MISSION

The Centre for Social Research (CSR) is an institution of the University of Malawi that conducts and promotes excellence in academic and applied social science research in partnership with the public and private sector so as to inform policy and offer training for capacity building.

MANDATE

The Centre was established in 1979 with support from UNICEF. The CSR mandate requires it to perform four major activities:

• Applied/Basic Research
• Consultancy
• Training
• Outreach

The CSR is a Department in the Faculty of Social Science at Chancellor College. It is governed by a University Senate Committee. In addition, the National Research Council and Rural Development Department at Bunda College of Agriculture are members of the Governing Board. The Centre, however, is autonomous, with its own staff. Only the staff salaries are financed through a Government subvention to the University. The Centre is a non-profit making organisation.

FACILITIES

Facilities at the Centre include:

• Documentation Unit
• Computer Lab
• Reprographic Unit
• Transportation Unit

The CSR provides expertise in research design, implementation and data analysis to inform policy.

The CSR six priority research areas are:

• Democracy and Governance
• Accumulation, Economic Growth and Sustainable Livelihood
• Human, Social and Cultural Development
• Agricultural Development and Land Reform
• Environment and Development
• Participatory/Wise Decision-making

The Centre has the capacity to undertake policy-oriented consultancy studies in order to satisfy client research information needs. Some of the consultancies the CSR successfully completed are:

• Impact Area Baseline Study, for the UNDP Fifth Country Programme
• Smallholders Credit Repayment Study, for Malawi Government, World Bank and IFAD
• Drought Monitoring Effects on Nutrition, for UNICEF
• Teenage Motherhood Study, for The Gender and Development Project/Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs
• Multiple Indicators Survey, for UNICEF
• Biomass Energy Production and Marketing Study, for the World Bank
• Customary Land Utilization Study, for BDPA

The CSR designs, implements and manages training programmes for the public and private sectors, NGOs, and individuals in order to build their capacity. Training programmes offered by the CSR include the following:

• Proposal Writing and Budget Development
• Research Methodologies
• Field Work Management
• Data Analysis
• Report Writing
• Gender and Development
• Participatory Rural Appraisal Techniques

OUTREACH

The Centre disseminates and promotes its work so as to inform policy and stimulate public debate. Some of the outreach activities include:

• Journal Publications, including Bwalo and Malawi Journal of Social Science
• Biannual Forums
• Newspaper Articles
• Workshops
• Seminars

Wycliffe Chilowa, Director, BSocSc Mlw, MA, PhD  Essex.  Areas of interest: Food Policy (Food Production, Nutrition & Security), Poverty & Sustainable Livelihoods; The Impact of SAPs on various sectors of the economy; Housing; Health Policy; Social Policy; Monitoring & Evaluation of Projects & Programmes; Training in Social Science Research Methods; Conference/Workshop Facilitation, Water & Sanitation; Social Science & Immunization; Agricultural Economics.
Wiseman Chijere Chirwa, Deputy Director, BsocSc Mlw, BsocSc Hons. Mlw, PhD, Queen's Canada.  Areas of Interest: Policy Research;  Design & Evaluation; Baseline Research & Surveys; Project Evaluation & Monitoring; Conflict Management, Mediation & Resolution; Conference & Workshop Organization & Facilitation; Training of Trainers; Proposal Writing; Assessment & Evaluation; Human Resource Capacity Planning.	Charles C. Chunga,  Assistant Director, (Adminstration  and  Finance) BA (Public Administration) Mlw.  Areas of Interest: Monitoring & Evaluation of Small & Medium Scale Enterprises; Training in Business Management Skills & Credit Utilization; Conference & Workshop Organization; Organization Change & Development; Human Resource Management; Market Research Surveys; Monitoring Consumer Behaviour.
Thomas Bisika, Research Fellow, BSc Mlw. MA GU.  Areas of Interest: Reproductive Health, Family Planning, HIV/AIDS, Water & Sanitation, Primary Health Care (PHC), Malaria Case Management & Prevention, Community Directed Treatment of Filariasis, Water Borne Diseases, Traditional Medicines and Indigenous Knowledge of Biodiversity, and Intergrated Management of Childhood Illnesses (IMCI).	Sidon E.T. Konyani, Research Fellow, BSocSc  Mlw, Msc Southampton.  Areas of Interest: Agricultural Statistics, Poverty & Sustainable Livelihoods, Health & Nutrition, Training in Research Methods, Monitoring & Evaluation of Projects & Programs, Deeper analysis of all kinds of Data, Provision of Statistical input to pro-active research done by CSR and/or others.
James Milner, Research Fellow, BSocSC Mlw, MA (Development Economics) Williams College, Massachusetts, USA.  Areas of Interest: Natural Resource Management, Environmental Economics, Agricultural Economics, Sustainable Development & Livelihoods, Food Security & Nutrition; Poverty; Social Policy.	Alister Chaundumuka Munthali, Research Fellow, BSc, MSc Mlw.MA Amsterdam .  Areas of Interest: Medical Anthropology; Prevention of Childhood Illnesses; AIDS/HIV; Implementing Orphan Care Programmes; Occupational Health Services; Environmental Management & Pollution Control .
Peter Mathias Mvula, Research Fellow, Dip Theol Kachebere, BSocSc Mlw, MPS Cornell.  Areas of Interest : Statistical Methods; Research Design; International Nutrition problems, Policy & Programmes; National & International Food Economics; Food & Nutrition Policy; Consumer Behaviour; Gender Research; Food Security.	Landirani Chinyamunyamu Wa Kwizombe , Systems Analyst, Dip Comp.Sc, Cert UNIX DPD  Areas of Interest: IT & Management Consultancies; Internet & Web Site Development; Network Design & Insallation, Data Analysis and Management, Training in Research Methods, Conference/Workshop Facilitation; Program Development & System Intergration; Computer Engineering, Monitoring and Evaluation of Projects & Programs.
Maxton Grant Tsoka, Research Fellow, BSocSc Mlw, MA Venderbilt.  Areas of Interest : Public Policy, Poverty Analysis, Safety Nets, Public Expenditure and its Impact.	Ned Lawton, Research Fellow, BA Hons Dublin, MA Sussex, Cert d'e`tudes France.  Areas of Interest: Democracy, Governance & Rule of Law, Human Rights, Refugee and Asylum Issues, Development & Overseas Aid, Conflict Resolution.
Nakatiwa G. Mulikita, Research Fellow, DSW Zam, BSW Zam, MA Hague Netherlands.  Areas of Interest:Gender & Health, Gender & Media/Communication, Gender & Poverty, Gender & Social Policy, Population Information Education Communication & Materials Development, Training in Research Methods/Gender Research, Training in Participatory Research Methods, Workshop in Visualising in Participatory Process (VIPP), Workshop in Log Frame Analysis, Project & Programme Design, Monitoring & Evaluation.	Brenda M. Gallaher, Research Fellow, BA, H.Dip.Ed,  Galway, DBS, PhD., Dublin.  Areas of Interest: Tourism; Recreation & Leisure; Natural Resource Management & Sustainability; Environmental Degradation; Poverty & Health; Carrying Capacity & Population Issues; Sustainable Development & External Monetary Funding; Education; Gender, Culture & Religion; Training in Research Methods; Survey & Questionnaire Design & Implementation.

CLERICAL , TECHNICAL and SUPPORT STAFF

Annie Chinkombelo - Secretary to Director
Maureen Chimphamba - Secretary to Deputy Director
Clara Kamowa - Secretary to Assistant Director
Paul Kakhongwe -  Documentalist II
McNelson Morrison Chikosa - Assistant Accountant
Massy Chiocha - Computer Technician
Sunshine Mattaka - Head Driver
Loudon Kalepa - Driver
Maxwell Kazembe - Driver
Homex Kunje - Driver
Daniel Bikoko - Driver
Daniel Sande - Reprographer
Elina Mchoma - Cleaner
Richard Thom - Messenger