Research study, July 2019

Demands for both sustainability and value for money means that traditional NGO approaches to implementing projects may no longer be appropriate. An alternative approach called Church and Community Mobilisation Process (CCMP) is gaining traction in many parts of the world. Anecdotal evidence suggests that CCMP is highly effective to see communities moving out of poverty. But there is a lack of comparative or cost-effectiveness research. This has inhibited many donors from investing in it.
This research study, conducted in Malawi with a local faith-based organisation, Eagles Relief and Development Programme (Eagles) sought to fill that gap. Eagles implements both CCMP and more traditional, participative projects. Data gathering methods used by researchers to compare the two approaches included:
1. Participatory research in eight communities
2. Semi-structured interviews with Eagles staff (leadership and staff of both CCMP and TA projects)
3. Document review, including financial analysis