back at the past couple of days.
For those who do not know what I am doing: I am back in Malawi, again
working in research but on a different project (technical and
vocational training for orphans and vulnerable youth to reduce HIV
infection rates) and with a different organization (World Bank and
Yale). This time, my role is a lot easier, as I am neither
implementing the project myself (this is done by a para-statal
organization called TEVETA) nor do I have my own survey team. The data
collection (i.e. the interviewing) is outsourced to a survey firm, so
I do not have to deal with any of the payment issues and all that
crap!) However, money remains an issue – yesterday the project was
once again at risk as the survey firm that started data collection
almost a week ago, had still not received the contract sum from the
World Bank. Die Bürokratie ist ein Hund! Something went wrong in the
process and so the survey firm, which had already used their own funds
to get started, ran out of money to cover their expenses (mainly fuel
& daily allowances for the enumerators, drivers and supervisors). The
crisis was averted and I am driving around bringing the teams money
that we somehow got from here and there….let's not get into those
details…
Back to the start: I arrived in LLW and went down to Zomba, the
previous (colonial) capital of Malawi in the Southern Region, where
IKI, the survey firm, is based. IKI was about to finish the training
of the enumerators and we clarified final questions about the
questionnaire and the schedule. The challenge this time is that our
1500 respondents are scattered around the entire country – with up to
150km between one respondent and the next one! And without the help of
locals, they are extremely difficult to find. Apart from that, these
youth are very mobile and hence they cannot always be found where they
are supposed to be living according to our list.
As the implementing organization had not notified anyone that we would
come to interview these people, I focused on getting support from the
district officials who liaise with the community development
assistants – people in the villages who initially identified these
beneficiaries. They should know these young people since they were the
ones who put them on the list of people who should get this technical
or vocational training (Berufsausbildung/Lehre). So I have spent much
time on getting district officers to support us by providing us with
the contacts of the community development assistance and the like.
Otherwise my main task is now to move from team to team and make sure
they do a good job. I sit in in interviews and check filled out
questionnaires. I am renting a car, driving around the entire country
and a stay in reasonable hotels, AND I'm being paid so my life in
Malawi is drastically different from last time! I spent more time in
Lilongwe sorting out administrative stuff, so I cannot say yet how
being on the move feels like after a while. But I definitely enjoy my
independence!!! Lilongwe is also much more enjoyable when you have a
car and do not depend on other people or public transportation.
Data collection should be finished around the 22nd of April. Then data
entry should start in Zomba. I am planning to stay in Zomba for a
while to oversee the entry and make sure quality is ok. Then I'll
probably go back to LLW for a bit to help TEVETA prepare the actual
implementation and make sure their implementation is in line with the
research design. BTW, the hypothesis is that this training improves
employability and increases incomes and as a result affects risky
sexual behavior and ultimately reduces HIV infection rates. The
training will last up to 6 months and the follow-up survey is
scheduled for January 2011.
Emily and Blake are at the lake for an Easter Break. I was hoping to
join but with all that money hassle, I could not stick to my plans.
Maybe I'll join for a day or so…
Frohe Ostern & Happy Easter Eggs!
--
Clara Höpler
-----
Impact Evaluation Field Coordinator -
Technical and Vocational Skills Training for Orphans and Vulnerable Youth
(TVST OVAY)
Phone: +265 / (0) 993 720 168
