Enumerators deployed by the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat) and UNICEF are surveying about 11 000 households across the country’s hardest-to-reach areas as part of the fourth round of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS).
The nationwide exercise, which began in November last year, expected to conclude data collection this January, is gathering critical information on child health, nutrition, education, water and sanitation, and protection, to inform Government planning and investment.
The MICS, previously conducted in 2009, 2014 and 2019, tracks more than 40 social indicators and complements the national population census by providing more detailed household-level data.
“This exercise, a bilateral engagement with the Government of Zimbabwe, complements the National Census survey as MICS goes deeper and seeks answers that are not covered during the national population count. The strength of this survey is that it reaches from high-density urban areas to remote rural communities, allowing us to understand what life looks like in every corner of the country,” said UNICEF-Zimbabwe Deputy Country Representative Fiachra McAsey.
Enumerators and measurers, who underwent intensive 31-day training prior to deployment, are visiting selected households to administer questionnaires and conduct follow-up assessments. These include child anthropometric measurements, water quality testing and interviews with eligible women and men aged between 15 and 49 years.
“The data collection starts with the household questionnaire, which takes about 45 minutes. If there is a child under five years, a measurer is sent to assess the child’s height, weight and arm circumference to check for conditions such as stunting or underweight,” said enumerator Sylvia Saruchera.
Water samples are also collected from household sources such as wells, boreholes and rivers, and compared with samples from storage containers to determine possible contamination.
ZimStat provincial statistician Tendai Chitsamba said the survey was designed to generate high-quality and reliable data for national development planning.
“MICS is a robust, country-wide exercise that informs national policy and guides Government on where to invest, while also helping decision-makers understand differences between urban and rural communities,” said Chitsamba.
Preliminary survey results are expected in April 2026, with the full report scheduled for release in the second half of the year.
The survey is being implemented through a partnership between the Government of Zimbabwe and UNICEF, with ZimStat as the technical partner. Government has contributed about US$480 000 towards the programme, while UNICEF-Zimbabwe has provided US$1, 2 million and other United Nations agencies about US$250 000.
After data collection, the next phase will involve data analysis, report writing and dissemination, officials said.
