Undergraduate Research Reports & Masters Dissertations

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://research.unilus.ac.zm/handle/123456789/446

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    An Investigation in the role that Non-Profit Organisations play in Public Service Delivery in Munali Constituency
    (2026) MWANSA, Kalenga
    This study explored the contributions of nonprofit organizations (NPOs) to public service delivery in the Munali Constituency of Lusaka, Zambia. NPOs play a critical role in addressing gaps in essential services, such as healthcare, education, and social welfare, particularly in urban areas facing socio-economic challenges. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, this research collected quantitative data from 180 residents and qualitative insights from the respondents. Findings revealed high community awareness of NPOs, with 88.9% of respondents familiar with their roles. However, only 55.6% of participants reported using nonprofit services, highlighting barriers related to accessibility, awareness, and trust. The study also identified significant contributions by NPOs in enhancing service delivery quality, as recognized by 66.7% of respondents, though concerns regarding consistency and sustainability remain. Recommendations include strengthening outreach efforts, fostering collaboration between NPOs and government, and improving accessibility to ensure NPOs maximize their impact in underserved communities. These insights aimed to inform policies and strategies that enhance public service delivery and promote sustainable development in Zambia.
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    An Assessment of the Social, Economic and Environmental Benefits of achieving Open Defecation Free (ODF) Status in Ndake Village
    (2026) SINYINZA, Changala Clara
    This study investigates the sanitation experiences and perceptions of Ndake Village residents in Luangwa District, Zambia, following the attainment of Open Defecation Free (ODF) status. Using a qualitative design, the research draws on focus group discussions, household interviews, and key informant insights from Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) champions and the District Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Education (DWASH) committee. The study was guided by the general objective of assessing the social, economic, and environmental benefits of achieving ODF status in Ndake Village, with specific objectives focusing on economic impacts, social well-being, and environmental improvements. The target population comprised residents of Ndake Village under Luezi Ward, including male- and female-headed households, community leaders, and key stakeholders involved in sanitation governance. A total of 50 respondents participated in the study, consisting of 42 community members, 4 government and non-governmental officials, and 4 community leaders. Of the respondents, 53.3% were male and 46.7% were female, with the majority engaged in farming as their main livelihood. The findings reveal that achieving ODF status significantly improved public health outcomes, personal dignity, and community cohesion. Women reported enhanced safety and privacy, while households noted reductions in diarrhoeal diseases and improvements in school attendance among children. Social norms around defecation transformed substantially, with strong community pressure to maintain clean and functional latrines. Economic benefits were also observed, including reduced medical expenditures and increased productivity. However, the sustainability of ODF status faces several challenges. Seasonal flooding frequently damages shallow pit latrines, financial constraints limit the construction of durable facilities, and water access remains inconsistent. Some households struggle to maintain handwashing stations and replace worn-out latrine components, threatening long-term sanitation gains. The study concludes that sustaining ODF achievements requires ongoing behaviour change reinforcement, targeted support for vulnerable households, and investment in flood-resistant sanitation technologies. Strengthened local governance and climate-resilient WASH interventions are essential for advancing and sustaining rural sanitation outcomes in Ndake Village and similar contexts. The findings have important implications for policy and practice, highlighting the need for sustained post-ODF monitoring, integration of climate-resilient sanitation technologies into rural development planning, and strengthened collaboration between government institutions, non-governmental organisations, and community leadership to prevent slippage and ensure long-term sanitation sustainability.
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    An Investigation of the Relationship between Adult Literacy Programmes and Economic Empowerment Among Women in George Compound of Lusaka District
    (University of Lusa, 2026) MONDE, Felix
    This study examined the impact of adult literacy programmes on women’s empowerment in George Compound, Lusaka District. The study was motivated by the continued socio-economic marginalisation of women in low-income urban communities, where limited access to education constrains income generation, financial management, participation in household decision-making, and overall well-being. The main objective of the study was to assess the relationship between participation in adult literacy programmes and women’s economic and social empowerment. Specifically, the study sought to examine the influence of adult literacy participation on women’s confidence, engagement in income-generating activities, financial management practices, and involvement in household decision-making. A mixed-methods research approach was employed. Quantitative data were collected through structured questionnaires administered to 50 women participants in George Compound, while qualitative data were obtained through focus group discussions and key informant interviews. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and presented in tables and charts, whereas qualitative data were analysed thematically to capture participants’ experiences and perceptions regarding adult literacy programmes and empowerment outcomes. The findings revealed that the majority of respondents were aged between 18 and 45 years and had diverse marital and educational backgrounds. Approximately 58% of the respondents had participated in adult literacy programmes, with attendance ranging from once to three times per week. The study further established that participation in adult literacy programmes was positively associated with women’s empowerment. About 54% of participants reported initiating income-generating activities after joining literacy programmes, while 48% indicated an improvement in their income levels. Qualitative findings showed that adult literacy enhanced women’s self-confidence, numeracy skills, and ability to manage finances, enabling them to participate more actively in household decision-making, savings groups, and small-scale entrepreneurship. Despite these positive outcomes, the study identified several challenges affecting programme effectiveness, including financial constraints, heavy household responsibilities, inconsistent attendance, and cultural norms that limited women’s participation. In addition, inadequate funding and limited institutional support were found to threaten the sustainability of adult literacy initiatives. The study concludes that adult literacy programmes play a significant role in promoting women’s economic, social, and psychological empowerment in George Compound. Participation in literacy programmes was found to enhance self-reliance, improve financial management, and strengthen women’s decision-making power at household level. The study recommends strengthening adult literacy programmes through increased government and non-governmental organisation support, enhanced community sensitisation, and the integration of financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and leadership training into literacy curricula. Such measures are essential to improve programme sustainability and maximise the empowerment outcomes of adult literacy initiatives in low-income urban settings. Keywords: Adult Literacy, Women’s Empowerment, Education, Income Generation, Financial Management, George Compound, Zambia.
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    Analysing Policy Implementation: A Case Study of the Free Education Policy in Selected Public Primary Schools in Lusaka District
    (2026) MWELWA, Safeli
    The Free Education Policy was introduced by the Government of Zambia to improve access to education and promote equity by removing user fees in public primary schools. This study examined the implementation of the Free Education Policy in selected public primary schools in Lusaka District, with the aim of understanding school responses to the policy, identifying successes, and exploring challenges encountered during implementation at school level. The study adopted a qualitative case study design. The target population comprised head teachers, teachers, and Parent Teacher Association (PTA) representatives from selected public primary schools. A purposive sampling technique was used to select participants who were directly involved in the implementation of the policy. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analysed thematically in line with the study objectives. The findings revealed that public primary schools responded positively to the Free Education Policy by admitting all eligible learners, removing user fees, engaging communities, adjusting teaching schedules, and adopting coping strategies such as splitting classes and rotating learners. Key successes recorded included increased enrolment, improved access for vulnerable learners, reduced school dropouts, positive community perception of government commitment to education, and the ability of schools to focus on teaching rather than fee collection. However, the study also established several challenges, including overcrowded classrooms, high teacher–pupil ratios, inadequate teaching and learning materials, strained sanitation facilities, insufficient funding through school grants, and limited administrative support and monitoring from education authorities. Based on the findings, the study recommends increased funding of primary school grants, recruitment of additional teachers, expansion of school infrastructure, consistent provision of teaching and learning materials, strengthened monitoring and support by the Ministry of Education, and enhanced community engagement. The study recommends that while the Free Education Policy has significantly improved access to education, its sustainability and effectiveness depend on adequate resourcing, strong administrative support, and effective coordination between policymakers and frontline implementers.
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    An Evaluation of Community Participation in Health Systems Strengthening: A Case of the Community Health Worker (CHW) Programme in Chongwe District
    (2026) MBAYA, David Kanyanta
    Community participation is widely recognised as a cornerstone of effective primary health care delivery, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where health systems often face resource constraints and limited reach. This study evaluated community participation in the planning, implementation, and governance of the Community Health Worker (CHW) programme in Chongwe District, Zambia, with a specific focus on a health-related software feature introduced to support service delivery. The target population comprised community residents, CHWs, and staff from the Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIRDZ), reflecting a diverse group of stakeholders directly engaged in or affected by the programme. Using a mixed-methods approach, data were collected from 40 respondents out of the current population which sits at above 300,000 people through questionnaires and focus group discussions, enabling both quantitative and qualitative insights into the nature and extent of participation. The findings revealed limited and largely tokenistic community involvement in the planning and prioritisation of the software feature. Specifically, 83% of community residents reported no participation in planning processes, highlighting a disconnect between policy commitments to participatory health governance and actual practice. While participation increased during implementation—73% of residents took part in testing—the quality of engagement was undermined by challenges such as language barriers, inadequate training, and increased workload for CHWs. Feedback and accountability mechanisms were weak, indirect, and non-transparent, contributing to low levels of ownership and trust among community members.
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    A Study of the Livelihood Vulnerabilities of Inland Small Scale Fishing Communities: A Case of the Kafue Bridge Fishing Camp
    (2026) MUMBI, Benjamin Chama
    This study examined the livelihood vulnerabilities of inland small-scale fishing communities, focusing on the Kafue Bridge Fishing Camp in Kafue Town, Zambia. A qualitative research approach was employed using a case study design. Data were collected from a sample of 100 respondents through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions involving fishers, fish traders, and household members within the fishing camp. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data, allowing for the identification of recurring patterns, experiences, and coping strategies. The findings revealed that fishing Human - Wildlife conflict face multiple and interconnected vulnerabilities, including declining fish stocks, climate variability, inadequate fishing assets, limited access to credit and markets, weak institutional support, and poor infrastructure. These challenges resulted in unstable incomes, food insecurity, and reliance on short-term coping strategies such as borrowing, overfishing, and livelihood diversification into low-return activities. The study further found that socio-economic characteristics such as education level, fishing experience, household size, and asset ownership significantly influenced households’ adaptive capacity. Women were particularly vulnerable due to limited access to productive assets and decision-making opportunities. The findings underscore the importance of integrating livelihood considerations into fisheries management and development planning. The study concludes that reducing livelihood vulnerability among inland small-scale fishing communities requires holistic interventions that combine sustainable fisheries management, livelihood diversification, access to credit, improved infrastructure, and inclusive institutional support. The study recommends strengthening community-based fisheries governance, improving access to livelihood assets, and enhancing social protection mechanisms. Future research is encouraged to adopt comparative and longitudinal approaches to further explore livelihood vulnerability dynamics across different inland fishing communities in Zambia.
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    Political Patronage and Service Delivery in Zambia’s Public Health Sector: Evidence from the Ministry of Health and Uth
    (2026) CHALI, Mangalita
    This study examined the influence of political patronage on service delivery within the Ministry of Health in Lusaka Province and the University Teaching Hospital (UTH). The study was guided by three objectives: to assess the effects of political patronage on staffing and administrative appointments; to examine how political influence shapes decision-making in resource allocation and procurement; and to explore healthcare workers’ and administrators’ perceptions of political patronage and its effect on service efficiency. A mixed-methods research design was employed, combining quantitative data collected through structured questionnaires with qualitative data obtained from semi-structured interviews. The study targeted medical, administrative, and technical/support staff from the Ministry of Health provincial offices and UTH. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data were analysed thematically. The findings indicate that political patronage significantly influences staffing and administrative appointments. More than half of the respondents (27 out of 50) reported that senior management positions were either rarely or never advertised, suggesting limited transparency in recruitment processes. In addition, 20 respondents (40%) acknowledged direct political interference in senior personnel selection, while 24 respondents confirmed the occurrence of politically motivated transfers or promotions. Qualitative accounts further revealed that leadership changes often coincide with political transitions, contributing to institutional instability and weakened continuity. The study concludes that political patronage remains a systemic challenge within Zambia’s public health sector, compromising transparency, accountability, equitable resource distribution, and effective service delivery. By providing institution-level empirical evidence, the study fills a critical gap in the literature on political interference in healthcare management in Zambia. The study recommends strengthening institutional autonomy, enforcing merit-based recruitment and procurement systems, enhancing accountability mechanisms, and clearly separating technical health sector decisions from political influence. Further research is recommended to explore comparative patterns across provinces and other public service sectors.
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    Investigating the Adoption of Alternative Energy Sources in Alleviating Energy Poverty in Lusaka’s Peri- Urban: A Case of Garden Compound.
    (2026) TANDE, Agatha
    This study investigated the adoption of alternative energy sources and their contribution to reducing energy poverty among households in Garden Compound, a peri-urban area of Lusaka. The study was guided by three objectives: to examine how the adoption of alternative energy sources affects household energy expenditure, to identify factors influencing the adoption rate of alternative energy sources, and to assess how alternative energy adoption contributes to improved energy access. The research was informed by the Energy Poverty Theory and the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework, which provided a basis for understanding household vulnerability and coping capacity in relation to energy access. A structured questionnaire was used to gather primary data from a selected group of Garden Compound homes as part of a quantitative research methodology. The results showed that the adoption of alternative energy sources remained relatively low, mostly because of high initial prices, low family incomes, competing household expenditures, dependability issues, unfavourable attitudes about new technologies, and poor knowledge. As a result, the majority of homes continued to use conventional energy sources, which, although reasonably priced in small amounts, eventually resulted in a significant financial burden. The research also found that families using alternative energy sources were able to adapt to power outages and changes in energy prices because they had better access to essential energy services and a wider variety of home energy alternatives. Low-income families continued to be disproportionately impacted by energy poverty, even with an uneven distribution of these advantages. The research came to the conclusion that although alternative energy sources offer a great potential to increase energy availability and lower long-term energy costs, specific interventions are needed to remove structural, financial, and informational obstacles. Policymakers and development stakeholders looking to advance sustainable energy access in peri-urban areas may benefit greatly from the results. Key words: Alternative energy sources, Energy Poverty, Household Energy Expenditure, Energy Access, Peri-Urban Communities, Adoption of Renewable Energy.
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    An Investigation of the Socio-economic Implications of Inadequate Case Management of Non-Communicable Diseases in Lusaka’s Matero Constituency
    (2026) MULENGA, Mwelwa
    This study investigated the socio-economic implications of inadequate case management of Non Communicable Diseases in Matero Constituency, Lusaka, Zambia. Non-Communicable Diseases such as hypertension and diabetes are increasingly contributing to illness, loss of income, and household economic strain in densely populated urban communities. In Matero, weaknesses in case management including delayed diagnosis, missed clinic appointments, inconsistent medication supply, and limited health worker support continue to undermine effective disease control. Despite the growing burden of these conditions, limited empirical evidence exists on how inadequate case management affects the socio-economic wellbeing of patients and their households in low-income urban settings. This gap necessitated the undertaking of the present study. The study employed a mixed methods sequential explanatory design. A sample of 40 respondents was selected using purposive sampling techniques. Quantitative data were collected using structured questionnaires administered to Non-Communicable Disease patients, while qualitative data were obtained through semi structured interviews with healthcare providers and community health workers. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically to provide explanatory depth to the findings. The findings revealed that delayed diagnosis and missed clinic appointments were common and were associated with worsening health outcomes, increased out of pocket healthcare costs, and reduced productivity among patients. Medication shortages and limited health worker support further constrained effective self-management of Non-Communicable Diseases. These challenges imposed significant socio-economic strain on households, particularly among low-income earners. The study concludes that inadequate case management of Non-Communicable Diseases in Matero has serious socio-economic consequences and recommends strengthening follow up systems, improving availability of essential medicines, and enhancing health worker capacity to support long term NCD care. Keywords: Non Communicable Diseases, Case Management, Socio economic Implications, Matero, Lusaka, Zambia
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    An Investigation of Economic Effects of Informal Trading on Household Livelihoods among vendors and hawkers in Lusaka Central Business District
    (2026) NYIRENDA, Alice
    The research examined the economic effects of informal trading on house-hold livelihoods among vendors and hawkers in Lusaka central business district. The specific objectives were to; 1) examine types of informal trading activities undertaken by vendors and hawkers; 2) assess the effects of informal trading on vendors’ and hawkers’ ability to sustainably meet household needs in Lusaka’s CBD; and 3) explore economic challenges hindering the vendors and hawker’s livelihood improvement. The study employed a descriptive research design with a qualitative approach, and a purposive sample of vendors and hawkers in Lusaka being the study site. A sample of 40 participants was used comprising of 28 informal traders, 6 market leaders, and 6 institutional actors (Lusaka City Council, Ministry of Local Government, and NGOs). Data were collected using semi-structured interviews, observations and Focus Group Discussion (FGD), and analyzed using thematic analysis and NVivo software. Findings indicate that informal trading has a significant impact on households’ livelihoods of vendors and hawkers in Lusaka’s CBD. With key activities which include selling second hand clothes, food stuff, household items and mobile phone accessories, generating daily income between K200 and K1500. These funds were reported to only support essential needs such as food, rent and school fees. Major barriers identified include limited access to formal credit facilities due to high collateral requirements and lack of credit history. Further the respondents stated that they faced challenges such as evictions, confiscation of goods, and lacked secure vending spaces. FGDs revealed that periodic evictions and confiscations by the Local Authorities disrupted business continuity and increased vulnerability. Additionally, the lack of social protections such as pensions and insurances limits the potential for long term poverty reduction. The study concludes that while informal trading is a vital survival strategy, its potential is limited by structural challenges. Recommendations include the formal recognition of traders, microfinance inclusion, and capacity building, suggested further research include comparative urban analysis and livelihood mobility. The implications of these findings suggest that Lusaka City Council should shift from a policy of displacement and confiscation towards a regulated integration mode, providing designated, serviced vending zones that provide security of tenure and facilitate stable economic growth for households.