communities, closing the original poverty loop. Success depends on key assumptions including families keeping children in school once financial and health barriers have been overcome; local committees maintaining WASH and school-related infrastructure; and social norms continuing to promote positive education- and WASH-related attitudes. As noted in the ToC, the two pillars of strengthening school institutions and promotion of sustainable agriculture were yet to be fully optimised at the time of this impact evaluation.
2.2.2 Target Population and Geographic Coverage in Malawi
The project ' s primary participants are twofold. First, rural learners: currently 117 scholarship students( 64 boys, 53 girls, aged 13 – 24) attending 20 secondary schools and 4 tertiary institutions. Second, WASH beneficiaries at household level, with programming reaching approximately 10,000 residents in surrounding villages. Through EIP, The Sonder Project assists students originating from Kasungu, providing them with scholarships to attend schools nationwide. An excess of over 40 villages( gazetted and non-gazetted) in Kasungu are currently benefitting from different interventions including boreholes and solar‐powered water systems, with incremental expansion planned as resources permit.
2.3
Purpose and Design of the Impact Evaluation
Three Stones International( TSI) was commissioned to conduct an impact assessment of The Sonder Project’ s activities in Malawi. The evaluation aimed to;( i) map activities against the ToC;( ii) measure the effectiveness, efficiency, and impact of EIP and WASH interventions; and( iii) turn findings into actionable recommendations for programme refinement and scale‐up. Secondary data and project documentation was provided by The Sonder Project at the start of the evaluation. Primary data collection was completed between 21 and 26 April 2025 through Key Informant Interviews( KIIs), Focus Group Discussions( FGDs), and student surveys, providing a solid base for analysis.
Figure 1: Undertaken Study Process
This was a mixed methods study made up of three phases: inception, data collection, and reporting. The inception phase included a full desk review of existing literature and reports from The Sonder Project, as well as The Sonder Project’ s ToC. The team developed an evaluation matrix outlining all research questions, and from this matrix, developed data collection tools. Feedback on the matrix and tools was provided by The Sonder Project team, and integrated into the finalised versions. Surveys, FGDs, and KIIs were conducted across student, parent / guardian, teacher, community member( including water‐committee members and community leaders) participant groups. The Sonder Project staff and a trustee also were also consulted during KIIs. Data was analysed and triangulated, resulting in in-depth, contextualised findings. These findings are presented below, alongside a discussion and actionable recommendations for improvements to current programming as well as additional areas to consider.
TSI’ s multidisciplinary team with expertise in evaluation design, data analytics, field management, and thematic expertise led the exercise through methodological rigour and ethical compliance. The Sonder Project CEO, Country Director, Kasungu field staff and district‐level government offices facilitated site and participant access.
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