Tearfund Light Wheel Toolkit

The LIGHT
Wheel toolkit:
a tool for measuring
holistic change
November 2016
Version 1
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Index
Index........................................................................................................................................................ 2
About this toolkit .................................................................................................................................... 3
FACILITATOR’S GUIDE TO GROUP DISCUSSIONS .................................................................................... 4
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS ....................................................................................................................... 10
Living faith ............................................................................................................................................. 14
Emotional and mental well-being ......................................................................................................... 16
Physical health ...................................................................................................................................... 18
Stewardship of the environment .......................................................................................................... 20
Material assets and resources .............................................................................................................. 22
Capabilities ............................................................................................................................................ 24
Participation and influence ................................................................................................................... 26
Group discussion: conclusions .............................................................................................................. 29
FACILITATOR’S GUIDE TO GATHERING DATA THROUGH DIRECT OBSERVATION ................................. 30
Direct observation: conclusions ............................................................................................................ 40
FACILITATOR’S GUIDE TO GATHERING SECONDARY DATA ................................................................... 41
Secondary data checklist....................................................................................................................... 44
Secondary data review: conclusions ..................................................................................................... 49
FACILITATOR’S GUIDE TO CONDUCTING A HOUSEHOLD SURVEY ........................................................ 51
FACILITATOR’S GUIDE TO REVIEWING THE CONTEXT........................................................................... 56
Context review worksheet .................................................................................................................... 58
FACILITATOR’S GUIDE TO USING THE LIGHT WHEEL INDICATORS ....................................................... 62
Indicator tracking sheet ........................................................................................................................ 64
ANNEX A: WHAT IS COVERED WITHIN EACH SPOKE? ........................................................................... 75
ANNEX B: THE MATURITY MODEL ........................................................................................................ 78
ANNEX C: CONTEXT DEFINITIONS ......................................................................................................... 87
ANNEX D: THE LIGHT WHEEL INDICATORS ........................................................................................... 89
ANNEX E: THE LIGHT WHEEL HOUSEHOLD SURVEY.............................................................................. 99
ANNEX F: Biblical reflections for each LIGHT Wheel spoke ................................................................ 118
ANNEX G: PRINT-OUTS........................................................................................................................ 122
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About this toolkit
This guide contains all the LIGHT Wheel tools and is designed to be used by those implementing the
LIGHT Wheel. For a more detailed introduction to the LIGHT Wheel, including the theory behind it,
and different ways it can be used, please see our Introductory guide to the LIGHT Wheel. These two
guides work best when used together.
Each chapter of this toolkit will covers a different tool, with practical guidance on how to use it. If
you require any additional support, please contact [email protected]
Not included in this guide is the LIGHT Wheel analysis tool (Excel spreadsheet) and guidance on how
to use it. For more information on this, please contact the LIGHT Wheel email address above. For
Tearfund staff members, you can also find this tool and the guidance on the Evidence and
Effectiveness Hub.
Training
The quality of the data collected by the LIGHT Wheel will depend on the quality of the facilitators
and of their understanding of the LIGHT Wheel. Therefore, training on the LIGHT Wheel is essential.
Ideally, a training course would last five days, which would include one day in the field for data
collection and one day to analyse the results.
Training resources are available to complement this facilitator’s guide. If you would like further
information, or if you would like to explore LIGHT Wheel training opportunities, please contact
[email protected]
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FACILITATOR’S GUIDE TO GROUP
DISCUSSIONS
The LIGHT Wheel has been designed to be used in different ways. One way of using the LIGHT Wheel
is as a tool for discussion within a community. This section of the guide describes how to use the
Wheel to facilitate a community discussion. It also includes suggested questions that can be used to
stimulate discussion.
The process
The process for using the LIGHT Wheel within a group discussion is set out in the diagram below:
Introductions
Introduce yourself and why you are there; explain what the information will be
used for. State how long the session will take and explain what the LIGHT Wheel
is. Outline how you will use it.
Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

Explain to the group what Use the discussion Describe the five levels for
the first spoke is about questions to stimulate a that spoke set out in the
and the range of things wide-ranging discussion Maturity Model and,
covered by it. Explain that about the issues covered based on the preceding
this is one of nine spokes, by the spoke. Try to get discussion, get the group
each addressing a people to give examples to identify which level
different topic you will wherever possible rather they think best fits the
work through together. than just offer opinions. community. Get them to
explain why they chose
this level as opposed to a
higher or lower level. As
before, encourage them
to give examples to justify
their decision.
Step 4
Mark this score on the radar diagram and move on to the next
spoke. Repeat until you have discussed and scored each spoke.
Figure 1: Using the Wheel within a group discussion
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The facilitator
There should be at least one facilitator per group. For single-sex groups, it is best if the facilitator is
the same sex as the group. When facilitating a group of young people, a younger facilitator may be
best if available. It is essential though that the facilitators are familiar with the tool and do not let
their own opinions influence the discussion.
Groups
The number of groups that are required will depend on the context and the amount of time that you
have available.
It is important that everyone within the community feels able to speak out, so the groups should be
chosen to ensure that this is possible. For example, women may feel uncomfortable speaking their
minds in a mixed group and so it is wise to have separate male and female groups. Similarly, young
people may be reluctant to speak up in a group with older adults, so it is often sensible to have a
separate group for younger people.
These three groups – adult male, adult female and young people – would usually be the minimum
number of groups. However, it may be necessary to separate into more groups in order to take into
account differences in faith, ethnicity, social groupings or experience and expertise.
Language
The discussion should be conducted in the language common to most people in the group so that all
members are able to understand and speak.
Duration
It is important to make sure that discussion group members feel they have had time to consider
each spoke properly, so do make sure you allow enough time and do not rush the discussion.
Experience has shown that it takes 20–30 minutes to discuss each spoke and that, after about one-
and-a-half hours of discussion, energy levels and motivation within the group tend to flag. You
should not therefore expect to cover more than three spokes of the Wheel within each group.
Deciding when to hold the discussion

You should think through the time of year and the time of day. When during the day are community
members most likely to be available? If you visit at a certain time of day, will you find it hard to reach
some of the people whom you want to interview? Individuals may be at work or collecting cooking
fuel or water, and so may be unavailable. The time of day can introduce a bias into your results as
you will only be able to speak to those who are available and so it is always wise to ask who is likely
to be present and who is likely to be absent and to consider how this might affect your findings.
Similarly, the time of year may have an impact on people’s answers. It doesn’t usually matter which
time of year you choose but, if you want to compare findings from one set of FGDs with another,
then it is probably best if you hold both sets of discussions at approximately the same time of year. If
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this is not possible, you will need to think through how the time of year might have influenced your
findings.
Covering the spokes

It can be challenging to cover all the spokes in one visit. If you have three or more groups, then each
group can discuss three different spokes, allowing you to cover the whole Wheel in one visit. This,
however, runs the risk that you miss differences in viewpoint between, for example, men and
women. An alternative would be for each group to discuss the same spokes but then to plan repeat
visits to cover the remaining spokes at a later date. If you have more than three groups, then it
would be possible to cover all the spokes and repeat some of them between one or more of the
groups.
Whichever approach is taken, we strongly recommend that you do cover all of the spokes, even if
this is done in different visits, as this is the only way you will get the full picture.
The discussion
As you facilitate the discussion, be aware of individuals with stronger opinions and try to ensure that
these individuals don’t dominate. Encourage quieter members to speak up, or at least give them a
chance to speak if they would like to. However, talking is not mandatory so it is fine if not everyone
wants to speak. If you find that one person is dominating and preventing others from expressing
their views, it may be possible for one of the facilitators to suggest that the person clearly has some
important views and to take them outside for a one-on-one interview. This allows the person to feel
that they have had their say while allowing others in the group to speak up.
As the discussion starts, encourage people to give specific examples to support their assertions
rather than speaking in general terms. This can be a helpful way of moving away from opinions to a
more objective, fact-based discussion.
We all tend to be blinkered by our own experiences and you may find that the group fails to
acknowledge the full scope of the spoke, focusing instead on just a few elements of it, or they may
over- or under-estimate their situation. If you have had a chance to review secondary data, observe
the situation or conduct a survey, use this information to inform the discussion, broadening the
scope or challenging existing viewpoints.
Similarly, if you are aware of any national or international benchmarks or targets (such as the
Sustainable Development Goals) or of government policy targets and statements, it would be useful
to bring these to the discussion as levels against which their own status can be measured.
The questions that follow are intended to help you broaden the scope of the discussion so that the
full breadth of the issues covered by each spoke of the Wheel is covered. Use them as a guide but
feel free to adjust them to suit the context and situation.
The grading scale

The LIGHT Wheel makes use of a scale from 1 to 5, where 5 is the highest and 1 the lowest. Half
marks are allowed and so a score of 3 ½ would be permissible. Such grading scales are not always
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well understood by communities and so analogies can be helpful. We have listed some ideas below.
Printable versions of these images can be found in Annex G.
 The ladder. This approach uses the idea of a ladder leaning up against a wall to help people
assess where they are on the scale. The top rung of the ladder represents the best possible
option while the bottom rung represents the worst. People are then asked to identify which
rung they think the community is on. A drawing or model of a ladder can help people choose
which rung they are on. Alternatively, a staircase of nine steps can be used.
 The glass of water approach. This approach is similar but instead of a ladder uses the idea of
a glass of water. The best option is represented by a full glass while the worst option by an
empty glass. People are asked to state how full their glass is. You could use a drawing of a
glass or a real glass of water to identify the level. This is clearly shown in a print-out in Annex
G.
 The seed approach. Another approach is to use the illustration of a seed in the ground and
to ask at which stage of growth the seed is at. You could use the following options:
 Planted but currently dormant with no signs of life
 Beginning to sprout: the new plant is just beginning to appear above the ground
 Budding: the young plant is just beginning to form buds
 Flowering: the plant is now in full bloom
 Multiplying: the plant has now set seed and is ready to send them out to create new
plants elsewhere
The various positions on the scale from these analogies are shown in the table below. Drawings are
also available in the graphics pack.
Description
Score
Ladder Glass of water Plant
9th rung Full glass Seeds spreading 5
8th rung Turning to seed 4½
7th rung Three-quarters full Flowering 4
6th rung Beginning to flower 3½
5th rung Half-full Budding 3
4th rung Leaves 2½
3rd rung Quarter-full Sprout appears 2
2nd rung Seed is cracking open 1½
1st rung Empty glass Dormant seed 1
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Coming up with a score
There are a number of ways of coming up with a score within the group. Some suggestions follow.
 Voting. Stones, seeds or beads can be used along with a picture (of the ladder, staircase,
glass or plant) to vote. Individuals are each given a stone (seed or bead) and asked to place it
on the picture corresponding to their score. Note: This does run the risk of some being
swayed by how others are voting.
 Group average. Each individual can state where they think the community sits, and once all
scores have been collected an average can be taken. This can be either the arithmetical
mean or the mode.1 If there are a few outliers – for example, if the range of scores are all
within a range of 2 with the exception of one score which is wildly different – then these
atypical scores can be ignored and an average taken from the rest. The group average
approach is probably the quickest way of coming up with a score.
 Consensus. The group discusses the possible scores and agrees a group score. This can be
time-consuming and runs the risk of being influenced by strong individuals within the group.
 Compromise. Alternatively, you could start with individual scores as you would for the group
average, but then use these scores as the basis for discussion and for a consensus score.
Justifying the score

Once people have made their initial estimate of the score, it can be extremely enlightening to
explore why people chose the level that they did. As a facilitator you may want to say: ‘I see that you
scored two: what made you choose that and not three?’ To another you may say: ‘I notice that you
scored three: what made you decide on three rather than two?’ This can provide some very useful
insights into what people really see as important; it may also cause some people to adjust their
votes as you move towards an agreed group score.
Capturing the result

Once scores have been agreed, they should be plotted on the polar diagram which should be drawn
out in advance on a large piece of paper. Use the focus group discussion conclusions form. It is
helpful if you can also write one or two sentences that capture the discussion on why the people
chose the score that they did. Finally, note the method you used to come up with the score (ie
average, consensus, compromise etc). You can also capture the scores and discussion on a simple
form on KoBo2 so it can be collected by smartphone or tablet.
1
The mean is the normal ‘average’ where you add up all the scores and divide by the number of scores. The
mode is the most frequently occurring score.
2
KoBo is an online open-source digital data collection platform. See the Programme Effectiveness Hub or
www.kobotoolbox.org for guidance on how to use KoBo.
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Feeding back the result
At the end of the group discussions you may wish to report back in plenary showing the community
the scores that each group has come up with and allowing the group members to explain the reason
for their scores highlighting perhaps the top three strengths and the three areas of greatest
challenge. The completed chart can be left with the community.
Equipment
The following equipment is recommended:
 A picture of the LIGHT Wheel drawn out on flipchart paper
 A blank polar diagram drawn out on flipchart paper for scoring (1 per group – see
Image 3 in Annex G)
 Pictures for the scoring system (depending on the approach you have chosen):
 Ladder
 Glass of water
 Seed/plant
 Stones, seeds, beads or similar for scoring
 Group discussion: conclusions sheet
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Social connections
Suggested explanation of the spoke:

Say:
‘We are now going to think about the spoke called Social connections. This spoke looks at how
unified or how fractured the community is. It asks whether the community is formed of separate
cliques or groups that keep themselves to themselves, looking with distrust at others, or whether the
community is inclusive, working together across social boundaries. It considers issues such as
prejudice and exclusion, and attitudes towards social groups whether based on ethnicity, tribe, faith
or wealth. It doesn’t just look at relationships within the community but also asks how well the
community is connected externally, exploring its ability to access wider government services and
resources, expertise and knowledge. This area of change considers four aspects of these connections:
● Who is included and who is excluded (ie: How diverse are they?). Implicit in this is the
community’s attitude towards those who are different.
● The quantity of connections and the range of areas that the networks cover.
● The purpose of them – whether they are self-serving or look to meet a wider community
need.’
Discussion questions
These questions are offered as a guide. The facilitator should not feel that they have to use them;
instead, the facilitator should adapt the language to suit the group and the context. The order of the
questions can also be changed if it is felt that this will lead to a more natural and free-flowing
discussion.
❏ In most communities there are a range of community groups. These could be to do with
savings, business, farming or other skills, faith groups, sports groups: there are many types.
How many of these groups can you think of within your community?
❏ How many of you are members of at least one community group? Are there people who
can’t join some of the groups or are they usually open to anyone who wants to join them?
❏ Who benefits from these groups? The members or the community as a whole?
❏ How common is it for the community to come together as a group to help people? Can you
give some examples of this? Is it more common for people to have to work alone to
overcome their challenges or problems?
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❏ Are all members of the community treated equally regardless of their faith, cultural
background, age or sex?
❏ Who is not represented in the group discussions? Who is overlooked or ignored?
❏ Has anyone been insulted in the last week due to their faith, their cultural background or
their sex?
❏ How safe do you feel? Is it the same for all groups in the community? Women? Girls? The
elderly or infirm? Rich or poor? Are there times when you feel less safe?
❏ If you have problems, does the law enforcement system protect you? Can you go the police
or to the courts for help? If yes, are they effective?
Scoring the community: the ladder approach

Say:
‘Imagine a ladder with nine rungs on it leaning up against a wall (show picture).
The top rung represents a community where there are very few, if any, clashes or tensions between
groups within the community. It is a place where people are valued and respected regardless of their
age, gender or social background. It is a community that feels safe and welcoming. People in this
community willingly help each other and are concerned for the welfare of all in the community and
not just themselves. This community is well connected with the wider world and people are able to
reach out for help, advice or support from others outside the community when needed.
The bottom rung represents a community where there is a lack of trust, even fear, between different
groups within the community. People tend to stay within their own groups, forming cliques with
people like themselves. It is a place where people are focused on looking after themselves and their
immediate family and give little thought to the needs of others. Some groups within the community
are regularly insulted and experience prejudice and exclusion. It can be a frightening place to live.
If these represent the top and the bottom rung, which rung do you think represents the situation in
this community and why?’
Get people to vote or express their views on what the appropriate level should be.
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Personal relationships

Say:
‘We are now going to think about the spoke called Personal relationships. This spoke considers the
relationships within our immediate families, our households and with our closest friends. It asks how
much we each value these relationships and to what extent we support, respect and encourage each
other through them. It explores whether we are able to share our thoughts, hopes, fears and dreams
with each other. It asks how differences of opinion and disagreements are resolved within these
relationships and reflects on the extent to which these relationships provide a good example to the
wider community.’
These questions are offered as a guide. The facilitator should not feel that they have to stick rigidly
to them and should adapt the language to suit the group and the context. The order of the questions
can also be changed if this will lead to a more natural and free-flowing discussion.
❏ How often do people spend time talking to their spouse or to close friends about things that
are important to them, such as their hopes or fears?
❏ Do people feel cared for, valued and respected in their families whether they are male or
female, young or old?
❏ To what extent do people trust each other in the household?
❏ When there are disagreements in the household, to what extent do you think families
resolve them fairly? Do you think all members of the household think they are resolved
fairly?
❏ Who makes the decisions in the house? Who has a say in those decisions? Do you think this
decision-making process is fair?
❏ Should husbands discipline their wives? If so, what is acceptable or unacceptable?
❏ Should wives discipline their husbands? If so, what is acceptable or unacceptable?
❏ Do adults in the community behave with each other in a way that sets a good example to the
younger generations?

Say:
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The top rung represents a community where personal relationships are valued and all individuals
within the household are respected and cared for. In these relationships communication is honest,
positive and compassionate; hopes and fears are shared and individuals feel loved, supported and
protected.
The bottom rung represents a community where personal relationships are often based on power
and can be abusive, with one party dominating the others. Violence or fear of violence within the
household, physical and sexual, is not uncommon. Communication might be guarded with people
afraid of being honest in case they anger their partner, parent or guardian. Forgiveness is rare in
these communities and grievances tend to be held.
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Living faith
Say:
‘We are now going to think about the spoke called Living faith. This spoke considers the importance
of faith (of any type) within the community as a whole but focuses primarily on the extent to which
those who profess to be Christians are living out their Christian faith, both as individuals but also as a
broader church. It asks whether they are putting their faith into practice in their daily lives in a way
which impacts the wider community. It asks to what extent we as individuals are growing in our faith,
moving from spiritual infancy to maturity. It reflects on whether we are demonstrating God’s love in
the way that we relate not only to our brothers and sisters in Christ but also to those of other faiths
and no faith. It asks how others in the community see us: are we recognised as beacons of light and
hope? It asks us to think about the impact that we may be having on our society: are we acting as
salt and light in the world?’
can also be changed if it is felt that this will lead to a more natural and free-flowing discussion.
❏ Is faith in God (whether Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim or any other expression of faith)
important to people in this community?
❏ What proportion of the community are Christian? Of these, what proportion regularly
attend church? Is this proportion increasing, decreasing or staying about the same?
❏ How well do people maintain spiritual disciplines such as personal prayer, Bible reading or
worship? Be honest!
❏ Do people feel that as a congregation they are becoming spiritually more mature? What
proportion see themselves as spiritual babies, toddlers, children, teenagers, adults or wise
elders? (You could get them to stand in a line with babies at one end and the more mature
at the other.) How does their position today compare with where they were a year ago?
Have they changed or stood still?
❏ To what extent do you see the fruits of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control) being manifested in yourself and in your
brothers and sisters in Christ? Do you see these same attributes or characteristics in people
of other faiths or no faith?
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❏ How have levels of giving in terms of time, money, resources or skills changed over the last
year? Has it increased, decreased or stayed about the same? How often do we help others in
need in the wider community?
❏ How united are we as a congregation? How well do the different Christian denominations (if
relevant) work together as brothers and sisters in Christ?
❏ How does the wider community perceive the local church? Is it positive, negative or
irrelevant to their daily lives?
❏ How would we describe our relationship with people of other faith and with other faiths in
general? Do we exhibit love or fear and hostility?

Say:
The top rung represents a community where faith in general is respected and where Christians and
the Christian churches are seen as making a positive contribution to the community as a whole.
Christians are seen as having integrity and are recognised as demonstrating compassion and care for
those in need regardless of their race, faith or gender.
The bottom rung represents a community where faith in general and the Christian faith in particular
is treated with suspicion and where Christians and the church are widely regarded as hypocritical,
judgmental and uncaring. They have little, if any, positive impact on the community and are largely
irrelevant as far as the rest of the community is concerned.
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Emotional and mental well-being
Say:
‘We are now going to think about the spoke called Emotional and mental well-being. This spoke
considers how people in the community feel about themselves. It considers whether they feel
traumatised or trapped by events that may have happened to them in the past and explores whether
the future is seen as a place of opportunity and hope or a place that brings fear and worry. It asks
whether people are able to share their hopes and fears with others, to help carry each other's
burdens. It explores whether the community is defined by hope and optimism or by worry, anxiety
and fear.’
❏ Do people in the community of all ages and gender feel that their life has meaning and do
they feel a sense of achievement or accomplishment from what they do? Are they proud of
what they have achieved?
❏ Do people have friends whom they can share their hopes and fears with or do people tend
to deal with their fears alone?
❏ How do most people think the future will be? Do they feel worried about the future and
weighed down, or do they feel hopeful?
❏ And what about the past? Do people in the community worry about things in the past?
❏ If bad things have happened to people, do they feel able to move on in their minds or do the
events still upset them? If bad things have happened, do they feel that justice has been
done?

Say:
The top rung represents a community where individuals feel valued and cared for; where the most
vulnerable are recognised and supported. It is a community that does not feel constrained by the past
and that looks to the future with a sense of hope, excitement and optimism.
16 | P a g e
The bottom rung represents a community where individuals, particularly the most vulnerable, can be
overlooked and ignored; feelings of loneliness and a sense of being overwhelmed by the cares of the
world are common. Bitterness and resentment over issues in the past may dominate, and the future
is seen as something to be feared or is a source of worry.
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Physical health
Say:
‘We are now going to think about the spoke called Physical health. This spoke considers the general
standard of health in the community: how well people feel and how frequently people feel sick or
suffer from illnesses. It also looks at the health facilities and services such as clinics, nurses and ante-
natal care that are available to the community and asks whether everybody can access these services
equally or whether some are excluded, perhaps because they are too difficult to get to or too
expensive.’
❏ How common is it in this community for people to suffer from sickness or fever?
❏ How common is it in this community for babies and young children to die in their first few
years?
❏ How easy is it for people in the community to get to a clinic or hospital when they are sick or
pregnant and see a nurse, midwife or doctor?
❏ Once you get to a clinic or hospital, how easy is it to see a nurse or doctor? Do you have a
long wait before you are seen?
❏ If someone in the family or household is sick, do you have to pay for their treatment? How
easy is this to afford? Do you have to go without other things, such as food or school fees, in
order to pay these medical fees?
❏ Has the community adopted good sanitation practice? Do most people have latrines? Are
faeces dealt with in a hygienic manner and do people practise good hand washing?
❏ Does the community have a source of sufficient clean drinking water throughout the year
that all can access? Do they know how to keep water clean and prevent contamination?
❏ Does everyone in the community have a balanced diet that not only provides enough food
but that also provides the right mix of food to prevent sickness and malnutrition?

Say:
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The top rung represents a community where the health of the community is improving, sickness and
disease is becoming rare and where all people are able to make use of good-quality medical services
when required regardless of income, faith, race, gender or other factors.
The bottom rung represents a community where sickness, disease and even death remain common.
Health care tends to be limited and of poor quality and the most needy in society may be excluded
due to cost or discrimination.
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Stewardship of the environment
Say:
‘We are now going to think about the spoke called Stewardship of the environment. This spoke
considers the way that the community relates to the natural environment and makes use of natural
resources. It looks at whether the community considers the needs of others both now and in the
future, and whether the community has found ways to use their environment sustainably and fairly.
It also considers the risk of crises caused by natural disasters and the community’s vulnerability to
such events.’
❏ How aware are we about the risks of climate change? Do we have plans to mitigate these
risks and, if appropriate, to respond to any crises such as floods or landslides? (insert the
most likely type of natural disaster)
❏ What have we as a community or as individuals done to make more effective and more
sustainable use of the natural resources around us such as water, soil, land, pasture, woods?
❏ Do people experience tensions or arguments with others over access to natural resources
such as water, soil, land, pasture, woods etc?
❏ What fuel do most people use to cook with? How sustainable is this fuel source?
❏ Do you have sufficient access to the natural resources that you need now? What about for
your children when they grow up?
❏ How is access to natural resources managed? Is this effective and fair for all groups in the
community? Is anyone disadvantaged?

Say:
The top rung represents a community where people actively engage with others who use natural
resources to both understand how natural resource systems operate and to ensure their sustainable
use for all.
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The bottom rung represents a community where individuals make use of the environment to meet
their own short-term needs, with little thought for the needs of others or for future generations.
Current practices exploit the environment and are not sustainable.
21 | P a g e
Material assets and resources
Say:
‘We are now going to think about the spoke called Material assets and resources. This spoke
considers the material assets and resources that people can access and make use of. It asks whether
people have enough to meet their routine needs or whether they have to go without. It reflects on
how vulnerable people are to shocks such as floods or droughts, to ill-health or sickness or to
economic issues such as fluctuations in prices. It explores how resilient the community is to these
effects. It also considers whether the community is generous with its assets or whether the assets are
controlled by a few for their own benefit.’
❏ What types of assets do people own or make use of? For example, how common is it for a
household to own a radio, TV, telephone, bicycle, motorbike or fridge? Does anybody own a
car or a tractor?
❏ What are people's houses made of? Have people been able to improve their homes, perhaps
putting on a better roof or by making more space?
❏ What facilities do people have in their homes (eg latrines, water, electricity)?
❏ What proportion of the community are landowners or house owners? How many are
tenants?
❏ How secure do people feel in their homes or on their land? Do they have evidence of
ownership, tenancy or access? Could more powerful people repossess their homes? If this
happened, would the police or the courts protect community members?
❏ What proportion of the community have electricity in their home?
❏ What proportion of the community are able to build up some savings or to access credit if
required (at reasonable rates!)?
❏ Do you ever have to go without food or essential medicines due to lack of money?
❏ Have you ever had to stop your children from going to school because you couldn't afford
the costs of school?

Say:
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The top rung represents a community where people not only have sufficient to meet their daily needs
but are also able to put some aside to create a buffer against hard times so reducing vulnerability
and increasing resilience. Incomes are rising and people are able to create new businesses or income-
generating activities. There is a culture of sharing and of helping others.
The bottom rung represents a community where people struggle to meet their daily needs and are
highly vulnerable to negative events such as drought or floods. Unexpected costs such as medical
care due to sickness mean that families have to do without. The wealthier in the community tend to
control the assets that are available, usually for their own benefit at the expense of the poorest.
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Capabilities
Say:
‘We are now going to think about the spoke called Capabilities. This spoke considers the skills,
knowledge and expertise that people in the community have and which, when matched with the
right resources, enable the community to address their concerns and bring about change. It includes
access to education and academic achievements such as levels of numeracy and literacy but also
emphasises practical and vocational or trade-related skills.’
❏ Do all school-age children go to school? Is it the same for both boys and girls?
❏ For those who have already left school, what proportion had no education? Less than five
years of education? Five to ten years of education? More than ten years of education?
❏ What proportion of those here are able to do the following: Sign their name? Work out the
correct change in a shop or market? Send a text message on a mobile phone? Help their
children with their homework? Complete an official form without help?
❏ Are there areas of life that you can make no progress on because you lack information,
knowledge or skills? (Eg health, business, the environment, political processes…) What are
these knowledge or information gaps and what causes these gaps?
❏ Do people possess the right skills to get a job or to make a reasonable living? Is it the same
for men and for women? For younger and older people?

Say:
The top rung represents a community where people are literate and numerate, and where all have at
least primary education and the norm is for the majority to continue on to secondary education;
some also go on to tertiary education. People have the information, knowledge and skills that they
require to earn a living and have the opportunity to access new skills and learn new things. People
have the ability to achieve their potential.
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The bottom rung represents a community where not all children of primary age attend school and
where attendance at secondary level remains the exception. Many adults have poor literacy and
numeracy and access to information or knowledge is limited. Opportunities are limited and few are
able to reach their potential.
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Participation and influence
Say:
‘We are now going to think about the spoke called Participation and influence. This spoke considers
the extent to which you as individuals and as a community are able to have a say in the decisions
that affect you. It asks whether you are free to voice your opinions and ideas to those with authority
and to those with power. Can you say what you think without fear or recriminations? If you are able
to speak your mind, do people take you seriously? Do they listen and respect your views? It also
explores whether you are able to take part in local committees and groups or whether you are
excluded from them.’
❏ How easy is it for people to express their ideas and opinions? At home? In village meetings?
❏ Would men and women answer the previous question in the same way? What about older
people and younger people?
❏ Who decides what each member of the family does? Do all adults have an equal say in what
they do?
❏ Do you believe that you have a say in those decisions? Within the community? The district?
Nationally?
❏ Who has the greatest influence over what happens to you and your household?
❏ Who do decision-makers within the community/district pay most attention to? Who has the
biggest influence? Who has the least influence?
❏ How many people voted in the last election? Do you feel that voting makes a difference?
❏ Has the community managed to get additional resources or services as a result of their
engagement with decision-makers? Can you give an example of how you have influenced
decision-makers?
❏ What proportion of the people present have seen the budget for the community, or the
local development plans and priorities? Are you informed about important decisions?
❏ To what extent do you feel that decision-making bodies (identify appropriate examples)
reflect the views of all groups in society (faith, age, gender, ethnic group, political party)?
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Say:
The top rung represents a community where all people, regardless of gender, wealth, faith or ethnic
group, have the ability to express their ideas without fear and where their ideas and opinions are
treated with respect. It is a community where even the most vulnerable can, if they wish, contribute
to the decision-making process for the community in which they live.
The bottom rung represents a community where people have little say or influence over the decisions
that affect them; power resides with a select few. It is difficult, even dangerous, to express ideas or to
challenge the existing power structures. The weak and the vulnerable are marginalised and excluded.
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Domain Score
Social connections
Living faith
Physical health
Capabilities
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Group discussion: conclusions
Name and location of community:
Description of group:
Numbers in the group: Adult men Adult Male Female Children

women youth youth
Additional comments on group

make-up (if appropriate):
Date and time of discussion:
Name of facilitator(s):
What scores did the community come up with? Add a short sentence or two for each spoke
explaining why that score was chosen.
Describe how scores were gathered and calculated (which technique was used?)
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FACILITATOR’S GUIDE TO GATHERING DATA
THROUGH DIRECT OBSERVATION
The method of ‘direct observation’ is one way of validating the data gathered through surveys or
group discussions. This means visiting the community and observing both the physical state of the
environment and also the behaviours and practices of the people. This short introduction gives some
guidance on how to carry out effective observation. The explanation is followed by a checklist which
can be used to structure your observations.
Who should take part?

Any group of outsiders arriving in a community will inevitably change the dynamics of the
community, meaning that what is observed is unlikely to be exactly the same as if the team were not
there. For this reason, observation is best done by those who are most familiar to the community
and whose presence will have the least impact on the community dynamics.
For the same reason, observation teams should be as small as possible and should include both male
and female, and (if appropriate) younger and older members.
Teams may be accompanied by elders or leaders from within the community, or key individuals such
as local government extension workers or officials. This can be helpful as they may be able to explain
the rationale for what is being observed. However, remember that members of the community may
be less willing to speak freely in their presence and so try to get some time without these influential
individuals as well.
If direct observation walks become regular events when visiting communities, then they will steadily
attract less interest and it may become easier to choose who accompanies the team.
When and how frequently should it happen?

The risk of a one-off observation is that the observer may inadvertently witness situations or
behaviours that are not typical, leading them to draw false conclusions. Direct observation is
therefore best when done regularly as part of routine visits. This also means that visitors are more
likely to identify how the situation and behaviours alter with different seasons or even at different
times of the day.
Although difficult, do try to visit and observe at different times of day (ie early in the morning, at
dusk or early evening) in order to gain a balanced perspective. The ideal (not always possible!) would
therefore be to visit:
❏ Frequently
❏ Throughout the year/ in different seasons
❏ At different times of day
The checklist attached to this guide is quite long; it may not be possible to look at everything on the
checklist on each visit. This is not a problem; if time is short, just complete part of the checklist but
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ensure that on the next visit a different part of the list is considered. Visiting little and often is
usually better than trying to be too ambitious and making the observation too laborious a task.
Transect walk
A transect walk is simply a structured walk through a community or project area to gain an
understanding of the situation through observation, by listening and by asking informal questions of
people you meet along the way.
Ideally the route should be chosen beforehand to ensure that you cover all relevant areas of
interest. The satellite imagery provided by Google Maps combined with the local knowledge of
partners can help you plan a suitable route. Be careful to vary the routes chosen; don’t always follow
the same transect but instead plan to cover the entire community over the course of time. You could
also combine this with a community mapping exercise where the community develops a map
showing all the places that they consider significant.3
Dos and don’ts

 Do plan what you want to see in advance in order to decide where to go.
 Do brief your team fully beforehand so that they know the purpose of the visit and what
you are trying to learn from it. Ensure that they know how you want to capture the
information.
 Do consider capturing photos or short videos that demonstrate behaviour or situations
of interest.
 Do involve local people in the walk: talk to them, ask them questions, encourage them
to talk to you: ensure that you ask men and women, old and young.
 Do capture the data as you go along: you will rapidly forget or confuse it if attempted
later on!
 Do the analysis and determine your conclusions with the team rather than by yourself
(and preferably immediately after the walk). Encourage the team to challenge each
other and to ask for evidence or examples for any points that they make.
 Don’t miss an opportunity to talk to passers-by.
 Don’t ignore things that seem out of place or different: ask about them!
 Don’t try to look at too many things at once: be focused or you will confuse yourself and
the team!
 Don’t walk too fast or you will miss things: it is better to cover less points on the
checklist at a leisurely pace than try to do too much in a rush. Aim for quality not
quantity!
Capturing the results

Once completed, why not capture your thinking in the direct observation checklist? You can use this
as a prompt during subsequent group discussions to challenge where appropriate. You can also use
3
A number of useful tools are shown in the Umoja Facilitator’s guide (available on www.tilz.org).
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it as part of your records or evidence of change. This is also available as a simple form on KoBo so it
can be captured by smartphone or tablet.
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Direct observation checklist
You may choose to complete the entire checklist or instead focus on a specific section at a time.
Date of observation Location (name)
Time of observation Location (GPS)
Name of lead observer Details of the observer

team, including
gender balance
Do a transect walk through the village
Latrines: What proportion of the houses have

latrines?
Ask if you can visit a number of household
latrines and record the following:
● type of latrine
● state of repair
● whether or not hand-washing facilities (with
soap or ash) are available
Faeces: Look for evidence of people using open

spaces, fields or wooded areas to defecate in
rather than latrines (look for the flies!)
Construction materials: Look at the walls and the

roofs of houses: what are they made of?
Make a note of:
● the proportion of walls made of brick,
concrete or stone vs. those made with more
local materials
● the proportion of houses that have roofs
made of corrugated iron, concrete or tile vs.
more local materials
Electricity: What proportion of the houses are

connected to electricity cables or to solar panels
or batteries?
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School truancy: As you walk around the
community, if it is school hours/school term,
note how many children of school age are not in
school.
Future focus: Look for signs of building work or

changes to farming practices. Have people, for
example, put up new buildings or planted crops
such as fruit trees that might take time to
mature? Do people seem to be taking a longer-
term view and are they investing for the future
or just focusing on the here-and-now?
Group dynamics: As you talk with people in the

community, observe the group dynamics. Are
women willing to speak out? Will women speak
out if men are present or only if women are
present? Do those who appear poorer or from
minority groups speak out freely?
Group relationships: Listen out for how people

talk about other groups and communities. Do
they seem to have constructive relationships or
are people dismissive of others? Do they display
resentment, distrust or fear?
Use of language: Watch out for use of language:

the way individuals relate to each other, talk to
and about each other and deal with alternative
perspectives and views. Do they exhibit
tolerance and respect towards each other or
intolerance, impatience and disrespect?
Cooking fuel: Look to see what people are using

for cooking fuel. If wood, where are they getting
this from? Is it from a sustainable source (such as
a village woodlot) or are there signs of
deforestation? What type of stoves are people
using to cook on? Are they fuel-efficient stoves?
Soil erosion: Is soil erosion an issue in the

community? If so, is there evidence that
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measures are being taken to protect the soil
such as terracing or planting?
Water usage: Are there any signs to suggest that

water is used responsibly? Eg does the
community make use of rainwater-harvesting?
Irrigation: What type of irrigation system is in

use? What state is it in? Has it been well
maintained?
Visit the water source
Proximity: How long does it take to get to the

water source from the village?
Type: What type of source is it? Is it a clean or

protected source?
Maintenance: What is the state of the water

source? Does it look like it is well looked after
and maintained, or is it falling into disrepair? Ask
who maintains the source and how the cost of
spares are met.
Animals: Is the water source protected from

animals and/or other sources of contamination?
People: Who is it that is collecting water? Is it

mainly women or children? If children, does this
interfere with school?
Queuing: How long do people have to queue to

use the water source?
Water flow: How long does it take to fill up a

container of water?
Cover: Do people cover the water when carrying

it home?
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Visit the nearest medical facility
Proximity: How long would it take villagers to get

to this facility?
Services: What services are provided by the

medical facility?
Waiting time: On average, how long do people

have to wait before being seen by a medically
trained member of staff?
Visit the local school
Attendance level: Approximately how many

children are at the school?
Gender ratio: What is the ratio between boys

and girls? Does this ratio seem to be the same
for younger children as for older children?
Equipment: How well equipped is the school?

Are there classrooms? Are there desks and
chairs? Are there latrines? Is there a clean water
source?
Staffing: How many teachers are at the school?

What training have they had?
Class size: What is the average class size?
Visit the local places of worship
Faith interaction: How vibrant do the different

places of worship appear? Are people familiar
with places of worship other than their own? Are
there signs of engagement between groups, or
are the groups afraid of each other?
Attendance: Try to visit just before or after a

service. How many people attend services? Are
all age groups represented or is it primarily from
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one age group? Is it mainly men or women or is
the congregation gender-balanced? Do all
groups within society attend the place of
worship, or is it mainly those from a particular
group (such as the richest/poorest, the
most/least powerful or those of a particular
political persuasion)?
Christian unity: Is there more than one Christian

church in the community? If so, is there any
evidence that the different churches interact or
do they remain separate from each other?
Visit the community centre
Community groups: Look for any evidence of

groups that meet at the community hall. Look
out for posters, and ask to see meeting minutes
or membership lists.
Disaster preparedness: If the community is

prone to disasters, is there any evidence that
there is a disaster preparedness plan? Look out
for community instructions or equipment.
Community information: Check to see if

community information on budgets, plans or the
use of resources is available. Are the names of
those responsible or accountable readily
available?
Visit the market or commercial area
What types of goods are there for sale? Are

goods in plentiful supply or are there shortages?
What is the quality of the goods available? What
are the prices like? Are they going up, going
down or staying the same?
How busy is the market? Is there a lot of trade

and business being done? Do people seem to
have resources to spare?
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During a community meeting or focus group
Representation: If there are differences between

people groups (faith, ethnicity etc), look to see if
these groups are represented in meetings and in
public appointments.
Gender: Look for gender balance in community

meetings and in among public officials. Is there
an equal balance between men and women?
Exclusion: Look to see who has been included in

focus groups, and more importantly who has not
been included. Identify which groups are
overlooked, eg the physically disabled.
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Domain Score
Social connections
Living faith
Physical health
Capabilities
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Direct observation: conclusions
Name and location of
community:
Date and time of observation:
Additional comments
(if required):
Name of person reporting:
What conclusions do you draw from this observation about the status of the community? Comment
on those domains (or spokes) that you have seen evidence of during the visit. What is your reason
for the score you have given?
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FACILITATOR’S GUIDE TO GATHERING
SECONDARY DATA
What is secondary data?
A way of confirming information gathered through other means such as a survey or group discussion
is through the use of secondary data. Secondary data is data that groups or people other than you
have gathered. Data may be reported by government officials and workers and be held by local,
district or national offices. It may be gathered and held by other NGOs or even by commercial
businesses. Using secondary data may allow you to reduce the amount of information that you have
to extract directly from communities so reducing the burden on them; it may also save you time and
money.
This short introduction, which gives some guidance on how to use secondary data, is followed by a
checklist that can be used to structure your review and analysis.
How can I use secondary data?

There are two main ways that you can use secondary data: as a benchmark and as a way of assessing
local conditions.
Benchmarks
You can use it to establish a benchmark against which you can compare local conditions. This can be
important as people don’t necessarily know what services or conditions apply elsewhere in similar
locations or even what national policy targets may be. As a result, they may have come to accept the
norm and so assess their situation as higher than it might be if they were more aware of conditions
elsewhere. You can create a set of benchmarks for each domain by looking at national or
international data sources and policy objectives or targets. You may also find that more local targets
or objectives exist at sub-national levels such as at province, state or district levels.
Local conditions
You can also use secondary data to determine what you think the domain scores might be at the
local level. For this you will need to look at local sources, some of which are suggested below.
Where can I get it from?

There are a number of possible sources and of course each country will be different. The list below is
intended to give you some ideas of where to look but talking to other NGO or donor organisations
and to government officials is also likely to highlight many more options that are specific to your
country.
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International sources
These sources are unlikely to be able to give you local data but will almost certainly give you some
country-level data that you can use to see how your area compares with the country as a whole and
with other similar countries in the region or further afield. Although reliable, one of the downsides
of international data is that it is only collected every few years and the process of collection,
verification and publication takes time; it is therefore likely to be a few years out of date when you
see it. Consequently, it is good for showing trends rather than absolute levels.
Options include:
❏ The World Bank - Development Indicators. This contains links to a mass of development
indicator data sets and can be useful for seeing trends within the country.
❏ UNDP Human Development Data. Another very good source of reliable national-level data.
This includes the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) data. The LIGHT Wheel household
survey is designed to calculate a local version of the MPI, which can be used to compare
areas where you might be working with the national index level: this allows you to
benchmark where you are working with the national averages.
❏ Progress out of Poverty Index. Similar to the MPI, the PPI provides data across a range of
indicators to assess the holistic well-being of a country. PPI scores and data can be
downloaded for most countries and for some countries data is available at a sub-national
level.
❏ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The UN also provides data on progress towards the
Sustainable Development Goals which is a useful source of information.
National sources
As national sources will vary, it is not possible to provide links here. However, most countries will
usually have national statistics offices or bureaus and this is a good place to start looking.
Government departments will also collect data relevant to their areas of responsibility and so
different government departments are also likely to maintain records that can be shared. The
country offices of international organisations (such as UNDP) may also maintain data records and
should be able to suggest suitable sources. Universities will almost certainly have conducted
research that will be relevant and so developing strong links with those in areas where you are
working could produce a rich seam of information as well as interested parties that might help with
data gathering and analysis. Finally, don’t forget to talk to your peers in other NGOs, both
international and national. They are likely to be looking for similar information and so the chances of
sharing the data collection and analysis burden are good.
Local sources
Local data sources will also vary with the way that the government is structured. Access to this data
is also likely to vary with the national government’s attitude towards freedom of information and
transparency. Developing good relationships with local officials can, however, reap dividends.
Sources that might prove helpful include:
❏ Local government offices such as:
❏ Education
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❏ Health
❏ Development
❏ Legal practitioners such as the courts, magistrates, solicitors and police stations
❏ Local medical services such as clinics or hospitals
❏ Service providers such as mobile phone companies, water or power companies
❏ Media services such as newspapers, TV or radio companies
❏ Religious institutions such as churches, temples or mosques
❏ The private sector including business groups and networks
❏ Civil society organisations such as other NGOs or trades unions
❏ Academic institutions such as universities
When should I review secondary data?

We suggest that secondary data is collected and reviewed before conducting any group discussions.
Going into a group discussion with an awareness of what local, national and international data might
be saying allows the facilitator to challenge communities gently in their assessments if there seems
to be a significant difference between what they think their situation is and what the secondary data
seems to indicate. This could happen because the community are not considering the full breadth of
the domain. Within physical health, for example, they might only be thinking of their health status as
it is at the moment and not the availability and quality of health services available to them.
Conversely, they may fail to recognise improvements in infrastructure and services, the building of a
new wing at the local hospital, for example, that have taken place but which may have a delayed
impact on them.
Collecting secondary data before a project starts can also help provide a rich baseline for the project.
If the secondary data is then reviewed at the end of the project, it may be possible to identify
additional effects that the project has contributed to.
How do I relate it back to the LIGHT Wheel?

You can use the attached checklist to identify relevant data under each LIGHT Wheel domain. The
checklist provides suggestions but readers should adapt the list as required to suit their context. By
looking at the data that you have reviewed under each domain, it should be possible to look at the
LIGHT Wheel Maturity Model and estimate a score for each domain. This score is, however, only an
indication of what the status might be and so facilitators should not be too dogmatic about their
assessment. It does, however, provide a useful counterpoint when introduced into a subsequent
group discussion. Ultimately, it is the score that comes out of this group discussion, illuminated by
insights from the secondary data review, that should be used as the final LIGHT Wheel score.
Capturing the results

Once completed, why not capture your thinking in the secondary data checklist (below)? You can use
this as a prompt during subsequent group discussions to challenge where appropriate. You can also
use it as part of your records or evidence of change. This is also available as a simple form on KoBo
so it can be captured by smartphone or tablet.
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Secondary data checklist
You can use this worksheet to capture relevant data. Add additional rows or amend the tables to suit
your context and the data available.
Date of Location (name)

assessment
Name of Location (GPS)

assessor
Benchmark data
Census or population data such as:

● Population profile (age groups, gender
balance...)
● Faith profile
● Ethnic profile
● ...
Social data such as:

● Birth rates
● Fertility rates
● Marriage / divorce rates
● Suicide rates
● Human Development Index score
● Multidimensional Poverty Index score
● Progress out of Poverty Index score
● …
Health data such as:

● Birth rates
● Attended birth rates
● Immunisation rates
● Life expectancy
● Infant / under-five mortality rates
● HIV prevalence
● Access to clean water
● Access to proper sanitation
● …
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Environmental data such as:
● Forest area
● Agricultural land
● Weather pattern data such as rainfall
● ...
Economic data such as:

● Gross National Income per capita (ppp)
● Poverty headcount
● Poverty gap
● GINI coefficient
● ...
Education data such as:

● Enrolment rates
● Pupil-to-teacher ratios
● Expenditure per student
● ...
The table below provides suggestions for types of local data that may be helpful and for possible
local sources. You can use the table below to record this data.
LIGHT Wheel domains
Social connections
Social groups and clubs – Community noticeboards

existence and membership
Media reports
Church, temple or mosque
noticeboards
Marriage or divorce rates Local authority records

Legal records
records
Levels of physical abuse Police or court records
Levels of early marriage Local leaders
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Local authority records
records
Living faith
Attendance figures Church, temple or mosque

records
Giving figures Church, temple or mosque

records
Records of religious rituals such Church, temple or mosque

as baptisms records
Numbers affiliated to a religion Census data
Incidents of inter-faith violence Police or court records

Media records
Levels of alcohol or drug abuse Hospital records
Suicide rates Police records

Health records
records
Physical health
Morbidity and mortality rates Hospital records
Population per health service Local health authority records

facility / census data
Population per doctor / nurse / Local health authority records

midwife / census data
Cost of basic drugs Hospital or pharmacy records
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Shop prices
Levels of tension over access to Police or court records

water, pasture or land
Media reports
Amount or percentage of land Local authority records

given over to woodland and
forestry, to pasture or to
agriculture
Existence of policies, laws or Local authority records

bylaws protecting the
environment
Number of prosecutions to do Police or court records

with breaking environmental
laws or bylaws
Levels of local economic activity Local trader or business

records
Local poverty indicator records Local government
Capabilities
School attendance School records

Local education authority
School achievement School records

Local education authority
Literacy and numeracy levels Local education authority /

Development authority
Employment levels Local government records
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Local business records
Training courses available College or training centre

prospectus
Representation of women Community noticeboards

Local authority offices
Representation of minorities Community noticeboards

Local authority offices
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Secondary data review: conclusions
Name and location of
community:
Date of review:
What conclusions do you draw from this review about the status of the community? Compare the
local data that you have collected against any national or international benchmarks, as well as
against the Maturity Model, to estimate a score for each domain. Provide a short explanation for
your score in the box provided for each domain.
Domain Score
Social connections
Living faith
Physical health
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Capabilities
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FACILITATOR’S GUIDE TO CONDUCTING A
HOUSEHOLD SURVEY
Combining a household survey with a group discussion and direct observation is a good way of
triangulating the data and should lead to a rich understanding of the status of the community. This
guide provides suggestions as to how to carry out a household survey and how to incorporate it into
your overall assessment.
The survey
A household survey has been produced for the LIGHT Wheel. A paper version of this is at Annex E
while an electronic version can be downloaded from the Programme Effectiveness Hub. The survey
is also available on KoBo for use on smartphones or tablets. The survey is made up of 11sections:
two introductory sections that collect details about the date and location of the survey and about
the respondent, and then nine further sections that explore each of the spokes of the LIGHT Wheel.
There are 10 to 15 questions for each spoke.
The survey is designed so that it can be completed as a whole or so that each spoke can be assessed
independently. In either case, however, the first two introductory sections should be completed.
Who should conduct the survey?

Although it is possible for communities to use the survey on themselves, using a team of individuals
from within the community to ask the questions, you may find that people are less willing to be
open with a neighbour than to someone from outside the village. We therefore suggest that an
outside team is put together to conduct the survey. It may be possible for communities to pair up,
with a team from one community surveying the other. This would have the added benefit that
community members would learn from each other and learning would spread between
communities.
We suggest that survey teams are made up of pairs, male and female, as this makes it easier to talk
to both genders. If younger people are to be included as respondents, then it is good to include
some younger people in the team as they can focus on questioning people of a similar age; as
before, they too should be paired up, male and female.
The number of survey pairs doesn’t matter: however, obviously fewer pairs means that fewer people
can be surveyed in a given time. However you decide to create the pairs, it is essential that survey
teams are trained on the survey and are properly prepared.
Who should be surveyed?

For the LIGHT Wheel we want to get a sense of what the community as a whole thinks and so it is
important to get a sample that is as representative of the community as possible. This means that
the balance of old and young, male and female, rich and poor, should be broadly similar to the
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make-up of the community. In the same way, the sample should include people from minorities,
including different ethnic or faith groups. There are two ways of ensuring that your sample is
representative: you can use what is called ‘probability sampling’ or ‘non-probability sampling’.
Probability sampling
Probability sampling uses statistics to identify how many people should be interviewed and requires
that those interviewed are selected at random. This is a powerful method and will give very accurate
and useful data that can be analysed quantitatively so that it becomes possible to apply the findings
to the population as a whole. Because the sample size is likely to be quite large, this can be time-
consuming to do and may not be the best approach for small communities. For example, for a
community of 250 households, you would need to survey about 150 households, for 500 about 220
households and for 1,000 about 275 households. This approach does, however, become more
practical when looking at a larger population size – perhaps as part of a review of a large programme
or strategy. The sample size for a population of 10,000 would, for example, be about 370 while for a
population of 100,000 this figure climbs only to about 380 and for 1 million to 385! For further
advice, email [email protected]
Non-probability sampling
Non-probability sampling is probably best for small communities. In this, rather than choosing
people at random and relying on the number of people that you select to ensure that your sample is
representative, you deliberately select the types of people who you think will either provide a good
representation of the community or who will tell you the most about the situation.
For the former, you would ensure that the proportions of your sample were similar to that of the
community. You could look, for example, at census data or at community records to identify the
make-up of your community and make sure that your sample was similar. Normally, therefore, you
would expect to see roughly equal numbers of women and men and a range of age groups included.
Within these groups you could still choose the actual individuals randomly as this would reduce the
chance of bias. If you choose ten to 15 people from each section of the community that you have
identified, then you should have a sample size that is small enough to be manageable but large
enough to give useful data.
in the latter scenario, rather than trying to get a sample that represents the village as a whole, you
focus on getting a sample of the types of people who might tell you most about the situation or the
changes. These might be the people most affected by the key issues within the community or
perhaps the people for whom change might be most difficult to create, the most vulnerable perhaps.
For non-probability sampling you should interview a minimum of 30 individuals; however, if you are
able to include more, the accuracy of your findings will increase.
When should the survey take place?

Ideally, we recommend that you conduct the survey before the group discussion. If it is possible, try
to give yourself enough time to conduct the survey and analyse the data before going into a group
discussion. This will ensure that you as a facilitator are well prepared for the group discussion and
able to gently challenge communities if their own assessments seem overly optimistic or pessimistic.
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You should also think through the time of year and the time of day. At what time of day are you
most likely to find people available? If you visit at a certain time of day, will you find it hard to reach
some of the people whom you want to interview? Individuals may be at work or collecting cooking
fuel or water, and so be unavailable. The time of day can introduce a bias into your results as you
will only be able to speak to those who are available and so it is always wise to ask who is likely to be
present and who is likely to be absent and to consider how this might affect your findings.
Similarly, the time of year may have an impact on people’s answers. It doesn’t usually matter much
which time of year you choose but if you want to compare findings from one survey with another
then it is probably best if you conduct both surveys at approximately the same time of year. If this is
not possible, you will need to think through how the time of year might have influenced your
findings.
Preparing for the survey

Before the survey it is important to prepare yourself and your team. As the facilitator you will need
to think about how you will choose your sample (the people whom you are going to survey), who
will ask the questions, how you will capture the data and how you will analyse and make use of the
data. If possible, we recommend the use of the KoBoCollect application. This can be downloaded
onto any Android smartphone or tablet for free and allows data to be captured rapidly and securely,
saving time and improving accuracy.
It is essential before any survey to test the survey questions and to train properly the people who
will be asking the questions and capturing the data. The survey may need to be translated into
different languages and, once done, the questions and responses need to be checked to ensure that
the meaning has not been lost. Always, therefore, try the survey form out on a few local people first
and give yourself time to adjust the phrasing if necessary.
You should also go through the survey with the people who will be asking the questions before they
go out into the field. These people, called ‘enumerators’ in survey jargon, need to understand what
is meant by the questions and what the question is trying to find out. They also need to understand
how to capture and record data accurately as well as the ethics and techniques of good survey
practice.
Conducting the survey

Working in pairs, approach the selected household or individual, introduce yourselves and ask their
permission to ask them some questions explaining what the purpose of the survey is, who it is being
done for and what will be done with the results. Wherever possible, explain how the results of the
survey will be shared back with the individual, household or community. Also, tell them how long
(approximately) it will take to complete the survey.
Explain to the person that any information they give you will be kept in confidence and that their
identity will not be divulged to anyone. (You need to make sure that you have processes in place to
protect the survey data and ensure this confidentiality.) You should also explain that they have the
right not to answer a question if they do not wish to and that likewise they can end the survey at any
stage.
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Also, tell them that some of the questions may involve issues that are sensitive or private, so these
questions are not asked lightly. Explain that the responses to these questions can be very useful in
understanding the priorities within a community. Remind them that they do not have to answer
these questions if they do not wish to.
Assuming that the individual is content to continue, you can then start to ask the questions. As you
do so, try to build a rapport with the person and let them see both the questionnaire and your notes
if they wish to; this is particularly important if using a smart phone or tablet. As the survey
progresses, watch for the body language and notice if the individuals seem distressed or upset. If
they do, then it is perfectly acceptable to skip the more sensitive questions. Avoid leading the
respondent by implying that one answer is the correct or better answer, and encourage them to be
accurate in their responses, reassuring them that no offence will be taken at any negative responses.
Although we would usually want people to finish the complete survey, you may find that people lose
interest part-way through. If this is the case, it may be better to end the survey at that point and
perhaps ask if you could return at a different time to ask the remaining questions. Continuing with a
respondent that has had enough is likely to lead to rushed or inaccurate responses that will
undermine the quality of your data. Better to have an incomplete but high-quality survey than a
complete but poor-quality one.
At the end of the survey, thank the respondent and give them the opportunity to add anything that
they wish and to ask you questions. Allow time for this. We have found that it takes about 40
minutes to ask the questions in the survey but that you will need about an hour per person to
introduce yourself, explain the survey and to allow them to ask questions at the end.
Analysing the survey results

Gathering the data is, however, just the first part. The next stage is to make sense of the data and to
see what it is telling us about the situation within the community. A spreadsheet has been provided
and is available on the Programme Effectiveness Hub to do much of this analysis work for you. If
using KoBo to collect the information, the data can be downloaded from the KoBo portal and then
pasted directly into this spreadsheet which will then calculate scores for each LIGHT Wheel domain
and produce a polar diagram of the scores; it will also provide details of individual scores. If the
information has been collected using paper forms or some other system, the answers will need to be
entered into a different spreadsheet first and from there it can be pasted into the LIGHT Wheel
analysis tool.
A guide to using the analysis tool is also available on the Programme Effectiveness Hub. For non-
Tearfund staff, or anyone seeking further guidance on how to analyse the data, email
[email protected]
Using the survey data

There is sometimes a tendency to think that information collected through a survey is somehow
‘better’ than information collected through observation or discussion. This is not the case. However,
it can highlight issues that may not be seen or heard via other collection techniques. For example,
during piloting of the tool, discussion groups suggested that personal relationships in one
community were strong and equitable. The survey data, however, painted a different picture; it
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seemed as if people were willing to share these more personal views one-to-one in an anonymous
survey but not collectively in a group discussion. It is when two or more data collection approaches
are used that these differences can come to light and can then be explored in more detail, perhaps
in follow-up interviews or discussions.
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FACILITATOR’S GUIDE TO REVIEWING THE
CONTEXT
What is the context and why include it?
The picture of the LIGHT Wheel shows it bumping along a rather uneven track with many stones or
pebbles jutting out. Just as these stones will dictate the ease and comfort of the ride along that road,
so too the environment or context in which we are working will dictate how easy or hard it will be to
bring about change. By assessing and reporting the context, the scores created through the LIGHT
Wheel can be better understood. Perhaps more importantly, such a review can also highlight
opportunities that could be exploited or barriers that might need to be overcome if progress is to be
made.
When should I review the context?

When you first think about starting a project in a community, you should carry out some initial
analysis. We refer to this as problem analysis and advice on how to conduct this can be found on the
Programme Effectiveness Hub. As you do this problem analysis, you will inevitably consider the
context within which the project will take place. Context should therefore be reviewed at the start of
any project and this analysis will form part of the project baseline. When managing a project, it is
good practice to pause regularly and take stock of progress, reviewing what has gone well and what
has proved harder than expected. As part of these reflection periods, it is good practice to review
the context, asking yourself whether anything has changed from your initial analysis. We advise that
the context is reviewed every time that the LIGHT Wheel is used.
Who should I include when reviewing the context?

When first reviewing the context, it is advisable to be as inclusive as possible while recognising that
doing so adds time and complexity to the process; inevitably, a compromise will need to be made.
The review should therefore include project staff, key stakeholders and, most importantly, the likely
beneficiaries themselves; after all, they are likely to understand their context better than anyone
else. This can be done as part of the initial project planning process. Once this initial review has been
completed it may be possible for simplicity’s sake to reduce the number of people involved to a key
group of stakeholders who are closely involved with the project or community.
How should I review the context?

The context covers a huge span of different subjects and issues and, if considered in its entirety, can
seem an overwhelming task. For this reason the LIGHT Wheel has broken down the context into nine
different elements or ‘stones’; these are described in the context definitions (see Annex C). When
conducting a problem analysis, the context is likely to be considered in more detail so that the key
drivers or blockers of change can be identified. However, for the LIGHT Wheel a simpler analysis will
suffice.
 Step 1: Using the context definitions sheet, read out and if necessary explain what is meant
by the particular context element or stone.
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 Step 2: With the group, brainstorm any aspects of that element of the context (the stone)
that are likely to make the change that you want to bring about easier to achieve. Capture
these insights in the context review worksheet on the next page.
 Step 3: Now brainstorm any aspects of that element of the context that are likely to make
the change that you want to bring about harder to achieve. Again, capture these insights in
the context worksheet.
 Step 4: Repeat the process for each context element until you have considered all the
‘stones’ in the road.
Once the first review has taken place, the process can be simplified further. This time:
 Step 1: Using the completed context review worksheet from the previous review, read and
out and if necessary explain what is meant by the particular context element or stone.
 Step 2: Read out those aspects that were seen as positive and ask the group whether
anything has changed or whether the previous analysis remains accurate. Ask whether any
of the influences have got stronger or weaker or if there any new influences. Amend the
context worksheet as required.
 Step 3: Now read out those aspects that were seen as negative and again ask the group
whether anything has changed or whether the previous analysis remains accurate. Ask
whether any of the influences have got stronger or weaker or if there any new influences.
Amend the context worksheet as required.
 Step 4: Repeat the process for each context element until you have considered all the
‘stones’ in the road.
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Context review worksheet
Date of review Location being
reviewed
Name of lead Details of the

reviewer review team
Institutions
The following aspects of the institutional context make it easier to achieve the desired change:
The following aspects of the institutional context make it harder to achieve the desired change:
Legal framework
The following aspects of the legal framework make it easier to achieve the desired change:
The following aspects of the legal framework make it harder to achieve the desired change:
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 Physical environment
The following aspects of the physical environment make it easier to achieve the desired change:
The following aspects of the physical environment make it harder to achieve the desired change:
Technological environment
The following aspects of the technological environment make it easier to achieve the desired
change:
The following aspects of the technological environment make it harder to achieve the desired
change:
 Political environment
The following aspects of the political environment make it easier to achieve the desired change:
The following aspects of the political environment make it harder to achieve the desired change:
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Security environment
The following aspects of the security environment make it easier to achieve the desired change:
The following aspects of the security environment make it harder to achieve the desired change:
Economic environment
The following aspects of the economic environment make it easier to achieve the desired change:
The following aspects of the economic environment make it harder to achieve the desired change:
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Social and religious environment
The following aspects of the social and religious environment make it easier to achieve the desired
change:
The following aspects of the social and religious environment make it harder to achieve the
desired change:
Essential services
The following aspects of the essential services context make it easier to achieve the desired
change:
The following aspects of the essential services context make it harder to achieve the desired
change:
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FACILITATOR’S GUIDE TO USING THE LIGHT
WHEEL INDICATORS
The indicators
A set of indicators has been designed for the LIGHT Wheel and can be found in Annex D. These can
be used to provide a more objective perspective on the situation within a community and, if used in
conjunction with a group discussion, can help provide a reference point for the discussion. Indicators
are provided for each spoke of the Wheel and are divided into key indicators and additional
indicators. We suggest that at the very least the key indicators are tracked and where possible some
or all of the additional indicators.
Measuring the indicators

The household survey has been designed so that it will provide a score for each of the indicators, the
key indicators and the additional indicators. Using the survey at the start of any engagement with a
community will therefore provide a baseline measurement of the indicators; repeating the survey
will then provide updates to the indicator status. Alternatively, many of the indicators can lend
themselves to assessment through direct observation and so could be measured as part of a transect
walk through the community. Several indicators are also based on information that the community
itself or local government officials will be recording and so can be collected as part of a review of
secondary data.
Recording and tracking progress

Displaying the indicators with the baseline and current readings along with perhaps some targets
agreed with the community can be a source of celebration and encouragement for the community
and so you are encouraged to make the results available within the community. A tracking sheet is
attached for this purpose although you may need to adjust it so that it covers just the indicators that
you have chosen to use. An example of a completed table is below:
Date Date Date Date

Indicator
20/03/16 20/03/17
Reading Reading Reading Reading
64% of men 72% of men
Political participation 48% of women 68% of women
Method Method Method Method
HH survey HH survey
67% 72%
Primary attendance
School records School records
A KoBo form has also been produced to track the indicators, allowing the data to be collected and
stored on smart phones and tablets.
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Communities may also like to track progress using a line graph, as shown below. The target could be
shown on the graph and progress towards it.
Political participation
90%
Percentage of people who voted
80%
70%
60%
50%
Target
40%
30% Men
20% Women
10%
0%
01/01/2016 01/01/2017 01/01/2018 01/01/2019
Date of assessment
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Indicator tracking sheet4
Location:
Last updated:
Social connections
Date Date Date Date
Indicator
Exclusion

Violence

Collaboration

Group membership

Prejudice

Discrimination (ethnic)

Discrimination (gender)
4
For definitions of these indicators, please see Annex D on page 89.
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Date Date Date Date
Indicator
Insult (faith or group)

Insult (gender)

Legal protection
Date Date Date Date
Indicator
Feeling valued

Handling disagreements

Talking to spouse
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Date Date Date Date
Indicator
Trust

Attitudes to domestic
violence Method Method Method Method

Experience of domestic
violence Method Method Method Method

Role models
Living faith
Date Date Date Date
Indicator
Spiritual practice

Service
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Date Date Date Date
Indicator
Place in the community

Christian faith

Attendance

Importance of faith

Peace

Giving

Church unity (within the
congregation) Method Method Method Method

Unity between churches
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Date Date Date Date
Indicator
Ability to share

Loneliness

The future

The past

Sense of accomplishment

Ability to state views

Forgiveness of others

Forgiveness of self
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Physical health
Date Date Date Date
Indicator
Child mortality

Diet

Sanitation

Water source

Infant mortality

Sickness

Antenatal care

Access to health care

Health care coverage

Cost of health care
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Date Date Date Date
Indicator
Time to water source

Date Date Date Date
Indicator
Cooking fuel

Water management

Soil erosion

Knowledge of climate
change Method Method Method Method

Disaster preparedness plans

Incidence of resource
conflict within communities Method Method Method Method

Incidence of resource
conflict between
communities

Resource availability now
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Date Date Date Date
Indicator
Resource availability in the
future Method Method Method Method

Resource management

Date Date Date Date
Indicator
Assets owned

Shelter (floor)

Shelter (roof)

Savings

Unaffordable expenses

Livestock owned

Land ownership
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Date Date Date Date
Indicator
Electricity

Mobile phone usage

Multidimensional Poverty
Index Method Method Method Method
Capabilities
Date Date Date Date
Indicator
Primary school attendance

Girls’ education (primary)

Literacy and numeracy

Attendance at secondary or
tertiary education Method Method Method Method

Girls’ education (secondary)

Years of education
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Date Date Date Date
Indicator
Vocational skills (general)

Vocational skills (paid)

Date Date Date Date
Indicator
Cooking fuel

Water management

Ability to change

Influence with community
leaders Method Method Method Method

Achieving change

Representation

Individual autonomy
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Date Date Date Date
Indicator
Voice within the community

Voice with the local
government Method Method Method Method

Influence with the local
government Method Method Method Method

Political participation

Access to information
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ANNEX A: WHAT IS COVERED WITHIN EACH
SPOKE?
Social connections
This spoke looks at how unified or fractured the community is. It asks whether the community is
formed of separate cliques or groups that keep themselves to themselves, looking with distrust at
others, or whether the community is inclusive, working together across social boundaries. The
‘Social connections’ spoke considers issues such as prejudice and exclusion, attitudes towards social
groups and looks at whether these groups are based on ethnicity, tribe, faith or wealth.
It does not just look at relationships within the community but also asks how well the community is
connected externally, exploring its ability to access wider government services and resources,
expertise and knowledge.
This area of change considers four aspects of these connections:
● Who is included and who is excluded, ie how diverse they are. Implicit in this is the
community’s attitude towards those who are different.
● The quantity of connections
● The range of areas that the networks cover
● And finally the purpose of them – whether they are self-serving or look to meet a wider
community need
This spoke considers the existence and quality of personal relationships as opposed to the more
communal and outward connections covered by ‘Social connections’. These relationships are
generally fewer, deeper and more private. This area of change considers four issues:
● The level of commitment people have to making and sustaining personal relationships,
whether they value and prioritise such relationships
● The nature of those relationships, whether they are positive, supporting and encouraging or
whether they are exploitative and extractive, based on power and fear
● How well individuals manage differences within their relationships
● How personal relationships fit within and influence the wider community
Living faith
This spoke considers the importance of faith (of any type) within the community but focuses
primarily on those who profess a Christian faith. It explores whether Christians are living out their
faith, both as individuals and also as a broader church. It asks whether they are putting their faith
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into practice in their daily lives in a way which impacts the wider community. This area of change
considers four issues:
● Attitudes towards faith in general within the community
● The extent to which Christians are growing in their faith, moving from spiritual infancy
towards maturity
● The extent to which Christians are balancing their inward spiritual development with the
external outworking of their faith
● How this is influencing the environment in which they are living

This spoke considers the emotional and mental well-being of the people in the community.
● It considers the impact that events in the past may have on them and their attitudes
towards the future.
● It explores the support networks that they might have and whether they feel able to share
concerns with others.
● It considers their ability to cope with shocks that may emerge in the future, ie whether they
are ‘emotionally resilient’.
Physical health
This spoke considers the physical health of the people within the community. It considers three
aspects:
● How healthy individuals within the community are
● Who has and who does not have access to health resources
● The range and quality of health resources available to the community

This spoke considers the relationship of the community with the natural environment. It considers
three issues:
● The status of the natural resources that they make use of: these could be things such as
water, land, pasture, woodland, fuel supplies. This asks whether the amount, availability and
access to these resources is sufficient and whether it is increasing or decreasing.
● How they use natural resources. Do they see them as an endless supply available for their
use or do they use them with care, conscious that they are a limited resource?
● Whether the community engages with others to consider their collective use of the
environment, exploring ways in which they as a community (present and future) can share
resources
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This spoke considers the material resources that people and communities can access. It focuses on
actual assets or things that, when matched with ’Capabilities’, allow people to do something. This
area of change considers four issues:
● The amount and quality of assets available
● The ability to access and use those assets
● The attitudes of people towards the assets (whether they see them as purely personal or are
willing to share resources with others)
● How resilient they are. In this case, resilience can be thought of as how vulnerable the
material assets are to shocks and to external pressures such as weather or market prices.5
Capabilities
This spoke considers the skills, expertise and knowledge that, when matched with physical (material)
resources, enable the community to do something and bring about change. It includes issues such as
levels of education and training, literacy and numeracy. While the skills, expertise and knowledge to
sustain an income is an important part of this, it also includes the skills, expertise and knowledge to
remain mentally and physically fit and healthy.

This spoke considers two basic ideas: firstly, whether people are able to express their views to those
in power and be heard by them, and secondly whether they can take part in the decision-making
itself. The spoke looks at people’s ability to take control over their own destiny. This area of change
therefore considers:
● Who has a say in the decision-making process (and who does not)
● The level of influence that they have (Are their views respected and taken seriously?)
● The level of participation they have in the decision-making process
5
As such, dependence on a limited yield from a single crop might be thought of as a vulnerability and therefore a lack of
resilience, whereas a surplus may allow families and communities to endure a poor harvest, drought or flood. Similarly, a
more diverse range of income sources or crops may increase resilience.
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ANNEX B: THE MATURITY MODEL
Use these descriptions to identify which stage the community is at for each of the nine spokes.
Social connections
Level 1 A community characterised by groups separated by issues such as caste, ethnicity,
tribe or faith group. Groups tend to distrust people from other groups and there is
little positive engagement between groups. Prejudice, exclusion and discrimination
are common. People tend to be focused on their own needs and have few links with
others outside their immediate circle.
Level 2 Individuals within the community recognise that in order to make progress on issues
that concern them, they need to develop positive relationships with people outside
their immediate circle. However, attempts at connecting remain rare, discrimination
remains common and very few networks that cross social groups actually exist.
Level 3 Members of the community are actively reaching out to others from different groups
to establish networks to address issues of mutual concern. The number of such
networks is increasing; incidences of prejudice, discrimination and exclusion are
being recognised and are increasingly seen as unacceptable. Issues are being
identified and efforts to address them are beginning.
Level 4 Many elements of society are connected through a web of inclusive networks
through which issues of mutual concern are being addressed. Prejudice and
discrimination are rare.
Level 5 Cross-community dialogue and community action are the norm, with different
elements of society working together for communal benefit. Differences are valued
and respected and all elements of society are included in community activities.
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Level 1 Personal relationships tend to be based on power and can sometimes be abusive,
with one party dominating. Dominant individuals are rarely accountable to others for
their actions. Communication is guarded and individuals are fearful of being open
about their feelings or of appearing vulnerable. Painful or difficult issues are usually
avoided and are not discussed openly. Forgiveness is uncommon and grievances tend
to be nursed.
Level 2 Individuals are becoming aware of, and are beginning to question, power differences
within personal relationships. There is a desire for more open communication and an
increasing recognition that difficult topics need to be discussed and resolved. Such
communication does, however, remain rare.
Level 3 Relationships are increasingly based on respect, with each party being valued.
Communication is becoming deeper with difficult topics being brought into the open
rather than avoided. Individuals share their feelings and concerns with others, gaining
emotional support.
Level 4 The importance of healthy personal relationships is understood and individuals
prioritise time to build and sustain relationships. People have personal networks of
friends who support them, and individuals feel comfortable sharing their concerns
and celebrations with others.
Level 5 A community exists that is made up of people who demonstrate a commitment to
building and sustaining loving, equitable and affirming relationships, and which is
capable of managing conflict constructively to uphold and promote the common
good.
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Living faith
Level 1 The environment is hostile to faith in general or strongly favours one faith and is
hostile to others; open violence or persecution of faith groups is common. Within
Christianity, although people may claim a Christian faith, it remains largely nominal and
it is hard to see a difference in attitudes or actions between them and others of no
faith. Outside organised church services there is little time dedicated to personal
prayer or Bible study. Differences exist within and between churches and are a source
of division. The wider community does not look to the church as a source of material or
spiritual support.
Level 2 While the environment may, on paper at least, be tolerant of different faiths in
practice, it remains a difficult place for minority faiths which face bureaucratic hurdles,
discrimination and occasional violence or oppression. Within Christianity, people are
beginning to reflect on their attitudes and actions as they understand more about their
faith and the need for it to influence the way that they live their lives. There is an
increasing desire to commit time to deepening their faith but people struggle to
translate this desire into action. The wider community does not look to the church as a
source of material or spiritual support.
Level 3 While the environment does not discriminate against faith groups, it doesn’t openly
support or defend the place of faith in public or private life. Within Christianity, people
are growing as Christians and are actively looking for ways to put their Christian faith
into action. Commitment to the church is growing and individuals and congregations
are beginning to reach out to meet the physical and spiritual needs of the community
of which they are part. The wider community increasingly sees the local church as
relevant and positive, although there may be opposition from some.
Level 4 The environment recognises the positive contribution of faith (of any type) in people’s
lives and recognises the rights of people to practise their faith without fear or favour,
defending that right when required. Within Christianity, it is now increasingly common
for Christians from across denominations to work together as salt and light to achieve
positive change in their communities. There is a sense of excitement and dynamism in
the church that is attractive to others, and this leads to growth. The wider community
sees the local church as relevant and positive although some may see it as a threat.
Level 5 The environment recognises the positive contribution of faith (of any type) in both the
private and public sphere and actively includes faith perspectives in its decision-making
processes. Within Christianity, Christians from across denominations continue to work
together as salt and light to achieve positive change, not only in their own communities
but also more widely. They work with other Christians and faith groups to influence
and impact society at the national as well as local levels.
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Level 1 A community where painful issues are hidden and not discussed. Many within the
community feel isolated and alone. People are fearful of those who are different from
themselves and prefer to identify themselves in ways that are exclusive rather than
inclusive.6 Some may feel bitter and resentful towards those who may have wronged
them in the past. People tend to think the future will be much the same or worse.
Level 2 People recognise that they need to reflect on the past and to seek reconciliation but
struggle to do so. There is a greater willingness to share fears and concerns with
others and a growing recognition that the past does not need to define their future
and that the future could be more positive.
Level 3 Individuals are addressing past hurts and have an increasing sense of peace about
themselves; self-esteem is growing. Fears and concerns can be shared among close
friends and family. An individual’s sense of identity is increasingly defined in positive
terms. The past no longer defines their future and there is increasing optimism about
the future.
Level 4 Individuals are addressing past hurts and are at peace with themselves and with each
other; self-esteem is high. Fears and concerns are shared with a supportive network of
friends and family without fear. The future is seen as positive.
Level 5 A supportive community made up of people at peace with the past and with hope for
the future. They are able to share concerns and have the emotional resilience to
withstand and adapt to shocks, stresses and uncertainty.
6
For example, identifying yourself primarily by ethnicity is exclusive as it is something you are born with, whereas
identifying yourself as a market trader is inclusive as it is something that you become.
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Physical health
Level 1 Physical health indicators are poor compared to national and international
benchmarks. Where improvements have taken place, they have had little impact on
the most vulnerable, who struggle to access health resources. There have been few
improvements to health infrastructure. Access to health resources (ie clinics and
clean water etc) remains low. There is limited awareness of good health practices.
Level 2 Some physical health indicators have improved. There is a growing awareness that
some elements of society are not benefiting as much as others and that this needs
to be addressed, but there is little action. Individuals’ knowledge of good health
practices has increased but changes in practice remain rare. Access to health
resources (ie clinics, clean water etc) is improving.
Level 3 There are improvements in many physical health indicators. The needs of the most
vulnerable have been recognised and are being addressed. Local communities are
playing a more active role in these changes. Knowledge of good health practices
has increased and attitudes are changing. Access to health resources (ie clinics,
clean water etc) is common.
Level 4 There are improvements in most physical health indicators. The needs of the most
vulnerable have been recognised and are being addressed effectively. Good health
practices have been adopted by most. Access to health resources (ie clinics, clean
water etc) is the norm for most people.
Level 5 A community with continually improving physical health indicators for all groups,
particularly the most vulnerable, with equal access to resources for physical health.
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Level 1 Individuals make use of the environment to meet their own short-term needs, with
little thought for the needs of others or for the longer term. Inter-dependencies
between different elements of their environment are not considered. Current
practices exploit the environment and are not sustainable.
Level 2 Individuals make use of the environment to meet their own short-term needs but
there is some understanding that their actions will affect others, both now and in the
future. The inter-dependencies between different elements of their environment are
increasingly recognised. This thinking has, as yet, had little impact on practices, which
remain largely unsustainable.
Level 3 Resources are recognised as finite and so are valued. The needs of other people are
considered and efforts are being made to engage with them to agree a more
sustainable and equitable use of resources. Practices are beginning to change. Inter-
dependencies between different elements of the environment are recognised and the
community is beginning to view the environment as a system.
Level 4 People and communities routinely engage with other users to agree a more
sustainable and equitable use of resources. Practices have changed and continue to
evolve. Inter-dependencies between different elements of the environment are
recognised and a view of the environment as a system is the norm.
Level 5 A community where people actively engage with others who access natural resources
both to understand how natural resource systems operate and to ensure their
sustainable use for the common good.
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Level 1 A community that is suffering from material poverty. Physical assets are limited and
are mostly controlled by a dominant few, for their own benefit. Assets that do exist
may not be recognised or may be hard to use due to the context (ie conflict) or
environment (ie climate change). Community members have few reserves, and levels
of vulnerability are high.
Level 2 The community suffers from material poverty; however, individuals are beginning to
recognise the assets that exist within the community. They are also considering how
they might adapt their practices to increase their reserves, therefore reducing
individual vulnerability. With the exception of a few individuals, this thinking has yet
to translate into significant action.
Level 3 Working creatively together, existing material assets and resources have been
recognised and are increasingly being used to improve livelihoods and address levels
of poverty. People are exploring ways to adapt; reserves are increasing and
vulnerability is reducing.
Level 4 The actual assets and resources available to a community are increasing, material
poverty is reducing and assets are being used collectively to improve livelihoods,
establish reserves and reduce vulnerability. Communities have learnt to adapt and
evolve in response to changes. Livelihoods are largely secure.
Level 5 A community where all people can responsibly access and utilise the material
resources they need to sustain their livelihoods; where all can be resilient to shocks
and, ultimately, where all are able to flourish both as individuals and together.
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Capabilities
Level 1 Levels of skills, expertise and knowledge within the community are either low or not
recognised. Levels of dependency are high and change is seen as being dependent on
and driven by outside agencies such as the government or foreign agencies and
businesses. The community feels powerless to overcome the challenges they face.
Level 2 The level of skill, expertise and knowledge within the community remains low but,
with the assistance of others, the community is beginning to recognise their own
capabilities. Community members have recognised their own levels of dependency
and have also realised their own role/responsibility in creating change. While
challenges remain, the community feels that change is possible.
Level 3 The level of skill, expertise and knowledge within the community is increasing as the
community recognises and makes use of the capabilities that they do possess,
creatively finding new ways to apply their expertise. There is a greater confidence
within the community as they increasingly take responsibility for their own
development.
Level 4 The level of skill, expertise and knowledge has risen to the extent that the community
is now driving its own development. People are addressing their own challenges, and
asking for external advice only when necessary. Individuals continue to innovate in
response to change and to develop best practice.
Level 5 A community that recognises and realises its own potential and the potential of
others, sharing its expertise and becoming the ‘teacher’ rather than the ‘pupil’.
Individuals plan creatively, learn and adapt in response to changing needs and
contexts to effect change collaboratively and achieve a shared vision.
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Level 1 Communities have little say or influence over the decisions that affect them, with
decision-making power residing in a select few. Community members find it difficult
to express their opinions or to have their views taken seriously. This is particularly
the case for female members, young members or those from a minority group.
Level 2 Individuals recognise that their views are legitimate, and existing decision-makers
are beginning to expand the range of people that they consult. However, many
within the community – particularly the most marginalised – lack the confidence to
engage with decision-makers and assert their views. Ultimately, only a few people
have the authority to make decisions.
Level 3 Decision-makers increasingly seek out and respect the views of different elements
of society, including the most vulnerable and those who have been traditionally
excluded. All individuals (including the marginalised) are increasingly confident in
expressing and asserting their views. Although it remains rare for the community to
set priorities, they do have increasing influence over the way decisions are
implemented.
Level 4 Decision-makers routinely seek out and respect the views of all elements of society
including the most vulnerable and those traditionally excluded. Community
members are confident in expressing their views and are involved in identifying
priorities, influencing decisions and influencing the way decisions are implemented.
Level 5 A community in which the views of all groups can be represented and considered in
a way which means that their views influence decision-making about their future.
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ANNEX C: CONTEXT DEFINITIONS
Institutions
Institutions refers to the various organisations, institutes and societies through which society is
ordered and administered and the rules (formal and informal) by which they operate. National and
local government departments and offices will be one key set of institutions. Religious organisations,
trade unions or business groups may also be significant. There is likely to be some overlap here with
the Political element.
Legal framework
This element focuses on the legal context. It looks at the body of laws and regulations that impact on
a community. It looks not only at what laws and policies may exist that help or hinder change but
also at how effectively they are being implemented or applied, and so includes the judicial system,
courts, police and penal system. Think widely and don’t limit yourself to the formal statutes that may
exist; consider also the more informal ‘rules’ that may constrain or enable activity. There may well
be some overlap here with Institutions.
Physical environment
The Physical environment takes into account the terrain and climatic conditions that affect the
community. The availability of transport links such as roads and railways are an important part of the
physical environment. The fertility of the earth, the range of crops that can be grown and seasonal
extremes such as flooding or drought are also part of this category. The likelihood of earthquakes or
similar crises and the availability of natural resources should also be considered.
Technological
Technological focuses on the access that the community has to technology and in particular
communications technology and services such as mobile phone networks, computers and the
internet. It also includes access to technology that can reduce emissions that harm the environment
and technology that can make more effective use of natural resources or enhance productivity and
increase livelihoods.
Political
Political examines the way in which power is exercised and managed at the national and local levels.
It considers how decisions are made and who makes and implements them, so looks at topics such
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as representation and accountability. It asks whose voice is heard and whose voice is listened to.
There could well be overlaps here with Institutions and with Legal framework.
Security
Security considers the safety of the community. It looks at levels of crime or violence that impact on
the community. Violence may be obvious or it may be hidden and more subtle: both are important.
Threats may be actual or perceived. It is important to recognise that perceptions of violence are just
as significant as actual incidences of it in terms of their impact on how people behave.
Economic
Economic considers the impact that the economy has on the community. It takes into account issues
such as the level of trade, the strength of the business community, of markets, the banking
infrastructure and the availability of capital. Options for employment might also be considered here
although they might also influence the Social and religious category.
Social and religious

Social and religious looks at the make-up of society and so explores issues such as age distribution
and life expectancy, gender issues, the availability of employment and distribution of wealth, family
size and structure, religion and beliefs, tribal or ethnic groupings, traditional leadership models and
cultural norms.
Services
Services considers the availability of essential services such as clean water, education, health and
electricity. Aspects of these that influence the ability of individuals or of a community to change and
flourish should be identified.
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ANNEX D: THE LIGHT WHEEL INDICATORS
Social connections
Key indicators
The percentage of people, disaggregated by gender and age group,

Exclusion who think that over the last year their life has been disadvantaged by
being excluded

Violence
who have suffered from violence over the last 12 months

Collaboration who within the last three months have worked together with others in
the community as part of a shared endeavour
Additional indicators
Group membership The average number of community groups that people (disaggregated
by gender and age group) within a community are members of

Prejudice who believe they have been prejudiced against in the previous three
months

Discrimination (ethnic) who agree that access to services varies with their ethnic, racial or
cultural background

Discrimination (gender)
who agree that access to services varies with gender

Insult (faith or group) who have been insulted in the last seven days due to their faith, race or
ethnic group
Insult (gender) The percentage of people, disaggregated by gender and age group,
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who have been insulted in the last seven days due to their gender

Legal protection
who feel protected by the law enforcement and legal system
Key indicators

Feel valued
who feel valued by their spouse or (if single) parents/carer

Handling disagreement who feel that disagreements in the household are resolved
satisfactorily

Talking to spouse who have spent time in the last seven days talking to their spouse,
partner or parent about things that are important to the individual

Trust who state that they trust their spouse, partner or parent/carer
(disaggregate by type)

who feel that in some circumstances it may be appropriate for a man
to hit or beat his spouse or partner for any of the following reasons:
▪ Arguing with him

Attitudes to domestic
violence ▪ Refusing to have sex
▪ Burning the food
▪ Going out without telling him
▪ Neglecting the children
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▪ Spending money without permission

Experience of domestic
who have experienced violence or the threat of violence from a
violence
member of the household in the last year

Impact in the community who feel that the way adults in the community behave makes them
good role models for the next generation
Living faith
Key indicators
The percentage of people, disaggregated by faith, gender and age

group, who have undertaken a religious practice such as individual
Personal practice
prayer, reading a spiritual book, singing or listening to religious songs in
the last seven days, apart from regular or formal religious services

group, who have helped someone in the community (excluding
Service
members of their own household) in the last seven days without
expecting a reward

Place in the community group, who believe that the local Christian churches exert a positive
influence in the community
The percentage of people who profess a faith, disaggregated by faith,

Religious faith
gender and age group
The percentage of people who profess a faith, disaggregated by faith,

Attendance gender and age group, who have attended a communal religious
service, meeting or group within the last seven days
The percentage of those people, disaggregated by faith, gender and

Faith (importance)
age group, who state that their faith is important to them
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Fruits of the Spirit (peace)
group, who experience a sense of inner peace

Giving group, who have donated time, money or other resources to their
place of worship in the last seven days
The percentage of those who profess a Christian faith, disaggregated

Church unity (within the
by gender and age group, who believe that their church congregation
congregation)
works constructively together as one family

Unity between churches group, who believe that different Christian churches or denominations
in their local community work constructively together
Key indicators

Ability to share who feel able to share their concerns and worries with their family or
others

Loneliness
who regularly feel lonely

The future
who feel that the future will be better than the present

The past who feel that events in their past continue to have a negative effect on
their present

Sense of accomplishment
who feel a sense of accomplishment from what they do
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Ability to state views
who feel able to express their ideas and opinions in their household

Forgiveness of others
who struggle to forgive others for events in their past

Forgiveness of self who blame themselves for bad things that may have happened to them
in the past
Physical health
Key indicators
The number of children per household who have died within the last
Child mortality
three years before reaching five years of age
Food consumption score. (The FCS is based on the number of times in a

Adequacy of diet
week that each food group is eaten and combines dietary diversity,
(malnutrition)
food frequency and relative nutritional importance.)
The percentage of households using improved sanitation facilities. The

improved sanitation facilities include flush/pour flush (to piped sewer
Sanitation
system, septic tank, pit latrine), ventilated improved pit (VIP) latrine,
pit latrine with slab, and composting toilet
The percentage of households who draw drinking water from a

Water source (quality) protected source (a source that has been improved to the extent that it
provides ‘safe’ [potable] water)
The number of infants per household who have died within the last
Infant mortality
three years before reaching their first birthday
The number of women per household who died within the last three
Maternal mortality
years during pregnancy and childbirth
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The number of people per household who have suffered from
Sickness
diarrhoea in the last month
The number of women per household who have been pregnant within
Antenatal care the last three years and who were attended at least once during
pregnancy by skilled health personnel for reasons related to pregnancy
The average time (in minutes) per household that it takes to get to a
Access to health care
primary health care facility (such as a clinic) using whatever form of
facilities (nurse)
transport they would use for such a journey
Health care coverage The size of the population catered for by the nearest primary health
(primary) care facility
The percentage of households that go without other household

Cost of health care essentials so that they can afford medical care (including paying for
medicines)
The percentage of households who can collect water from a protected

Water source (time)
source within 30 minutes
Key indicators
Cooking fuel The percentage of households that cook on wood, charcoal or dung
The percentage of households that have, within the last year,

Water management
completed activities to make more effective use of water
The percentage of households that have, within the last year,

Soil erosion
completed activities to reduce soil erosion
Knowledge of climate The percentage of people, disaggregated by gender and age group,
change who are aware of the key risks from climate change
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The number of communities that have community-level disaster
Disaster preparedness plans
preparedness plans and contingency plans
Incidences of resource The percentage of households that report tension within the
conflict (within community over access to natural resources (such as water, land,
communities) pasture, woods and forests)
Incidences of resource The percentage of households that report tension between

conflict (between communities over access to natural resources (such as water, land,
communities) pasture, woods and forests)
The percentage of households that believe they have access to

Resource availability (now) sufficient natural resources (such as water, land, pasture, woods and
forests) to meet their current needs
The percentage of households that believe their children will have

Resource availability
access to sufficient natural resources (such as water, land, pasture,
(future)
woods and forests) to meet their future needs
The percentage of households that believe that access to natural

Resource management resources (such as water, land, pasture, woods and forests) is managed
fairly
Key indicators
The percentage of household that own at least one of the following

Assets owned assets – radio, TV, telephone, bike, motorbike or fridge – and do not
own a car or tractor
The percentage of households whose houses have floors made of dirt,

Shelter (floor)
sand or dung
The percentage of households whose houses have roofs made of

Shelter (roof)
corrugated iron, concrete or tiles
Savings The percentage of households that were able to save some money in
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the last week
The percentage of households that have gone without one of the

Unaffordable expenses following due to lack of funds over the last 12 months: food, medicine,
education
The percentage of households using improved sanitation facilities. The

improved sanitation facilities include flush/pour flush (to piped sewer
Sanitation
system, septic tank, pit latrine), ventilated improved pit (VIP) latrine,
pit latrine with slab, and composting toilet.
The percentage of households who draw drinking water from a

Water source (quality) protected source (a source that has been improved to the extent that
it provides ‘safe’ [potable] water)
The percentage of households that own at least one of the following

Livestock owned
assets: cattle, goats, sheep, pigs or poultry
The percentage of households that have proof of ownership, tenancy

or access of their own:
Land ownership
● home
● land
● pasture
Electricity The percentage of households that have electricity in their home
The percentage of households in which at least one member owns a

Mobile phone usage
mobile phone
Multi Poverty Index (MPI) The average MPI score across the community
Capabilities
Key indicators
Primary attendance The percentage of children per household aged between six and 13
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who currently attend primary school
The ratio of girls to boys per household aged between six and 13 who
Girls’ education (primary)
currently attend primary school
The proportion of people aged over 18 in a household who are

‘functionally literate’ (defined as being able to: sign their name,
perform simple calculations, use a mobile phone, help their children
with homework and complete an official document or form)
Secondary/tertiary The percentage of children per household aged between 14 and 21

attendance who are currently in education
The ratio of girls to boys per household aged between 14 and 21 who
Girls’ education (secondary)
are currently in education
The average number of years of education completed per person per

Years of education
household for those aged 18 and upwards
The percentage of people aged over 14 in a household who have

Vocational skills (general) gained skill or expertise in the last year that has enabled them to get or
increase their income
The percentage of people aged over 14 in a household who are in paid

Vocational skills (paid)
employment (disaggregated by full-time/part-time)
Key indicators
The percentage of respondents, disaggregated by gender and age

Ability to change group, who believe that they are able to change things in their
community for the better if they want to
Influence The percentage of community leaders who rank community members

(disaggregated by gender and age group) as one of the top three
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(community) influences on their decision-making
The number of communities that can give examples of positive changes

Achieving change in their community in terms of resource allocation, service provision or
policy changes as a result of their intervention

Representation who feel that government decision-making bodies represent fairly the
views of people like them

Individual autonomy
group, who feel that they have control over most or all personal
(personal activities)
decisions that affect their own everyday activities
Voice The percentage of respondents, disaggregated by gender and age

group, who believe their views are taken into account by community
(community) leaders
Voice The percentage of respondents, disaggregated by gender and age

group, who believe their views are taken into account by local
(local authority) government leaders and officials
Influence The percentage of local government leaders and officials who rank
community leaders as one of the top three influences on their decision-
(local authority) making

Political participation group, who voted in the last local or regional election and whose vote
was based on their own opinion

Access to information group, who have access to information from the local government such
as local government budgets and district plans
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ANNEX E: THE LIGHT WHEEL HOUSEHOLD
SURVEY
Survey details
Complete these questions before approaching the householder
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4. Which town or village is this in?*
1. GPS coordinates
o Option 1
o Option 2
o Option 3
2. Which country is this in?* o Option 4
o Option 1
o Option 5
o Option 2 5. What is the date?

o Option 3
o Option 4
o Option 5 6. What is the name of the enumerator?
3. Which district or province is this in?*
o Option 1
o Option 2
o Option 3
*Amend text and options to reflect the context
o Option 4
as required
o Option 5
Respondents
Introduce yourself and explain what the survey is being used for. State that respondents have the
option not to answer questions if they prefer, or to withdraw from the survey at any stage.
Say that you will begin with a few questions about the respondent.
Ask the householder the following questions: o Living with a partner

7. What is your name? o Separated, widowed or divorced
o Other
10. Which age group do you fall into?
8. What is your gender?
o Over 60
o Male o 30 to 60
o Female o 18 to 29
9. What is your marital status? o 11 to 17
o Single o Under 11
o Married

11. Select ‘yes’ if you wish to ask questions about the Material assets and resources domain, ‘no’ if
you wish to skip this domain.
o Yes
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o No
Say that you will now ask some questions about the material assets and resources that the
household has.
12. Does anyone in the household own either o Other (Please specify)
a car or a tractor?
17. Please specify
o Yes
o No
o Don't know
13. Does anyone in the household own any of 18. What is the floor of your home made
the following items? (Tick all that apply) from?
 Radio o Tiles
 TV o Concrete or cement
 Telephone (landline or cell phone)

o Stone
o Wood
 Bicycle
o Earth, mud, sand or clay
 Motorbike or moped o Plant materials such as straw,
 Fridge leaves or reeds
14. Does anyone in the household own any of o Other (Please specify)
the following livestock? 19. Please specify
 Cattle
 Goats
 Sheep
20. Do you own the house that you live in?
 Pigs
o Yes
 Poultry o No
 No livestock owned o Don't know
 Other (please specify) 21. Do you have any proof of ownership or
15. Please specify tenancy of the house that you live in?
o Yes
o No
o Don't know
16. What is the roof of your home made
from? 22. Do you own the land on which your house
is built?
o Corrugated Iron
o Concrete o Yes
o Tiles o No
o Wood o Don't know
o Earth, mud, sand or clay 23. Do you have any proof of ownership or
o Plant materials such as straw, tenancy of the land that your house is
leaves or reeds built on?
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o Yes o Yes
o No o No
o Don't know o Don't know
24. If you have other land that you use for 27. Has anyone in this household had to do
your livelihood, do you own this land? without one of the following over the last
4 weeks due to lack of income: food,
o I don't use other land medicine or education? (Tick all that
o Yes apply)
o No  Yes – without food
o Don’t know
 Yes – without medicine
25. Do you have proof of ownership or
tenancy of this other land that you use?  Yes – without education
 No – none of the above
o I have no other land
o Yes 28. Has anyone in this household kept any
money as savings during the last 7 days?
o No
o Don't know o Yes
26. Does the house that you live in have o No
electricity? o Don't know
Capabilities
29. Select ‘yes’ if you wish to ask questions about the Capabilities domain, ‘no’ if you wish to skip
this domain.
o Yes
o No
Say that you will now ask some questions about the levels of education and skills that people in the
household have. Remind them that they do not have to answer a question if they would rather not.
Primary boys
30. Are there any boys in the household aged Secondary boys
between 6 and 13?
33. Are there any boys in the household aged
o Yes between 14 and 21?
o No
o Yes
o Don't know
o No
o Prefer not to answer
o Don't know
31. How many boys are there between 6 and o Prefer not to answer
13?
34. How many boys are there aged between
14 and 21?
32. How many of these boys go to school?
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35. How many of these boys go to school or Secondary girls
college?
39. Are there any girls in the household aged
between 14 and 21?
o Yes
Primary girls o No
36. Are there any girls in the household aged o Don't know
between 6 and 13? o Prefer not to answer
o Yes 40. How many girls are there aged between
o No 14 and 21?
o Don't know
41. How many of these girls go to school?
37. How many girls are there between 6 and
13?
Adults
38. How many of these girls go to school?
42. How many people are there in the
household who are over 18 years old?

Repeat these questions for each adult
43. What is the
name of this
person?
44. What gender o M o M o M o M

is this person? o F o F o F o F
45. How many o No education o No education o No education o No education

years of o 1 to 3 years o 1 to 3 years o 1 to 3 years o 1 to 3 years
education did o 4 to 6 years o 4 to 6 years o 4 to 6 years o 4 to 6 years
this person o 7 to 9 years o 7 to 9 years o 7 to 9 years o 7 to 9 years
complete?
o 10 to 12 years o 10 to 12 years o 10 to 12 years o 10 to 12 years
o > 12 years o > 12 years o > 12 years o > 12 years
46. Are they able o Yes o Yes o Yes o Yes
to sign their o No o No o No o No
name? o Prefer not to o Prefer not to o Prefer not to o Prefer not to
answer or answer or answer or answer or
demonstrate demonstrate demonstrate demonstrate
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to count out o No o No o No o No
the right o Prefer not to o Prefer not to o Prefer not to o Prefer not to
change when answer or answer or answer or answer or
shopping? demonstrate demonstrate demonstrate demonstrate
48. If they had a o Yes o Yes o Yes o Yes

mobile phone o No o No o No o No
would they be o Prefer not to o Prefer not to o Prefer not to o Prefer not to
able to send a answer or answer or answer or answer or
text message? demonstrate demonstrate demonstrate demonstrate

to help o No o No o No o No
younger o Prefer not to o Prefer not to o Prefer not to o Prefer not to
people in the answer or answer or answer or answer or
household demonstrate demonstrate demonstrate demonstrate
with their
homework?

to fill in a form o No o No o No o No
without help? o Prefer not to o Prefer not to o Prefer not to o Prefer not to
answer or answer or answer or answer or
demonstrate demonstrate demonstrate demonstrate
51. Are they in o Yes o Yes o Yes o Yes
full-time paid o No o No o No o No
work? o Don’t know o Don’t know o Don’t know o Don’t know
52. Are they in o Yes o Yes o Yes o Yes

part-time paid o No o No o No o No
work? o Don’t know o Don’t know o Don’t know o Don’t know
Table 1
I am now going to make some statements. I o Prefer not to answer

will then ask you to say to what extent you
agree or disagree with these statements: 54. Over the course of the last year I have
learnt a new skill that has helped me to
53. Over the course of the last year, I have increase the household income
learnt a new skill that has improved the
quality of life for my family o Strongly agree
o Strongly agree
o Agree
o Agree
o Neither agree nor disagree

o Disagree
o Disagree
o Strongly disagree
o Strongly disagree
104 | P a g e
55. Select ‘yes’ if you wish to ask questions about the Environment domain, ‘no’ if you wish to skip
this domain.
o Yes
o No
Say that you are now going to ask them some questions about the climate and the environment that
they live in. Remind them that they do not have to answer a question if they would rather not.
56. What do you think are the biggest threats o Coal

to you from climate change? Tick all that
apply
o Electricity
o Other
 Drought
61. Please specify
 Floods
 Storms
 Conflict 62. If using wood, charcoal or dung, do you
use a fuel-efficient stove?
 Hunger
 Loss of livelihood o Yes
 Migration
o No
o Don't know
 Other
63. Over the course of the last year have you
57. Please specify done anything to reduce soil erosion on
the land that you use?
o Yes
58. Does your community have a contingency
plan for a disaster such as floods or
o No
landslides? o Don't know
64. Please state what you have done
o Yes
o No
o Don't know
65. Over the course of the last year, have you
59. If yes, have you practised it in the last 6 done anything to make more effective use
months? of water?
o Yes o Yes
o No o No
o Don't know o Don't know
60. What is the main fuel that you use to cook 66. Please state what you have done
with?
o Wood, charcoal or dung

o Paraffin or kerosene
o Gas
105 | P a g e
To what extent do you agree or disagree with o Strongly agree
the following statements:
o Agree
67. I have access to sufficient natural o Neither agree nor disagree
resources such as water, land, pasture, o Disagree
woods or forests to meet the current
needs of my household o Strongly disagree
70. Sometimes there is tension between our
o Strongly agree community and other communities over
o Agree access to natural resources such as water,
o Neither agree nor disagree land, pasture, woods or forests
o Disagree
o Strongly agree
o Strongly disagree
o Agree
68. I believe that my children will have access o Neither agree nor disagree
to sufficient natural resources such as o Disagree
water, land, pasture, woods or forests to
meet their needs when they grow up o Strongly disagree
71. I believe that access to natural resources
o Strongly agree such as water, land, pasture, woods or
o Agree forests is managed fairly
o Disagree
o Strongly agree
o Strongly disagree
o Agree
69. Sometimes there is tension within the o Disagree
community over access to natural
resources such as water, land, pasture, o Strongly disagree
woods or forests
Living faith
72. Select ‘yes’ if you wish to ask questions about the Living faith domain, ‘no’ if you wish to skip this
domain.
o Yes
o No
Say that you are now going to ask some questions about the place that faith has in their life and in
the life of the community. Remind them that they do not have to answer a question if they would
prefer not to.
o Not at all important
73. How important is religion as a part of your 74. Do you practise a religion?
daily life?
o Yes
o Very important
o No
o Important
o Neither important nor
unimportant 75. Which religion do you practise?
o Not important o Buddhist
106 | P a g e
o Christian 80. In the last four weeks I have given money
or other assets and resources (such as
o Hindu
time, skills or produce) to benefit others
o Jewish who are in need
o Muslim
o Indigenous faiths (animist etc) o Strongly agree
o Prefer not to answer o Agree
o Other o Neither agree nor disagree
o Disagree
76. Have you attended a place of religious
worship in the last seven days?
o Strongly disagree
o Yes
o No 81. In the last seven days I have helped
o Don't know someone, who was not a member of my
o Prefer not to answer family or household
77. Have you exercised a spiritual discipline in o Strongly agree
the last seven days such as praying, o Agree
meditating, singing religious songs or
reading a spiritual book?
o Disagree
o Yes, daily o Strongly disagree
o Yes, a few times o Prefer not to answer
o Yes, once
82. Within the church that I attend, people
o No tend to be: ‘one in spirit and of one
o Prefer not to answer mind… not looking to [their] own interests
To what extent do you agree or disagree with but to the interests of others’ (Philippians
the following statements: 2:2,4)
78. I experience a sense of peace on a regular o Strongly agree

basis even if I have a bad day o Agree
o Strongly agree o Neither agree nor disagree
o Agree o Disagree
o Neither agree nor disagree o Strongly disagree
o Disagree o Prefer not to answer
o Strongly disagree 83. Different Christian churches within my
o Prefer not to answer community act with love towards each
other
79. I do not often get angry if things go wrong
or if people irritate me o Strongly agree
o Strongly agree
o Agree
o Agree

o Disagree
o Disagree
o Strongly disagree
o Strongly disagree
107 | P a g e
84. The different faith groups in this o Disagree
community improve the life of the
community
o Strongly disagree
o Strongly agree
86. The different faith groups in this
o Agree community work together
o Neither Agree nor Disagree
o Disagree
o Strongly agree
o Strongly Disagree
o Agree
o Prefer Not To Answer

o Disagree
85. Christian churches in this community
improve the life of the community
o Strongly disagree
o Strongly agree
o Agree

87. Select ‘yes’ if you wish to ask questions about the Emotional and mental well-being domain, ‘no’
if you wish to skip this domain.
o Yes
o No
Say that you are now going to ask some questions on how they feel within themselves and on how
they feel about the past and the future. Explain that some of these questions may raise issues from
their past that they may not wish to talk about; remind them that they do not have to answer a
question if they would prefer not to.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with o Strongly disagree
the following statements: o Prefer not to answer
88. My life has clear purpose and meaning 90. If something is worrying me, I have friends
who I can talk to about it
o Strongly agree
o Agree
o Strongly agree

o Agree
o Disagree
o Strongly Disagree
o Disagree
o Prefer Not To Answer

o Strongly disagree
89. Most of the time I feel a sense of
achievement from what I do 91. I feel free to express ideas or opinions in
my own home
o Strongly agree
o Agree
o Strongly agree

o Agree
o Disagree
108 | P a g e
o Disagree o Strongly disagree
o Strongly disagree o Prefer not to answer
o Prefer not to answer 94. In the past people have done horrible
92. I feel that my future will be better than things to me or to my family
my life is now
o Strongly agree
o Strongly agree o Agree
o Agree o Neither agree nor disagree
o Neither agree nor disagree o Disagree
o Prefer not to answer 95. I cannot forgive people who have hurt me
93. I often experience bad dreams or negative or my family
thoughts about things that have
happened to me or to my family in the
o Strongly agree
past o Agree
o Strongly agree
o Disagree
o Agree
o Strongly disagree
o Disagree
Social connections
96. Select ‘yes’ if you wish to ask questions about the Social connections domain, ‘no’ if you wish to
skip this domain.
o Yes
o No
Say that you are now going to ask them some questions about the community that they live in.
Explain that they do not have to answer a question if would prefer not to.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with 98. The community that I live in treats
the following statements: everybody fairly
97. The community that I live in works o Strongly agree
together to help each other o Agree
o Agree o Disagree
o Strongly disagree 99. In the last seven days I have taken part in
a community group. (This could be
109 | P a g e
something like a mothers’ group, a Education opportunities
business group, a sports team or some
other form of regular social gathering) 103. In my community the gender of an
individual affects their chances of
o Strongly agree remaining in school
o Agree
o Strongly agree
o Disagree
o Agree
o Strongly disagree

o Disagree
o Strongly disagree
Employment chances o Prefer not to answer
104. In my community the faith of an
100. In my community the gender of an
individual affects their chances of
individual affects their chances of getting
remaining in school
a job
o Strongly agree
o Strongly agree
o Agree
o Agree

o Disagree
o Disagree
o Strongly disagree
o Strongly disagree

105. In my community the race, tribe,
101. In my community the faith of an
ethnicity or caste of an individual affects
individual affects their chances of getting
their chances of remaining in school
a job
o Strongly agree
o Strongly agree
o Agree
o Agree

o Disagree
o Disagree
o Strongly disagree
o Strongly disagree

102. In my community the race, tribe, Leadership and decision-Making

ethnicity or caste of an individual affects
their chances of getting a job 106. In my community the gender of an
individual affects their chances of being
o Strongly agree part of the leadership of the community
o Agree
o Strongly agree
o Disagree
o Agree
o Strongly disagree

o Disagree
o Strongly disagree
110 | P a g e
107. In my community the faith of an 108. In my community the race, tribe,
individual affects their chances of being ethnicity or caste of an individual affects
part of the leadership of the community their chances of being part of the
leadership of the community
o Strongly agree
o Agree o Strongly agree
o Neither agree nor disagree o Agree
o Disagree o Neither agree nor disagree
o Strongly disagree o Disagree
o Prefer not to answer o Strongly disagree

109. Select ‘yes’ if you wish to ask questions about the Participation and influence domain, ‘no’ if
you wish to skip this domain.
o Yes
o No
Say that you will now ask some questions about the amount of influence that they feel they have
over the decisions that affect them. Explain that they do not have to answer a question if they would
prefer not to.
110. How much control do you feel that o Jointly with somebody else in the
you have in making personal decisions household
that affect your everyday activities? o Prefer not to answer
o Control over all decisions

o Other
o Control over most decisions

o Control over some decisions
o Control over very few decisions 112. Decisions over minor health issues
o No control over decisions o Respondent
o Spouse or partner
Decision-making o Respondent and spouse or
Who is that normally takes the decision over partner jointly
the following issues? o Somebody else in the household
o Jointly with somebody else in the
111. Decisions over minor household household
expenditure
o Respondent o Other
o Spouse or partner
o Respondent and spouse or
partner jointly
113. Decisions over education
o Somebody else in the household
o Respondent
111 | P a g e
o Spouse or partner o Option jointly with somebody else
o Respondent and spouse or in the household
partner jointly o Prefer not to answer
o Somebody else in the household o Other
o Option jointly with somebody else
in the household
o Prefer not to answer 117. Would you like to change anything
o Other about your life?
o Yes
o No
114. Decisions over daily tasks
o Don't know
o Respondent 118. If yes, what are the top three things
o Spouse or partner you would like to change?
partner jointly
in the household
o Other
119. Who do you think has the ability to
create these changes in your life? (Tick all
that apply)
115. Decisions over personal safety and  Myself
protection from violence
 My family
o Respondent
 Our group
o Spouse or partner
o Respondent and spouse or  My tribe, clan or ethnic group
partner jointly  My religious group
o Somebody else in the household  My village or community together
 The government
in the household
o Prefer not to answer  Other
o Other 120. Do you believe that people like
yourself can change things in your
community if you want to?
116. Decisions over how you practise your o Yes, very easily
faith o Yes
o Respondent o Yes, but with difficulty
o Spouse or partner o No
partner jointly
112 | P a g e
Community leaders and decision- o Step 3
makers o Step 4
o Step 5
[Note to enumerators: It is useful for these
o Step 6
next questions to have a picture of a ladder
o Step 7
with ten rungs on it. Get the respondent to
point to the rung they think they are on]
o Step 8
o Step 9
121. Imagine a ten-step ladder. On the o Step 10
bottom, first step stand people whose
views are completely ignored by 123. Were you eligible to vote in the last
community leaders and decision-makers. local, regional or national election?
On the highest step, the tenth step, stand o Yes
those to whom community leaders pay
the most attention and who have the o No
greatest influence over their decisions. On o Don't know
which step do you think you stand? o Prefer not to answer
o Step 1 124. If yes, did you vote?
o Step 2 o Yes
o Step 3 o No
o Step 4 o Don't know
o Step 5 o Prefer not to answer
o Step 6
125. Can you give an example of
o Step 7 something in your community that has
o Step 8 changed for the better as the direct result
o Step 9 of the community raising an issue with
o Step 10 the local officials?
126. If yes, what is the example?
Government leaders and decision-
makers [Note to enumerator: For the next question
you may need to refer to different level
122. Imagine a ten-step ladder. On the
budgets or plans depending on the way that
bottom, first step stand people whose
local government is organised. Use a phrase
views are completely ignored by
that would be meaningful to the community]
government leaders and decision-makers.
On the highest step, the tenth step, stand 127. In the last 6 months, have you either
those to whom community leaders pay seen or heard details of the district or
the most attention and who have the community budget or the district or
greatest influence over their decisions. On community spending plans?
which step do you think you stand?
o Yes
o Step 1 o No
o Step 2
113 | P a g e
Physical health
128. Select ‘yes’ if you wish to ask questions about the Physical health domain, ‘no’ if you wish to
skip this domain.
o Yes
o No
Say that you will now ask some questions about the health of their family and about the availability
of health services. Explain that they do not have to answer a question if they would prefer not to
Nutrition 136. Sugar, sugar products or honey (enter

a number between 0 and 7)
How many days during the last seven days did
you yourself eat the following types of food?
137. Condiments such as tea or coffee,
129. Bread, Rice, Noodles or any other
spices and small amounts of milk for tea
food made from millet, sorghum, maize,
or coffee (enter a number between 0 and
rice or wheat, potatoes, yams, manioc,
7)
cassava or any other food made from
roots or tubers (enter a number between
0 and 7)
130. Vegetables or leaves (enter a number Sanitation

between 0 and 7) 138. Does your house have a latrine?
o Yes
131. Fruit (enter a number between 0 and o No
7) o Don't know
132. Meat, eggs, fish or shellfish (enter a 139. If yes, what type of latrine is it?
number between 0 and 7) o Dry pit
o Pit with slab
133. Food made from beans, peas, lentils

o Ventilated Improved Pit
or nuts (enter a number between 0 and 7) o Pour or flush to a septic tank
o Pour or flush to a sewer
o Composting
134. Cheese, yoghurt, milk or other milk o Other (Please specify)
products (enter a number between 0 and
7)
140. If no, what do you do?
135. Foods made with oil, fat or butter

o Use another household's latrine
(enter a number between 0 and 7) o Use a communal latrine
o Go out in the open
114 | P a g e
o Other (Please specify) o Between 30 minutes and 59
minutes
o Between 1 and 2 hours
Water o More than 2 hours
141. Where do you usually draw the

o Don't know
drinking water for your household from? 145. If you are sick and go to the clinic or
medical centre, how long would you
o Protected well or borehole normally have to wait before seeing a
o Protected spring medically trained member of staff such as
o Protected piped system or tap a nurse?
o Unprotected well or spring o Less than 2 hours
o River, stream, lake or pond o Between 2 hours and half a day
o Rainwater o Between half a day and one day
o Don't know o More than one day
o Prefer not to answer o Don't know
o Other
146. When someone in your household
was last ill and needed medical care, did
142. How long does it normally take to get you have to pay for the medical care or
to your usual water source (one-way the medicine?
trip)?
o Yes
o Less than 30 minutes o No
o Between 30 minutes and 59 o Don't know
minutes
147. If yes, did you have to reduce your
o Between 1 and 2 hours spending on something else in order to
o More than 2 hours pay for the medical care?
o Don't know
o Yes
143. Once at the water point, how long do o No
you normally have to wait before you can
draw water?
o Don't know
o Less than 30 minutes
148. If yes, what did you spend less on?
o Between 30 and 59 minutes
o Between 1 and 2 hours o Food
o More than 2 hours o Education
o Don't know o Savings
o Other (Please specify)
Medical services
144. If someone in your household was
sick and needed to get to a clinic or
Morbidity and mortality
medical centre, how long would it take Say: ‘Some of these next questions raise
you to get them to the clinic or medical issues that may be upsetting. If you would
centre? rather not answer a question just say so and
we will move on.
o Less than 30 minutes
115 | P a g e
149. How many people in your household questions. Use your judgement about the
have suffered from diarrhoea in the last relationship that you have built up with the
month? respondent. If you think the subject matter
may be too challenging for the respondent,
then you may skip this group of questions.
150. Have any women in your household 153. Have any women in your household
become pregnant in the last three years? died in the last three years due to
childbirth or to problems with their
o Yes
pregnancy?
o No
o Don't know o Yes
151. If yes, how many women have o No
become pregnant? o Prefer not to answer
o Don't know
154. If so, how many have died?
Antenatal care
152. If yes, did they see a health worker 155. Have any children under 5 years old in
trained in pregnancy, labour and the care your household died within the last three
of newborns at least once during their years?
pregnancy? (Repeat for each woman who
was pregnant) o Yes
o No
o Yes
o No
o Don't know
o Don't know
156. If so, how many children have died?
Deaths
Note to enumerators: These next questions 157. Of these how many were under 1 year
ask about whether any mothers, children or old?
babies in the household have died. This is a
very sensitive and possibly upsetting set of
158. Select ‘yes’ if you wish to ask questions about the Personal relationships domain, ‘no’ if you
wish to skip this domain.
o Yes
o No
Note to enumerator: These questions should be asked by a person of the same gender as the
respondent. If part of a mixed-gender team, then the person of the opposite gender should step
away for these questions so that it is just people of the same gender talking.
116 | P a g e
Say that this last set of questions asks about life within their family. Tell them that some questions
ask about the relationship between a husband and wife and may be sensitive or embarrassing.
Explain that they do not have to answer a question if they would prefer not to.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with o Neither agree nor disagree
the following statements:
o Disagree
159. I feel safe when I am with my family o Strongly disagree
o Strongly agree o Prefer not to answer
o Agree 164. In the last seven days I have spent
o Neither agree nor disagree time talking with a close friend about
something that is important to me
o Disagree
o Strongly disagree o Strongly agree
o Prefer not to answer o Agree
160. My spouse or partner values me o Neither agree nor disagree
o Disagree
o Strongly agree
o Strongly disagree
o Agree
165. Adults in this community are a good
o Disagree
role model for the younger people in the
o Strongly disagree community
o Strongly agree
161. My family values me
o Agree
o Agree o Disagree
o Strongly disagree 166. When there are disagreements in the
o Prefer not to answer household we resolve them in a way that I
162. In the last seven days I have spent feel is fair
time talking with my spouse or partner o Strongly agree
about something that is important to me
o Agree
o Agree o Disagree
o Strongly disagree 167. If a woman disobeys her husband it is
o Prefer not to answer right for him to chastise her
163. In the last seven days I have spent o Strongly agree
time talking with members of my family
about something that is important to me
o Agree
o Strongly agree o Disagree
o Agree
117 | P a g e
o Prefer not to answer 170. Somebody in the community that I
168. If a woman burns the food or fails to know has been hit by their husband or
complete the household chores, it is right carer in the last seven days
for her husband to chastise her
o Strongly agree
o Strongly agree o Agree
o Agree o Neither agree nor disagree
o Neither agree nor disagree o Disagree
o Prefer not to answer 171. There are times when a husband may
169. If a woman refuses to have sex with be justified in hitting his wife
her husband, it is right for him to force
her to
o Strongly agree
o Agree
o Agree o Disagree
o Strongly disagree
Thank the respondent for their time, explain how the analysed data will be shared with them and
ask if they have any questions for you or any further information that they feel is important. Add any
additional comments in the box below.
Additional comments
ANNEX F: Biblical reflections for each LIGHT

Wheel spoke
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Living faith
Key verses: Galatians 2:15–17; Ephesians 2:8; James 2:14–26; John 14:9–14
The Bible reminds us that we are saved by faith and not by our activities or work (Galatians
2:15–17; Ephesians 2:8). It also reminds us that faith that is alive is expressed in the way we
live our lives (James 2:14–26; John 14:9–14). Jesus points out to his disciples that it is the
way he has lived and the things that he has done that show the world that he is the Son of
God and make it possible for people to believe in him. In the same way, our faith in God is
seen in the way we live and love other people as God loves us. This is how we bear witness
(Acts 1:8) to Jesus Christ and show the world what the kingdom of God will look like.
Key verses: Genesis 2:18–24; Acts 15:36–40; the book of Ruth
The Bible makes it clear that human beings are not meant to live in isolation from each
other. In Genesis 2:18 God declares that it is important to for people to have
companionship, in marriage, in families and in close friendships. They provide love and
security. When Abraham is called to leave his home, he takes his family with him, including
his wife and his cousin Lot (Genesis 12:4). Jesus is accompanied by his disciples, and Paul
travels with companions, including Barnabas, Silas and Timothy, during his missionary
journeys. There are some significant characteristics of good personal relationships seen in
the Bible, including love, humility, loyalty, trust and service. One example that illustrates all
of these well is the relationship between Ruth and Naomi in the book of Ruth.
Social connections
Key verses: Leviticus 25; Acts 2:41–45; 1 Corinthians 12:12–31; Galatians 3:28
In addition to personal relationships, the Bible also shows us that broader social
relationships are important to our well-being. In the Old Testament we see how Israel’s
society was laid out to promote good relationships within society (Leviticus 25), with the
people commanded to look after each other. In the New Testament we see the formation of
the church as a group that supports each other as a community (Acts 2:41–45) and is called
to love and serve the wider community as well (Galatians 6:10). Positive social relations
relationships are strongly characterised by unity and by diversity. 1 Corinthians 12 and
Galatians 3:28 give a very strong image of the church as a community that is full of different
kinds of people united in Christ.

Key verses: 1 Samuel 1:1–17; Psalm 97; Matthew 26:37–46
The Bible tells us that mental and emotional well-being are important, because their
absence causes us pain and damages our ability to thrive in other areas. In 1 Samuel 1 we
see the way that Hannah’s inability to conceive a child cause her mental and emotional pain
and that this affects her relationship with her husband and the way that Eli perceives her. In
the New Testament, see Jesus casting demons out of people who have been made mentally
unwell and excluded from society because of their possession (for example, in Mark 5:1–
20). It is essential to remember that, while spiritual warfare is real, a lack of mental and
119 | P a g e
emotional well-being is not often a sign of demonic influence, personal sin or a lack of
salvation. They may stem from mental illness, from difficulties in other areas of life, or from
trauma of some past event: both of these things are consequences of the fact that we live in
a sinful, broken world. Jesus himself experienced mental and emotional suffering,
particularly before his capture in the garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:37–46). God
provides a mental, emotional and spiritual strength for us (Psalm 97; Psalm 107:13–16; 2
Corinthians 1:3–7), even if we cannot always feel his presence during times of pain.
Physical health
Key verses: Leviticus 11; Matthew 8:1–17; Luke 8:40–54
God’s original plan was for people to be physically whole and healthy and it is his desire for
all people to be restored to full health. In the Gospels, we see Jesus heal the sick many
times. The apostles are also able to heal people through the power of the Holy Spirit and we
still see miraculous healings today. However, it is also important to seek good health
through medicine and health care, looking after the bodies and health that God has given
us. God gave the Israelites laws about the food that they should eat. These were primarily
about holiness and purification and their relationship with God but, by teaching the
Israelites how to pay attention to their food, these laws also enabled the Israelites to live
physically healthy lives.

Key verses: Genesis 1:26–28, 2:15; Leviticus 25; Romans 8:20–25; Revelation 21
In Genesis humans are given the use of creation and its resources to sustain their lives and
commanded to care for it well for God. The land laws in Leviticus 25 teach Israel how they
should look after the land that God has given them, ensuring that everyone is able to
benefit from it and that it is not over-used. However, the earth was also damaged by the Fall
(Genesis 3:17–19) and part of the mission of God is its redemption and restoration in a new
creation (Isaiah 65:17; Romans 8; Revelation 21). As Christians we are called to look after
the creation that God made and placed us in until Christ returns.

Key verses: Genesis 1:26–28; Psalm 24:1; Luke 12:13–15; Matthew 6:19–34
God’s creation contains many natural resources for humans to use and we have used our
God-given creativity to make many other resources, include material assets and money. This
is fine, but the Bible reminds us that everything in creation belongs to the Lord (Leviticus
25:23; Psalm 24:1). It also reminds us that owning property, buying and selling things, and
making money should not contribute to injustice. For example, the Israelites were forbidden
from charging interest between themselves (Leviticus 25:25–27). In the New Testament
Jesus reminds us that while material resources are important to our ability to thrive, they
are not more important than our relationships with God or each other, and they do not
define our value (Luke 12:13-15; Matthew 6:19–34). The early church shows the way that
resources should be shared, with those who have much supporting those who have less,
120 | P a g e
and that without generosity any blessings God gives us are fruitless (Acts 2:41–45; 2
Corinthians 8–9).
Capabilities
Key verses: Genesis 1:26–28; Acts 18:1–4; Romans 12:3–8
Genesis 1 tells us that all humans are made in the image of God. This means that we possess
some of his characteristics (such as love and generosity), some of his responsibilities (such
as stewarding creation) and some of his capabilities. These capabilities include creativity,
wisdom and power. Human capabilities are first seen in Adam’s naming of the animals, and
throughout the Bible we see people making use of the skills and talents that God has given
them to serve him. The skills of the Israelites enabled them to create the tabernacle (Exodus
35) and build the temple (1 Kings 5). Daniel’s skills as an administrator enable him to survive
and thrive and to bear witness to his God in exile; Paul’s skills as a tentmaker enable him to
support himself during his travels (Acts 18:1–4). The church is made up of people who have
many different kinds of skills and capabilities (Romans 12:3–8) to serve the kingdom.
However, it is essential to remember that, while our capabilities are important to our
thriving and a gift from God, they are not on their own the source of our value as humans:
rather, this comes from the fact that we are made in God’s image.

Key verses: 1 Samuel 8; Matthew 14:13–20; Matthew 28:16–20
Participation and influence are ways in which we are able to use the capabilities that God
has given us to serve other people and our communities and countries. Throughout the
Bible we see the way that anybody can be a participant in God’s story and have a positive
influence on the world around them, from Rahab the prostitute (Joshua 2) to Esther, the
wife of King Xerxes (Esther 4). Participating in events allows people to have an influence
upon them, but sometimes being unwilling to take a role can lead to a person losing out on
success (Judges 4:4–22). In the feeding of the 5,000 (Matthew 14), we see that being willing
to participate and contribute bears fruit. In the New Testament Jesus invites people to
participate in the mission of God and work of the kingdom, calling and commissioning his
disciples to love and serve God and their neighbours as themselves (Luke 10:27).
Participation in the church and in our communities is a way of fulfilling the potential that
God gives us in our gifts and skills to transform the world and enables us to speak out on
behalf of those who are not able to participate as an example of our love for our neighbour.
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ANNEX G: PRINT-OUTS
The following images can be used in focus group discussions to enable the group to come up with a
score.
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Image 1
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1 2 3 4 5
1
Image 2
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Image 3
Material resources
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Image 4
126 | P a g e
Image 5
127 | P a g e

Tearfund Light Wheel Toolkit

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The LIGHT

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

Figure 1: Using the Wheel within a group discussion

Deciding when to hold the discussion

Covering the spokes

The grading scale

9th rung Full glass Seeds spreading 5

8th rung Turning to seed 4½

7th rung Three-quarters full Flowering 4

6th rung Beginning to flower 3½

5th rung Half-full Budding 3

4th rung Leaves 2½

3rd rung Quarter-full Sprout appears 2

2nd rung Seed is cracking open 1½

1st rung Empty glass Dormant seed 1

Justifying the score

Capturing the result

Suggested explanation of the spoke:

❏ Who is not represented in the group discussions? Who is overlooked or ignored?

Scoring the community: the ladder approach

Suggested explanation of the spoke:

❏ To what extent do people trust each other in the household?

❏ Should husbands discipline their wives? If so, what is acceptable or unacceptable?

❏ Should wives discipline their husbands? If so, what is acceptable or unacceptable?

Scoring the community: the ladder approach

Scoring the community: the ladder approach

Scoring the community: the ladder approach

Scoring the community: the ladder approach

Scoring the community: the ladder approach

Scoring the community: the ladder approach

Scoring the community: the ladder approach

Emotional and mental well-being

Stewardship of the environment

Material assets and resources

Participation and influence

Numbers in the group: Adult men Adult Male Female Children

Additional comments on group

Date and time of discussion:

Who should take part?

When and how frequently should it happen?

Dos and don’ts

Capturing the results

Date of observation Location (name)

Time of observation Location (GPS)

Name of lead observer Details of the observer

Do a transect walk through the village

Latrines: What proportion of the houses have

Faeces: Look for evidence of people using open

Construction materials: Look at the walls and the

Electricity: What proportion of the houses are

Future focus: Look for signs of building work or

Group dynamics: As you talk with people in the

Group relationships: Listen out for how people

Use of language: Watch out for use of language:

Cooking fuel: Look to see what people are using

Soil erosion: Is soil erosion an issue in the

Water usage: Are there any signs to suggest that

Irrigation: What type of irrigation system is in

Visit the water source