The JCTR set up its Social Conditions Research Project to monitor living conditions and expose the plight of the poor who suffer from political and economic injustice. Currently we have two major dimensions to this Project

One clear lesson for truly sustainable development – in Zambia or in any other part of the world – is the need for a good education system.  There is simply no possibility for a country to develop unless it has a solid resource base of educated citizens, with the skills, experiences and motivation to build the country. 

Executive Summary PDF 58.3Kbytes
The Full Report PDF 379Kbytes

JCTR has been conducting the "Basic Needs Basket Survey" for a family of six in Lusaka for some years now. This survey considers household expenditures on basic food commodities only.  As an attempt to build on the work of the "food basket survey", JCTR intends to do more extensive study on the cost of living that would consider overall households' incomes and expenditures, poverty levels, and coping strategies of specific economic groups.  The first phase of this study will commence in the year 2000 with the primary school teachers in Lusaka rural and urban as our target group.  For more details, see Household Survey.

In pursuit of the mission of faith and justice, JCTR has for several years carried out a simple survey of prices of basic needs for families in the Lusaka area on a monthly basis. This provides over time a fairly accurate picture of the rising cost of living in Lusaka, by compiling what is called "An Estimated Basic Needs Basket for a Family of Six in Lusaka." See the Basic Needs Basket overview for more information

The BNB over the years 2002, 2003 & 2004 in PDF: Figures

BNBs for previous years are HERE