Development Agency is the local partner to ChildFund, working in the Chongwe

District and responsible for implementing Y-CEDEP. Chongwe Child Development Agency employs

Community Programme Coordinators and Community Development Facilitators in all seven

communities within its coverage area: Chainda; Chitemalesa; Chimusanya; Kapete; Mpanshya;

Mutamino; and Rufunsa. Represented on the evaluation team were four Community Programme

Coordinators and 14 Community Development Facilitators (see Appendix E for a full list of team

members).

Over a three-day period evaluation team members were trained in:

The development of data collection tools including surveys and semi-structured interview

schedules;

Survey administering;

Focus group and key informant interviewing; and

The use of SPSS software for data entry and analysis.

Following this training, evaluation team members spent a further seven days collecting both

quantitative and qualitative data through the following methods:

1. Survey – quantitative data was collected through a survey administered to 330 project

recipients in seven communities

2. Focus group discussions – qualitative data was collected in focus group discussions with

three youth groups and five caregiver groups

3. Key informant interviews – qualitative data was collected from interviews with

representatives from five key organisations involved in the project: Zambia National Farmers

Union; Zambia National Service Chongwe; the Ministry of Agriculture; Junior Achievers; and

Chongwe Child Development Agency.

The new data was then triangulated against existing data including financial information, recipient

information and case studies from progress reports submitted by Chongwe Child Development

Agency through ChildFund Zambia to ChildFund New Zealand every quarter. Data was analysed

against the three project objectives and the key findings are presented in this report.

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Key Findings This section of the report presents key findings from the analysis of qualitative and quantitative data

against the project’s three objectives:

1. Business Development

2. Income Generation

3. Care and Support to Children

Business Development

One key objective of Y-CEDEP was to improve business development skills for 200 youth and 300

caregivers by December 2014. Skills development was one of four strategic pillars of Y-CEDEP. The

project was therefore designed to deliver training to recipient groups, and facilitate mentoring to

groups and exchanges between groups.

Recipient Group Profile

Over three years, 50 groups participated in Y-CEDEP culminating in 655 direct beneficiaries, as

shown in Figure 1 which includes a gender breakdown.

Figure 1: Demographic information about recipient groups

Type of group Number of groups Number of males Number of females

Caregiver 30 44 396

Youth 20 121 94

Total 50 165 490

The fifty recipient groups came from seven communities within the Chongwe District: Chainda;

Chitemalesa; Chimusanya; Kapete; Mpanshya; Mutamino; and Rufunsa.

Figure 2: Number of recipient groups by community.

Community Number of caregiver groups Number of youth groups

Chainda 6 3

Chitemalesa 7 5

Chimusanya 4 1

Kapete 3 6

Mpanshya 4 2

Mutamino 3 3

Rufunsa 3 0

Total 30 20

Monitoring records kept by Chongwe Child Development Agency show the number and range of

enterprises supported by Y-CEDEP. Figure 3 illustrates that the most common type of business

operated by groups was broilers (chickens raised to be eaten) followed by piggery and gardening.

Figure 3 also shows that the most common type of business operated by caregiver groups was

broilers followed by piggery and then egg layers, and for youth groups was broilers followed by

gardening and carpentry.

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Figure 3: Types of enterprises supported by Y-CEDEP recipient groups

Business Enterprise Caregiver Groups Youth Groups Total groups

Broilers 19 9 28

Piggery 7 0 7

Gardening 0 5 5

Egg layers 3 1 4

Carpentry 0 3 3

Goat-rearing 0 1 1

Grocery 1 0 1

Welding 0 1 1

Total 30 20 50

Training

Of the 326 recipients who responded to the survey question, the overwhelming majority (318 or

96%) had received training.

Figure 4: Percentage of recipients who received training

The type of training received by recipients varied and recipients received more than one type of

training. As Figure 5 shows, the highest number of responses was recorded for leadership, followed

by record keeping, marketing and business management. Recipients also received training relevant

to specific business types including poultry management, vegetable production, maize production,

pig management and goat management.

Figure 5: Type of training received by recipients

Type of training received Number of responses

Leadership 300

Record keeping 280

Marketing 262

Business management 253

Poultry management 249

Life skills 193

Vegetable production 139

Maize production 103

Pig management 58

Goat management 11

Yes

No

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An analysis of all available data shows that recipients were offered a mixture of training – generic

training on entrepreneurship, as well as practical training on technical skills specific to the type of

business they were running. Figure 6 details the type of skills passed on to recipients and the

organisations involved in the delivery of the two types of training.

Figure 6: Type of training and skills received by recipients and organisations involved

Type of training Skills Organisations involved

Entrepreneurship small business management, financial literacy, marketing, record keeping, market research, life skills, leadership, agency, raising capital, setting up a bank account, loan management, advocacy, village banking, savings and loans, psychosocial skills, sustainability, value chain, professionalism, discipline

Junior Achievement, AFRICARE, CCDA, ChildFund Zambia, NATSAVE Bank, Barclays Bank

Technical vegetable production, crop production, poultry management, goat management, pig management, organic farming, chemical handling, conservation farming, veterinary skills, disease control

The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Zambia National Service, Hybrid Poultry, Zambia National Farmers Union, Kasisi Agricultural Training Centre

Recipients were asked through the survey how the training received helped them. Data shows that

training helped in four main ways. Figure 7 shows that the highest number of responses was

recorded for ‘able to market my products profitably’.

Figure 7: Helpfulness of training received by recipients

Ways training has helped Number of responses

Able to market my products profitably 273

Able to maintain business records 262

Able to diversify my business 216

Able to write a business plan 201

Additional data gained from focus group discussions and key informant interviews clearly shows that

training has been integral to the establishment and on-going operation of businesses. Training has

resulted in improved knowledge and skills amongst recipient groups. This has led to increased

confidence as individuals and as a group. Some recipient groups expressed increased confidence to

train others in their community. Increased knowledge and confidence has also lead to the

establishment of businesses by individual group members. Figure 8 shows that of the 321

respondents who answered the question, 226 or 70% had started their own business.

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Figure 8: Percentage of recipients who have started their own business

A clear preference has come through from recipients for training that is tailor-made to groups -

specific to their business type, practical and delivered in the local language of the group. Tailor-made

training is seen to be more effective as it has the potential to address the identified knowledge gaps

of groups, and recognises the existing strengths of each group. The strengths-based nature of Y-

CEDEP has fostered the empowerment of groups through capacity building. The criteria for

participation in Y-CEDEP included a requirement that the group was already established and

engaged in income-generating activities. Capacity building offered in the form of training has sought

to enhance group activities and profitability.

Mentoring

Of the 323 recipients who responded to the survey question, the majority (286 or 88%) had received

mentoring.

Figure 9: Percentage of recipients who received mentoring

Mentoring is defined as on-going support to recipient groups in the operation of their business from

individuals or organisations with ‘know how’. Mentoring is primarily characterised by technical

advice and resource mobilisation (access to inputs). Data from the survey shows that recipients

received mentoring from a range of organisations or companies as detailed in Figure 104. The most

popular response was the Ministry of Agriculture, followed by ChildFund Zambia.

4 This is not an exhaustive list of responses.

Yes

No

Yes

No

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Figure 10: Organisations and companies that recipients identified as providers of mentoring

Organisation/company providing mentoring Number of responses

Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock 364

ChildFund Zambia 317

Hybrid Poultry 293

Zambia Development Agency 268

Junior Achievers 249

Zambia National Farmers Union 244

Zambia National Service 167

The type of mentoring received by recipients varied and recipients received mentoring from more

than one organisation or company. As Figure 11 shows, the most popular survey response was

record keeping followed by poultry management and leadership.

Figure 11: Type of mentoring received by recipients

Mentoring type Number of responses

Record keeping 288

Poultry management 287

Leadership 281

Maize production 242

Life skills 219

Vegetable production 90

Goat management 63

Pig management 53

Mentoring has come about through the building of linkages between recipient groups and

organisations including, but not limited to, those listed in Figure 10. Additional data gained from

focus group discussions and key informant interviews clearly shows that mentoring has impacted

positively on the ability of the group to continue to operate their business, particularly where

challenges arose.

Recipient groups operating agricultural enterprises have benefitted from on-going relationships with

Zambia National Farmers Union resulting in increased access to quality inputs such as seeds and

fertiliser. Relationships with Hybrid Poultry have resulted in preferential treatment of Y-CEDEP

groups leading to increased access to high quality chicks and feed. This relationship was particularly

important when demand for chicks were high and Y-CEDEP groups were competing with others for

supplies. Groups involved in piggery management benefitted from their relationship with Zambia

National Service, particularly when swine flu affected pigs. Support was provided to groups to assist

them through the crisis.

Diversification and innovation has been fostered through relationships with mentors. In some

instances, recipient groups have changed from one business type to another business type. In other

instances, recipient groups have diversified their business with one or two additional products. The

impetus for this appears to have come from established linkages to organisations. The on-going

nature of mentoring allows for challenges to be addressed as they arise.

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Exchange Visits

The third component contributing to the business development objective was exchange visits – the

opportunity for recipient groups to visit other recipient groups to exchange learning and

experiences. While the survey did not ask a question about exchange visits, some data is available

from focus group discussions, key informant interviews and other documentation.

Exchanges were either held between recipient groups operating the same business type, or recipient

groups within the same community. Groups that took part in exchanges identified improved

practice, new knowledge and diversification as key results. The opportunity for cross-pollination of

ideas and experiences was seen as positive for recipient groups. Learning about other business types

resulted in new knowledge and, sometimes, in diversification. For example, a recipient group

operating a piggery realised through an exchange visit to another community about different market

demands between communities. In another example, a recipient group originally involved in egg

production eventually switched to broilers as a result of an exchange visit where they learnt about

the quick turnover of broilers.

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Income Generation

A second key objective of Y-CEDEP was to increase the income of 200 youth and 300 caregivers in

Chongwe District by December 2014. Access to finance was one of four strategic pillars of Y-CEDEP.

The project has included a microfinance scheme from which recipient groups have accessed loans in

order to grow their respective businesses and subsequent income. A number of recipients have been

enabled to start up individual businesses providing primary or supplementary income.

Access to finance

A key component of Y-CEDEP is the microfinance scheme established as a revolving fund made

accessible to recipient groups who met the criteria for participation. To be selected for participation,

recipient groups had to be made up of either women or youth and operating an income-generating

business. In this respect, the majority of recipient groups were already known to Chongwe Child

Development Agency through other projects. Established relationships were then nurtured under

the auspices of Y-CEDEP.

Sensitisation was carried out by Chongwe Child Development Agency and ChildFund Zambia staff

with potential groups. Evidence shows that this process was key in ensuring that groups were fully

aware of the implication of participating in Y-CEDEP and the expectations that would be placed on

them. Groups were required to register as a legal entity, set up a bank account and have a

membership of at least 10 people. Consideration was given to the past performance record of the

group and the viability of their entrepreneurship activity. Finally, a judgement was made on the

perceived ability of the group to service a loan. A paper-based assessment tool was used to record

key information about each group that was selected.

Due diligence carried out by Chongwe Child Development Agency reduced the risk of non-repayment

of loans by recipient groups. To mitigate the misuse of funds, loans were given to recipient groups in

material form. This was usually in the form of inputs and equipment, and sometimes a small amount

of cash constituting no more than 10% of the total loan value. For example, a group operating a

broiler enterprise might receive chicks, feed, feeding equipment and medical supplies to enhance

their established business.

Recipient groups were able to borrow up to 10,000 Zambian kwacha (approximately $2,000 NZD)

with a 5% interest rate and the expectation that loans would be repaid within a year. The total value

of the loan was stipulated in a formal contract between the recipient group and Chongwe Child

Development Agency, witnessed by the local village leader.

The involvement of local leaders in the microfinance component of the project has reinforced

community ownership and the commitment of recipient groups to repaying their loan. Focus group

discussions revealed that the fear of not being able to repay the loan meant it was prioritised over

profit-sharing. The responsibility associated with debt appears to have been taken very seriously by

recipient groups, illustrated by repayment patterns detailed below.

Over the three years of the project, new recipient groups were brought into the project each year

and given loans. Overall, 50 recipient groups received a loan. Data as at the end of December 2014

showed that six recipient groups have repaid their loan in full and 37 recipient groups have repaid in

part. The total value of the loans (principal amount plus interest of 5%) distributed over three years

is 511,577 Zambian kwacha (approximately $100,000 NZD).

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Income levels

As a result of access to finance, and new knowledge and skills through training, mentoring and

exchanges, recipient groups have experienced enhanced profitability from their businesses and this

has resulted in changes in income for individuals. A number of individuals have also set up their own

individual businesses providing primary and/or supplementary income.

Through the survey, recipients were asked to identify their source of income before the project.

Data shows that the highest number of responses was recorded for farming with 299 responses. A

much smaller amount of people (47) identified that they were engaged in business (trading) and 60

people indicated that they were engaged in informal business activities such as bicycle repairs or

bricklaying or in casual or piece work.

The survey also asked recipients to identify their current source of income to assess if the project

has had an impact on income generation. The data shows that farming remains a popular income

generating activity for recipients but also that business (trading) is more common now amongst

recipients.

This finding correlates with data showing the number of recipients who have started their own,

individual business. Figure 12 shows that of the 321 recipients who answered the question, 70% or

226 recipients have started their own business, in addition to the group business activity.

Figure 12: Percentage of recipients who have started their own business

Of these 226 recipients who have started their own business, 217 identified their source of support,

as shown in Figure 13. Of these 217, 164 respondents (76%) were able to do so with a capital loan

from their group, 22 (10%) used their own capital and 31 (14%) used a mixture of their own capital

and a loan from their group. Furthermore, the range of borrowing was from 200-1,500 kwacha with

an average amount of 735 kwacha (approximately $150 NZD).

Yes

No

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Figure 13: Source of support for recipients who have started their own business

Y-CEDEP has encouraged the concept of village banking in Chongwe as a viable alternative to

external lending. Village banking allows for small loans to be accessed by group members using the

profit made from the group business venture. This concept is attractive to communities with limited

geographic access to banking services and where community members have no collateral or credit

history. Interest is charged and this rate varies from group to group. Penalties may also be charged

against late payments. Group decision-making around lending and repayments results in high

transparency.

The results shown in Figure 13 provide evidence that village banking has been adopted to some

extent. This correlates with monitoring data collected by Chongwe Child Development Agency

showing that by the end of the project all 50 recipient groups were engaged in village banking as

their second business line.

Data from focus group discussions revealed that group members with access to village banking

appreciate having access to loans, particularly in times of personal need. In terms of sustainability,

village banking is a good example of a component of Y-CEDEP that can continue past the life of the

project, as long as there are funds within groups to distribute and redistribute.

The average monthly income from individual businesses ranges between 40-1,500 Zambian kwacha.

Based on survey responses, the average income from individual businesses is 342 Zambian kwacha

(approximately $70 NZD). For some recipients, income from their business will be their primary

source of income. For others, this income supplements income from farming which remains a

standard income generating activity in this district.

Data suggests that some business types are either more profitable than others, or result in more

frequent turnover of profit. For example, the business of raising poultry for eating is considered the

latter. Broilers are ready for consumption at 6 weeks of age, and therefore ready for sale. This may

account for the reason that out of the 50 total recipient groups, 28 are engaged in selling poultry

broilers.

Data illustrated in Figure 14 shows that the majority (84% or 240 recipients) have experienced an

increase in income from the time they joined Y-CEDEP. This would include all income – the share of

profit received from the group business, and income from their individual business and other

sources such as farming. As expected, no recipient experienced a decrease in income. A small

percentage experienced no change in income.

Loan fromgroup

Mixture

Own capital

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Figure 14: Changes in income of recipients

An analysis of other data supports the finding of increased income at group and individual level.

Access to group loans has led to increased income for group members from group businesses.

Recipient groups have been enabled to establish village banking systems which have helped some

individuals to set up their own businesses and generate more income. Increased income has had a

positive impact on livelihoods and wellbeing as outlined in the following section.

Increase

None

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Care and Support for Children

A third key objective of Y-CEDEP was to improve provision of care and support to 1,800 children

from 300 households of Chongwe District by December 2014. With a focus on youth and women, Y-

CEDEP has targeted vulnerable groups of young people and caregivers as direct project beneficiaries

or recipients. The rationale behind this was the sizeable youthful population of Zambia and the high

proportion of orphans.

Young people in Chongwe make up 26% of the population however more than 85% of young people

below the age of 25 are faced with inadequate incomes to meet the basic needs of life. Orphans are

raised by caregivers with responsibility for several dependents but limited opportunities to generate

an income. Therefore, it was envisaged that the indirect beneficiaries of Y-CEDEP would be orphans

and vulnerable children.

The goal of Y-CEDEP has been to contribute to improved living standards of children and youth in

Chongwe through entrepreneurial and financial support. The impact of this on the wellbeing of

children, and other indirect beneficiaries, is explored.

Beneficiary Profile

Quantitative data generated from the survey provided a profile of direct and indirect project

beneficiaries. Of the 329 respondents, 233 or 70% were female and 96 or 30% were male. In terms

of marital status, as shown in Figure 15, 64% were married, 15% single, 14% widowed, 6% divorced

and 1% separated. Looking at the two different groups, a similar percentage of the youth

respondents were married (60%) when compared to caregivers (66%). A higher proportion of the

youth respondents than caregivers were single. A higher proportion of the caregiver respondents

than youths were widowed.

Figure 15: Marital status of respondents

Type of group Married Divorced Separated Single Widowed

Caregiver 66% 8% 5% 1% 20%

Youth 60% 1% 2% 33% 4%

Data shows that the majority of respondents (222 or 68%) come from a household with a male head.

The average size of a household is 6 people however the range was 1-15 and 10% of respondents

come from a household of 10 or more people. Figure 16 shows household composition by age group

and gender. A total of 1,989 people make up the households of the 330 respondents to the survey.

Figure 16: Household composition of respondents by age group and gender

Age group Male Female Total

0-5 years 172 162 334

6-14 years 312 303 615

15-24 years 223 206 429

25-60 years 266 273 539

60+ years 38 34 72

Total 1,011 978 1,989

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Survey questions around household composition also helped to identify the indirect beneficiaries of

the project. Respondents were asked in the survey to identify if within their household there were

any: children in school; disabled people; orphans; or chronically ill people. Figure 17 provides a

breakdown of these groups, showing that at least 1,117 particularly vulnerable people reside within

the households of the recipients surveyed.

Figure 17: Household composition

Household members Male Female Total

Children in school 433 417 850

Disabled 21 10 31

Orphans 128 86 214

Chronically ill 14 8 22

Total 1,117

Nutrition, Education and Wellbeing

Through the survey, recipients were asked to identify how the group business has benefitted them.

The results shown in Figure 18 are explored in more detail and supplemented with qualitative data.

Figure 18: Ways the group business has benefitted recipients

Benefit Number of responses

Able to eat three meals a day 270

Able to buy farming inputs 265

Able to meet costs for school requisites 252

Bought household assets 197

Acquired some animals 40

Nutrition

The highest number of responses (270) was recorded for ‘able to eat three meals a day’. In

communities were food is scarce and/or people cannot afford to buy food, regular eating and food

security is of considerable value. Increased income has contributed to the ability to eat three meals a

day in that recipients have had the means to purchase food. Alongside this, some recipients have

better access to food as a result of the project and there is evidence of dietary diversification

amongst recipients.

Recipients and their households are benefitting from the crops they are growing under their

business. Vegetables and maize are two crops that are produced for sale and also for home

consumption.

Protein is more accessible to recipients and their communities than before. Poultry broiler

businesses are increasing the number of chickens available to eat and making it easier for

community members to purchase chickens for eating. Before the establishment of these businesses,

community members had to travel great distances to buy chickens. Similarly, egg production

businesses are increasing the number of eggs available to eat, pork is available through piggeries and

goat meat is available in some communities.

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Business diversification has led to the production of less common commodities such as sunflower oil.

Mpanshya HBC, a recipient caregiver group, started growing sunflower seeds and producing

sunflower oil to enrich their meals. Through an additional loan from Y-CEDEP they purchased an oil-

expeller - the equipment needed to diversify in this way.

Like other African countries, Zambia has been affected by the HIV and AIDS pandemic. Many of the

direct and indirect beneficiaries of this project have been affected by the loss of family members.

Additionally, some are carrying the HIV virus and receiving Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) through

drugs that prevent growth of the virus.

There are links between malnutrition and wasting and poor response to ART. Good nutrition is

fundamental for sufferers of the HIV virus and, for those based within Chongwe, access to nutritional

foods has improved.

Education

In many communities, costs associated with schooling include fees, uniforms, transport, food and

materials. If households have competing financial priorities then attendance at school becomes less

likely. At the same time, the value placed on education is high and so too is the desire to attend

school.

Increased income and access to loans provide under the village banking system has helped recipients

to meet the costs of school requisites. A large number (252) of respondents indicated that this was

the case. Some of the youth recipients have since returned to school as a result of income

generation. They not only have the means to support their own education but also that of their

siblings, something that they are very proud of.

Wellbeing

Farming remains a long-standing income generating activity for communities in Chongwe. While

some recipients maintain their business as their primary income activity, many recipients are

supplementing their farming income with income from their group business and undertaking the

two simultaneously.

Farming requires regular inputs including seeds and fertilisers. Survey data shows that the number

of respondents that have been able to buy farming inputs as a result of their group business was

265.

Aside from the group business, much of the activity of individuals centres on the household. Farm

management is a daily activity, so too is tending to other animals. Planning for home improvements

or the purchase of household assets is dependent on income. Survey data shows that recipients

have been able to purchase household assets and acquire some animals as a result of their group

business (see figure 18). Focus group data shows that other benefits include the ability to contribute

to family bereavements, provide transport for family and purchase clothing.

Wellbeing is also related to personal fulfilment and it is clear from the data that recipients have

experienced personal growth through the project. Recipients reported increased confidence as a

result of new knowledge and skills. The ability to ‘stand on one’s own feet’ is considered a huge feat,

particularly for some of the youth recipients who were previously considered lazy and troublesome.

20

The reason that many of the recipient youth groups were formed in the first place was to provide

income-generating activity to counteract youth involvement in illicit activities. Many of the key

informants had observed positive changes in the attitudes and productivity of youth group

members. Similarly, the reason that many of the recipient caregiver groups were originally formed

was to improve household income for the benefit of household members including Orphaned

Vulnerable Children. Case studies are provided in this report to illustrate how the project has

impacted on some recipients.

As mentioned previously, one of the criteria for participation in Y-CEDEP was that groups were

established and operating. The survey asked respondents to identify when they had joined their

group. From this data it is clear that while some recipient groups have been in existence for over ten

years, most had been established in the last 5 years. The majority of respondents had joined their

group in the last 1 or 2 years, possible due to community mobilisation around Y-CEDEP carried out

by Chongwe Child Development Agency.

The survey also asked respondents to identify the benefits of belonging to their group and the

results are shown in Figure 19. Respondents were able to choose more than one answer to this

question and peer support was one benefit identified by 239 respondents, the second highest

number of respondents.

Figure 19: Benefits of group membership

Benefit Number of responses

Acquisition of knowledge and skills 303

Peer support 239

Behavioural change 235

Access to loans 215

More focussed in life 212

Assertiveness 186

This correlates with qualitative data that shows that engagement in a group has provided individuals

with a valuable support mechanism in which friendships have been formed and bonding has

occurred. Relationships have been described as cooperative, reliable and unifying.

Social capital is an idea that came to the fore in the 1990s. It acknowledges that there are

advantages in collective groupings and considers group association to be an important asset,

particularly for vulnerable communities. Qualitative data suggests that social capital has increased in

the communities of Chongwe. Community-based groups not only provide a mechanism for collective

coordination of income-generating activities but also a support system and access to finance

(through village banking) in times of need. The latter is particularly important given that most

community members are not in a position to borrow money from institutions such as banks.

Sometimes referred to as ‘family’, groups can provide solace for isolated community members such

as those suffering from the HIV virus. They are also a training ground for entrepreneurialism and it is

expected that the long-term benefits of this project will reveal themselves in years to come. The

impact of role-modelling by caregivers to children is also a benefit that has eventuated but not

measured in this evaluation.

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Case Studies

Barbra and Susu Youth Group – 2012

Barbra, a 17 year old female youth and a member of Susu Youth Group says, ‘’I consider myself as a

lucky youth for participating in this project’’. Barbra is a double orphan who lives in Susu Village with

her uncle. She has no siblings. Her father died in 2003 when she was only 8 years old and her mother

died the following year. She relocated from Kakubo village to Susu village. Barbara is currently in

grade 9 at Kapete Basic School and her dream is to become a medical doctor.

A composed and reserved youth, Barbra is “delighted to be a beneficiary of this project which has

brought hope in my life and I can now see the light at the end of the tunnel.’’ Barbra used to depend

on her uncle for all of the school requisites and day to day needs. Her uncle does not have a monthly

income and only earns through seasonal farming. Now Barbra is able to supplement this income

from her group’s business endeavours. This has also enabled her to look for the teacher to coach her

in some of the subjects when she was not doing well in her preparation for the Grade 9 junior

Leaving Examination.

The project has made a big difference in Barbra’s life, exposing her to training in entrepreneurship

and providing her with skills in business idea generation, cash flow projection planning, marketing,

the importance of keeping records, basic facts on HIV/AIDS, and life skills which are essential for

business, such as communication skills, self-esteem and negotiation skills. “Out of all the trainings I

have attended the thing which pricked my heart most is business idea generation for it opened my

eyes as am able to see a lot of opportunities to start my own business (broiler poultry) when money

becomes available for group members to engage in individual businesses’’.

Barbra is happy to be involved in the group for she has realized that her contribution is important

and that she is no longer lonely. She enjoys the counsel of peers which has helped her to have

positive thoughts about herself. According to Barbra, the project has contributed positively to her

life, ‘’I wish ChildFund and the donors long life’’.

Below: Barbra poses with eggs provided by poultry layers

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Elijah and Shiyala Youth Group – 2013

Elijah’s confidence and smile is quite unique. As a matter of fact, smiling has become his trade mark.

With a smile Elijah’s tells how he was orphaned at the tender age of 12 years. “I remember that day

when my mother died, my father died earlier the same year. My world had crumbled. I looked at my

siblings who kept clinging to me as if fearing that I too would leave them”. As the oldest in the family

of four children it suddenly became his responsibility to take care of the family. But even with all his

new responsibilities he refused to stop going to school. He knew how important education was to

the future of his family. “I did all sorts of small jobs and businesses, including selling chickens and

vegetables for other people after class almost every day”.

When time came to start secondary school, tuition fees became too expensive. He could no longer

manage to go to school and still feed his family. Elijah had no choice but to drop out of school. He

was overpowered by this situation and his educational journey was brought to a halt. “After

dropping out of school, being in the village, life became meaningless and there was no help coming

forth wherever I looked. Even relatives to my parents could not come forward. I could not blame

them because they could not even send their own children to school”. Elijah did not have any stable

daily income. He depended on doing odd jobs around the neighborhood for survival, a situation

which left him without hope. He was unable to engage in productive activities and to be an active

participant of his own change.

One day Elijah was introduced to the youth group called Shiyala Youth Group. “This day was

different from any other day. In fact on this day I had a strange feeling, not of pessimism but of

hope, like an imminent breakthrough of some sort”. Shiyala Youth Group was supported by

ChildFund through Y-CEDEP with a loan amounting to 9,923 kwacha (equivalent to just over NZD

$2,000) to invest in poultry broilers.

The members from Shiyala youth group were equipped with skills in entrepreneurship and basic

poultry production to build their resilience and empower them to be responsive citizens within their

communities and the nation at large. Elijah learnt how to determine profit and loss including the

importance of record keeping. The group raised a profit amounting to K7, 980,000 (an equivalent to

US$1,596) after selling four consignments of broiler chickens (a batch of 300 birds per cycle) and

shared the profit which helped Elijah to overcome some of his financial challenges.

Elijah decided to go back to school after realizing that he had a stable income through poultry sales.

He started small, enrolling at Chongwe Basic School and attending evening classes. In January 2013,

Elijah was among the students selected to go to high school after sitting the Junior Secondary School

Leaving Examinations.

“At first I thought what the group was doing was useless especially as my interest was just to go back

to school. I did not connect poultry to school. Little did I know that livelihood skills are a key to

raising money and coming up with viable business ideas. But what moved me was that I noticed a lot

of changes in most of the things that I started doing. For example, my perception of life and the

world changed. With that support my life changed a lot because I realized that I had the capacity to

earn an income in a respectable manner. Besides, I also learnt that it pays to work hard and that

when you sweat for something it turns into sweet!”

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Today Elijah thanks ChildFund and its supporters for the miracle. Elijah is able to pay school fees not

only for himself but also for all of his siblings. Elijah’s life-changing decision to join Shiyala youth

group has helped him to achieve his dream of going back to school. Today his three siblings live

happily with him and he is able to help guide them through difficult times in life. His contribution to

the society makes him feel responsible both to his family and the community, and he hopes his story

will inspire other youth never to give up.

Below: Elijah and the poultry broilers

Mukubolo Youth Group – 2012

“Some journeys in life can be tough, but ours was a mystery!” remarked a group leader slowly with

his eyes half closed, as if trying to avoid those memories. The group started in 2007 with the

membership of eight (three females and five males) in the hope of escaping poverty. Their education

background was too humble to offer them any solace, let alone the economic status of their families.

“Growing vegetables was the only thing we could think about” according to Mando Banda, one of

the group members.

With only determination and labour as the available resources, the group embarked on a journey,

with no idea how long it would take them. They started planting vegetables such as green peppers,

rape, tomatoes and others using a handful of seeds which they bought after hiring themselves as

labour to local farmers. As they progressed, the vegetables needed manure but they did not have

the money for this. The challenges became worse. The vegetables were attacked by a fungal

infection because the group could not afford fungicides. “The weaker members gave up and left.

Due to inadequate group monthly income it became difficult to share dividends which could see us

meet basic daily needs”.

The group says it will never forget how glad and excited it became when they heard of ChildFund

coming to work with the groups in their area and assisting with loans. Despite the general fear

amongst the community associated with loans, the group applied to participate in Y-CEDEP. The

group not only got a loan from Y-CEDEP, but were also trained in different skills such as

entrepreneurship, gardening and chemical handling and also attended a number of motivational and

technical talks delivered by the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Community Development and

Junior Achievement.

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All the young people participated in the training, changing their perspective, especially the way they

perceived business. After the training they saw the need to run the group as a profitable business.

Now the group is able to sell garden produce twice per week, raising an amount of 1,200 kwacha

(equivalent to NZD 225). ‘’It is important to have skills if one is to achieve in life. Credit goes to

ChildFund for building our capacity and confidence. Nothing will stand in our way; nothing can bring

us down again”.

Harvests have been increasing steadily; so has their income. They are able to meet their basic needs

and service their loan. Through skills acquired, youth are able to market their produce which is

either sold within the community or in town at local markets. Mukubulo group members, through

shared dividends, are able to support their siblings to go to school, and start individual gardens for

personal profit. “We wish long life to ChildFund and Y-CEDEP donors!”.

Note: In March 2013, the group won first prize in the inaugural National Young Entrepreneurs

Exhibition organized by the Ministry of Youth and Sport in conjunction with the International Labor

Organization. They beat 15 other contesters to win a trophy sponsored and 5,000 kwacha

(equivalent to NZD 1,000) in cash. The group was awarded for being innovative, expanding the

market size for their produce within the shortest period of time and ensuring that their work does

not result in environmental degradation.

Below: members of the Mukubolo Youth Group pose with their first prize trophy

Maria and Tiyesoko Caregivers Group - 2013

Maria is a member of the Tiyesoko Caregivers Group. She has three children – two girls and a boy.

Life was not easy before she joined the group because she did not have a regular source of income.

The group’s name is Tiyeseko which simply means ‘we will not give up easily.’

Maria’s group was given a loan to kickstart their poultry business selling eggs, comprised of 150

layers and chicken feed. Within a two-month period they were able to sell 38 trays of eggs valued at

760 kwacha (equivalent to NZD 155). The group then started a village banking system. From here,

Maria was able to borrow a small amount of money and started a grocery shop.

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“I am living testimony to the project. When others were pulling out of the group I never gave up.

Village banking is real. Today I can send my children to school because I can now afford some school

supplies.

Since I joined the group I have been determined to make the most of my potential. The loan was a

way of enabling me to accomplish that which was impossible before. Now my grocery business has

grown and I am able to make 450 kwacha (equivalent to NZD 92) profit per month. Take note that

this amount is profit and does not include my working capital. I have seen my income increase by

50% compared to the time when I had no business. I now enjoy the privilege and responsibility of

caring for my children. I’m very happy that ChildFund came up with the initiative of lending money

to vulnerable people like me – I am a proud mother.”

Below: Maria and another member of the Tiyesoko Caregivers Group pose with eggs produced under their

group business

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Lessons Learnt The results of project monitoring and evaluation highlight some key factors that have contributed

towards the meeting of project objectives and the positive impact of Y-CEDEP on communities in

Chongwe.

Partnerships Working relationships at a number of levels impacted on project design, implementation and evaluation.

The established relationship between ChildFund Zambia and ChildFund New Zealand ensured that

the project was designed to respond to the needs of Chongwe, align with the desires of the donor

and fit local partner capacity. ChildFund New Zealand had a direct relationship with the New

Zealand-based donor and because of this was able to negotiate and secure funding. ChildFund

Zambia had a direct relationship with the local partner, Chongwe Child Development Agency which

enabled them to gauge capacity, and to ensure the project addressed the needs of the communities

of Chongwe.

During implementation, ChildFund Zambia maintained this relationship by monitoring project

progress. Chongwe Child Development Agency strengthened partnerships with key stakeholders that

had been established through projects outside of Y-CEDEP. Recipient groups were connected by

Chongwe Child Development Agency with organisations and individuals to provide technical advice

and business mentoring. The timeframe of such relationships is not limited to that of the project

lifetime. Therefore, recipient groups are able to continue to draw from these relationships for the

lifetime of their business operation. Partnerships between recipient groups were also formed during

implementation, in the form of exchange visits. The benefits of this level of support to recipient

groups are covered in the key findings section.

In evaluating the project, a team consisting of community-based members from each of the seven

communities was convened. This was achieved due to the reach of Chongwe Child Development

Agency into communities. Strong working relationships between ChildFund Zambia, ChildFund New

Zealand and Chongwe Child Development Agency resulted in collaboration in evaluation planning,

and in the collection and analysis of data. The high number of participants in the evaluation was

achieved due to the capacity and community reach of the evaluation team.

Ownership

Community mobilisation and sensitisation was key to ensuring ownership by recipient groups. Initial

meetings facilitated by ChildFund Zambia and Chongwe Child Development Agency informed

potential groups about how the project worked and what they would need to do in order to

participate. From this, groups were enabled to make collective and informed decisions about their

participation. Once they agreed to participate and met the requirements, sensitisation took place.

Sensitisation around borrowing and loan repayment also involved local leaders who later acted as

guarantors for recipient groups. Effectively, the burden on recipient groups to meet their repayment

obligations was emphasised. Repayment was prioritised by most recipient groups, as not meeting

these obligations would bring shame to the group as a whole. Promoting adherence to loan

repayment lead to a collective sense of responsibility that extended outside of the recipient group.

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Context

Y-CEDEP was cognisant of the local context in which it was implemented and this was illustrated in

several ways. A tailor-made training package with a mix of entrepreneurial and technical training

was offered to all recipient groups. Technical training was specific to the business enterprises of

recipient groups. Often this training was on an advisor to group basis allowing the specific issues of

individual groups to be addressed, and involved a mentoring element. Furthermore, this training

was delivered by local agencies and individuals with an intimate understanding of local issues such

as diseases, and local market demand, supply and trends.

Disease and weather affected some group businesses. Three recipient groups lost all their pigs to a

localised bout of swine flu where the government insisted on the slaughtering of affected animals. A

lack of rain dried up water points in some communities and this meant that vegetable crops

suffered. In light of this, Chongwe Child Development Agency offered flexibility around loan

repayments that was appreciated by recipient groups.

One of the participation criteria was relaxed by Chongwe Child Development Agency for recipient

groups located far from banks. Due to geographic isolation, some groups were unable to establish a

bank account, a criteria for participating in Y-CEDEP. In response to this, village banking was

encouraged and once this was established, it was accepted as a legitimate form of banking.

Weaknesses

As with any project there have been weaknesses that, on reflection, could inform the future design

and implementation of similar projects. The following are particularly noteworthy:

The participation of key stakeholders in the design and planning stage was not fully realised

The definition of youth as young people aged 15-24 years limited the levels of maturity

amongst recipient youth groups

The training period for youth of 1-2 weeks was not long enough to ensure they fully grasped

the content

Training for youth was not organised according to education status, i.e. in-school or out-of-

school

The opportunity for exchange visits between recipient groups was not fully realised

The local partner was not always present in training delivered by an external organisation to

ensure the intended outcomes were met

Training was not always followed up by a monitoring visit by the training organisation

The maximum limit for borrowing was set at 10,000 Zambian kwacha per recipient group,

this was limiting for some recipient groups

Recipient groups were not linked by the project to microfinance institutions, thereby limiting

their access to credit

Sustainability

Strong partnerships on several levels and community ownership are positive indicators of the

sustainability of businesses and of the benefits to group members, their households and the wider

community. Of the 328 participants that responded to the survey question about continuing with

their business, 325 indicated that they would continue. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 20, they

identified what was needed to ensure continuity.

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Figure 20: Measures put in place by recipient groups for business sustainability

Measures Number of responses

Knowledge and skills that I have acquired 307

Maintenance of relationships with mentors 284

Membership maintenance with my group 272

Business diversification 263

Availability of market for my goods and services 237

Input and output markets 235

Maintenance of my bank account 201

Data collected from focus group discussions confirmed that maintenance of group membership, the

passing on of acquired skills to new group members and access to markets are key to business

sustainability. Furthermore, group members emphasised the maintenance and strengthening of

partnerships with key stakeholders as important aspects to continuity of their income-generating

activities.

In summary, the following factors will contribute to the sustainability of project objectives for years

to come:

democratic governance structures based on a constitution and village banking that acts as a

revolving savings and borrowing fund for recipient groups;

entrepreneurial and technical training, and inputs to build business enterprise;

long-lasting relationships between recipient groups and local organisations, other recipient

groups and individuals to strengthen business operations into the future; and

ownership over and leadership in community-based enterprise.

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Conclusions An assessment of qualitative and quantitative data from monitoring and evaluation exercises shows

that all three objectives of Y-CEDEP have been met and that impact has gone well beyond its

expected reach and nature.

The recipients of the project (the direct beneficiaries) were 30 caregiver and 20 youth groups, or 655

individuals from the seven communities of Chongwe. We do not know the number of indirect

beneficiaries of the project but we do know that the average household size is 6 people. If we

multiply this by the number of individuals (each representing a household) then we reach a figure of

3,930 indirect beneficiaries of the project. In addition, community members have benefitted from

improved access to goods and services as a result of businesses supported by Y-CEDEP. This number

is unknown but is significant.

A mixture of entrepreneurship and technical training has built on the strengths of recipient groups

by adding new knowledge and skills to enhance their business. Ongoing business operation has been

boosted through mentoring from key organisations, particularly through technical advice relevant to

their business type, and access to inputs. Exchange visits to other recipient groups has solidified

business ideas and introduced diversification. Through increased business knowledge and skills,

recipients are more confident and able to manage their group business.

The microfinance scheme has provided recipient groups with increased access to finance, in the

form of a loan. Sensitisation and village leadership involvement has reinforced community

ownership of and commitment to repayment - 43 out of 50 groups have been paid off their loan in

full or in part.

Profitability from business has improved through access to finance and new knowledge and skills

and this has resulted in changes in income for recipients. While farming remains a popular income

generating activity, entrepreneurial activities are more common than before. Of the recipients we

surveyed, 70% have started their own business, in addition to their group business. Furthermore,

84% have experienced an increase in income from the time they joined the project.

Increased income means that recipients are able to meet the basic costs of living and provide better

care and support to their children or household members. The impact on nutrition, education and

wellbeing is noteworthy. The ability to eat three meals a day, to pay for school-related costs and to

buy farming inputs and household assets has increased as a result of increased income.

Village banking is now offered by all recipient groups, thus increasing community access to finance

that will extend past the lifetime of this project. Social capital has increased in the communities of

Chongwe. Community-based groups not only provide a mechanism for collective coordination of

income-generating activities but also a support system and access to finance (through village

banking) in times of need.

The design, implementation and evaluation of Y-CEDEP has highlighted that strong working

relationships between partners in New Zealand and Zambia have contributed to the success of the

project and to sustainability of the benefits to the communities of Chongwe. Without an established

and capable local partner to contribute to design and evaluation and to lead implementation, the

impact on the communities of Chongwe would not have been as life-changing.

30

It is evident that recipient groups understand that business activities needed to be sustained in order

to enjoy the benefits and that they understand how to ensure continuity of their business. In effect,

this means building on their achievements under Y-CEDEP: democratic governance structures; new

knowledge; long lasting relationships with local organisations other groups and individuals; and

leadership in entrepreneurship. This provides assurance that the recipient groups under Y-CEDEP will

indeed live beyond the project life and so too will the project objectives of business development,

income generation and provision of care.

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Appendix A: Y-CEDEP Survey

Questionnaire Number:_____________________

Guidance for introducing yourself and the purpose of the interview:

My name is _________________ and I work for ChildFund. We are conducting the end of project evaluation for the Youth and Caregiver Project(Y-CEDEP) being implemented by the Chongwe Development Agency. The project was targeted at the youth and the caregivers in all the 7 community associations. The information we are gathering is entirely for the purposes of the evaluation and will not be used in any other way.

Whilst there are no personal benefits to your participation in this study, all information provided here will be kept confidential at all times and will only be used for future programing of ChildFund programs. All responses to our questions and information provided by you will be anonymised i.e. no personal details relating to you or where you work will be recorded anywhere

The survey is voluntary and you can choose not to take part. The information that you give will be confidential. The information will be used to prepare reports, but will not include any specific names. There will be no way to identify that you gave this information.

Could you please spare some time (around 45 minutes) for the interview?

Section 1: General Information

Name of the village

Gender of respondent 1 = Male 2 = Female

The respondent is 1 = Care giver 2 = Beneficiary/Youth

Name of interviewer

Date of interview

Section A: Household Demographics

A1 Gender of the household head (Circle appropriate answer)

1. Male 2. Female

A2 How old are you now? (age in completed years)

A3 What is your marital status?

1. Married 2. Divorced 3. Separated 4. Never married/Single 5. Widowed

A4 What is your highest educational level attained?

1. None 2. Primary level 3. Secondary level

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4. Tertiary level

A5 If you did not reach tertiary level, what specific grade did you reach? (Indicate the specific grade)

Grade_______________________

A6 What is your household size?

A7 How many fall into the following categories in your household?

0 – 5 year 6 – 14 years 15 – 24 years 25 – 60 years

>60years

Male

Female

A8 Of these children, how many are orphans? Male Female

A9 Of the household members how many are disabled? Male Female

A10 How many of the household members are chronically ill and unable to work due to health reasons

Male Female

A11 How many of the household members are in school? Male Female

Section B: Household Income Sources and Group Organisation

B1 What was your source of income before the project?

1. Employed (Formal) 2. Farming 3. Business (Trading) 4. Fishing 88. Others (specify)

B2 What is your current source of income?

1. Poultry Layers, 2. Poultry Broilers, 3. Gardening, 4. Piggery, 5. Goat rearing, 6. Carpentry, 7. Welding, 8. Grocery shop, 9. Employed (Formal) 10. Farming 11. Business (Trading) 12. Fishing 88. Others (specify)

33

B3 Have you started your own business? 1. Yes 2. No (If No, skip to C1)

B4 If yes, where did you get the money from to start your business?

1. Own capital (If used own capital, then skip to B8)

2. My group 3. Commercial bank 4. Micro finance institution 5. GRZ project 88. Others (specify)

B5 How much did you borrow? (Record amount in ZMK)

B6 How much interest were you charged? (Record amount in ZMK)

B7 How much have you paid back? (Record amount in ZMK)

B8 What is your current average monthly income from your business? (Record amount in ZMK)

B9 What change in terms of income have you observed from the time you joined the project?

1. None 2. Increase 3. Decrease

Section C: Group Organisation

C1 What is the name of the group you belong to?

C2 When did you join this group? Indicate the year

C3 What has been the benefit of belonging to such a group?

1. Acquisition of knowledge and skills 2. Access to loans 3. Peer support 4. Behavioural change 5. Assertiveness 6. Become more focused in life 88. Other (specify)

C4 What group activities do you actively participate in?

1. Income generating activity 2. Village banking 3. Prevention of early marriages 88. Others (specify)

C5 Are there any barriers to your participation in your group?

1. Interest rates 2. Biased selection for loan section 3. Membership fees 4. Poor leadership 5. None 88. Other (specify)

Section D: Training and Mentorship

General instructions to the enumerator: Circle the appropriate number/code reflecting the respondent’s option or write the answer in the space provided

34

D1 Have you received any training? 1. Yes 2. No (If No, skip to D4)

D2 If yes, what trainings did you receive?

1. Record keeping 2. Leadership 3. Life skills 4. How to start and manage your

business 5. Marketing 6. Vegetable production 7. Maize production 8. Poultry management 9. Piggery production 10. Goat production 88. Others (specify)

D3 How has the training helped you?

1. Able to maintain business records 2. Able to write a business plan 3. Able to market my products

profitably 4. Able to diversify my business 88. Others (specify)

D4 How has business benefited your household?

1. Able to meet costs for school requisites

2. Bought household assets 3. Able to eat three meals a day 4. Able to buy farming inputs 5. Acquired some animals 88. Others (specify)

D5 Have you received any mentorship support from any organization/individual?

1. Yes 2. No(If No, skip to E1)

D6 Which organizations/individuals are these?

1. ZNFU 2. ZNS 3. Hybrid poultry 4. MoA 5. MOCD 6. JA 7. ZDA 8. ChildFund 88. Other (specify)

D7 What kind of mentorship did you receive?

1. Leadership 2. Record keeping 3. Life skills 4. Poultry management 5. Piggery production 6. Goat production 7. Vegetable production 8. Maize production 88. Other (specify)

Section E: Sustainability of IGAs or Project Activities

E1 Are you going to continue with your business now that 1. Yes

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the project has ended? 2. No (If No, skip to the end)

E2 What measure have you put in place to ensure the continued of your business?

1. Input and output markets 2. Knowledge and skills that I have

acquired 3. Availability of market for my goods

and services 4. Membership maintenance with my

group 5. Maintenance of my bank account 6. Maintenance of relationship with the

mentors. 7. Business diversification 88. Others (specify)

The End. Thank the respondent for their time.

Final Instructions to Interviewer. Now that the interview is over, please take a few minutes to fill in the time of day on the first page, fill in the following few questions, and look over the form to make sure everything was filled out appropriately.

How would you rate the overall quality of the interview?

1. Excellent 2. Good 3. Fair 4. Poor

In your opinion, how truthful did the client appear?

1. Very truthful 2. Somewhat truthful 3. Somewhat untruthful 4. Very untruthful 5. Difficult to judge

Interview status

1. Complete 2. Partially Complete 3. Refusal

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Appendix B: Focus Group Discussion Guide

INTRODUCTION: We are conducting the end of project evaluation for the Youth and Caregiver Project (Y-CEDEP) implemented by the Chongwe Development Agency. The information we are gathering is entirely for the purposes of the evaluation and will not be used in any other way. Thank you all for agreeing to participate in this focus group.

Name of Group: _____________________________________________________

Youth group

Caregiver group

Community Association: _____________________________________________________

Enterprise: _____________________________________________________

Participants: ____ Female ____ Male

General:

1. When was the group formed?

2. Why was the group formed?

3. How many members are in your group?

4. What do you do in your group?

5. How do you accept members in your group?

Participation:

1. How did you become aware of Y-CEDEP project?

2. What made your group to participate in the project?

3. What does the project have to offer?

Business:

1. What kind of business are you running?

2. How did you come up with the business idea in the group?

3. How are you managing your business? Are there any challenges?

4. How much load did you get?

5. How much interest are you paying on the loan?

6. How do you feel about owing money? Prompts: Have you made any repayments? Are there any repayment challenges, for example is it too large to deal with? Was a loan necessary to being able to start your enterprise? Was the six (6) month grace period helpful to you? 7. Do you find the 50% appropriate?

8. How much have you paid towards your loan?

9. Tell us your experience about your interaction with your bank?

Governance:

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1. Do you have a constitution?

2. Do you have a group register?

3. What records do you maintain as a group? (Deposit slips, bank statements, registers, income,

expenditures, interest sharing, loans given out, repayments)

4. How often do you meet?

5. How do you discipline your members?

6. How is your leadership put in place?

7. How does the group make decisions?

Training and Skills:

1. What kind of training have you received? From whom? Prompts: Business strategy and planning

How often did you receive training? Where was the training held and did this make a difference? How many people were there and did this make a difference? Was it easy to understand what the trainer was saying? Did you receive all the information you felt you needed or where there gaps? Did you get material to take away with you? Did you have an on-going relationship with the trainer? Generic training vs. tailor-made training specific to your enterprise

2. How have you benefitted from the trainings as a group and at individual level?

3. What training approach do you prefer?

4. What did you know about running a business before the training? What new things did you

learning after training?

5. Overall, do you feel that you were supported enough by ChildFund to set up and run your enterprise?

Prompts: What did you not receive that you needed? What could have been done differently? Did you receive support from somewhere else that was helpful and why?

Linkage with Stakeholders:

1. Which organisations/individuals are you working with as a group? Why?

2. How are you working with organisation?

3. Are there challenges in working with the organisation you are working with? What are you

doing to overcome those challenges?

4. When you have challenges in your business, where do you go for consultation?

5. In running the business, did you visit any groups? How did you find your visits? Any

recommendations on the learning visits? What benefits did you derive from the learning

exchange visits?

6. What kind of mentoring did you receive during the project and was this helpful?

Prompts: How often did you receive mentoring? Who was the mentor and did this make a difference? What knowledge did they pass on and was it helpful?

Was it easy to understand what the mentor was saying? Did you receive all the information you felt you needed or where there gaps?

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Did you have an on-going relationship with the mentor Impact:

1. What has changed since you joined the project?

At individual level

At family level

At community level 2. Derive interesting stories that can be documented as impacts at the three levels – do not

forget pictures. Sustainability:

1. For how long do you think you will be running your business? Why?

2. What have you put in place for you to run the business for that long?

3. Who do you think you will continue working with in order to grow your business?

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Appendix C: Key Informant Interview Guide

INTRODUCTION: We are conducting the end of project evaluation for the Youth and Caregiver Project (Y-CEDEP) implemented by the Chongwe Development Agency. The information we are gathering is entirely for the purposes of the evaluation and will not be used in any other way. Thank you for agreeing to participate in this interview.

Name of Informant: _____________________________________________________

Organisation: _____________________________________________________

Role: _____________________________________________________

Gender: ____ Female ____ Male

Participation:

1. Do you think it was easy for the group to participate in the project? 2. Was it possible for the group to participate in acquiring loans? 3. Was it advantageous to support existing groups or groups who were involved in IGAs? 4. What was the criteria for selecting groups? 5. What do you think were some barriers for groups to participate in the project? Prompts: 5% interest rate

Conditions of loan Selection criteria

Business:

1. What have been some of the challenges in running the business?

Governance:

1. What is your perception of governance in these groups?

Training and Skills:

1. Do you think that people are applying what they were trained in? 2. What do you think is the impact of the trainings in the groups? 3. What specific lessons did you learn during the delivery of trainings? 4. What changes should CFZ make on the design of the project?

Linkages with Stakeholders:

1. Working experience with the project? Were there any areas that CFZ need to improve on?

What are these areas?

Impact:

1. What do you think is the impact of this project?

Sustainability:

1. How can groups continue tapping into your services?

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Appendix D: Evaluation Team Members

Member Gender Designation

Baster Mumba M Community Programme Coordinator Mpanshya/Rufunsa

Dorothy Chabala F Community Programme Coordinator Chimusanya

Clement Musangile M Community Programme Coordinator Chainda/Mutamino

Pascal Zulu M Community Programme Coordinator Kapete/Chitemalesa

Leonard Chakufyali M Community Development Coordinator Mpanshya

Kasamika Zulu M Community Development Coordinator Mpanshya

Edwin Phiri M Community Development Coordinator Rufunsa

Micheal Njobvu M Community Development Coordinator Rufunsa

Mike Ngulube M Community Development Coordinator Chimusanya

Jacklyne Manchishi F Community Development Coordinator Chimusanya

Benny Phiri M Community Development Coordinator Chitemalesa

AronNyirongo M Community Development Coordinator Chitemalesa

MukonkeKakompe M Community Development Coordinator Chainda

Saul Moyo M Community Development Coordinator Chainda

Rodwell Katombela M Community Development Coordinator Kapete

StanelyChalesela M Community Development Coordinator Kapete

Micheal Mumba M Community Development Coordinator Mutamino

Davy Ng’ombe M Community Development Coordinator Mutamino

Leonard Tembo M Y-CEDEP Coordinator Chongwe Child Development Agency

Green Makamo M Federation Manager Chongwe Child Development Agency

Dickson Simbuwa M M & E Coordinator ChildFund Zambia

Njekwa Mukamba M M & E Coordinator ChildFund Zambia

Maron Zulu M M & E Coordinator ChildFund Zambia

Godwin Nsofu M Programmes Manager ChildFund Zambia

Danica Waiti F Programmes Analyst ChildFund New Zealand