The COVID-19 pandemic has affected many operations across the globe. Jimat has been equally affected as a result of the pandemic due to travel restrictions and alternative donor resource commitments. However Jimat has managed to stay afloat and has undertaken various projects in Zimbabwe and the region. We have adopted novel ways of conducting data collection under the current conditions. These include telephone interviews, web-based interviews and WHO-guided face-to-face interviews. From March 2020 to date Jimat has conducted the following studies using the above-mentioned innovative methodologies:

1. Evaluation of WFP Country Strategic Plan Zimbabwe in collaboration with ADE (field research through focus group discussions with beneficiaries in Rushinga and Masvingo Districts in November 2020).

2. OVC Seed Value Chain Study for SDC focusing on Maize, Legume and Small Grains (field data collection in 6 districts in Zimbabwe and 6 districts in Zambia) (In Zambia, the six districts chosen for the study were Monze and Sinazongwe (Southern Province), Chipata and Katete districts (Eastern Province), Sesheke district (Western Province) and Lusaka district (Lusaka Province), in Zimbabwe the districts were the six districts chosen for the study were Uzumba Maramba Pfungwe (UMP) and Mudzi districts (Mashonaland East Province), Zaka and Chiredzi districts (Masvingo Province) and Tsholotsho and Hwange districts (Matabeleland Province)

3. COVID-19 Regional Food, Nutrition and Livelihood Analysis for SADC Secretariat and the WFP RVAA Programme (this involved primary data collection in 16 SADC Countries, through a web survey of 1,300 respondents – June – September 2020).

4. Study on COVID-19 Impact on Food Markets in Namibia (primary data collection from 1000 households in 10 regions of Namibia) (January to March 2021, study is on-going).

5. Evaluation of UNICEF/FAO Nutrition Programme in Zimbabwe (in collaboration with AAN Associates; virtual data collection from 423 households in Manicaland and Masvingo Provinces) (February and March 2021, currently on-going).

6. Evaluation of the Health Development Fund in Zimbabwe for UNICEF (in collaboration with AAN Associates; February and March 2021, virtual data collection currently ongoing in four districts).

7. Evaluation of the Cyclone Idai Response Programme for World Vision (involved telephone interviews with more than 200 beneficiaries in affected districts in Manicaland Province) (concluded in 2020).

8. Study on Knowledge, Perceptions and Attitudes Towards Comprehensive Sexuality Education in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Malawi, Botswana and Uganda (on-going; with face to face primary data collection from learners, adults, teachers; March 2020 – Current