Household-level data on well-being, inequalities, and social capital in Western Province, Zambia.

This article presents survey data from households from the Muoyo-Mukukutu area in Western Province, Zambia based on stratified sampling. Data from 411 households were collected using a questionnaire survey from 2022. Understanding the complexities of well-being is crucial for informing policies to enhance the quality of life and reduce multidimensional poverty in developing countries. Hence, the survey focuses on subjective and objective well-being and their determinants. Survey data contains details on various dimensions of objective well-being, such as living standards, health, and nutrition. It also covers the issue of subjective well-being (life satisfaction), including the related concept of freedom of choice. Moreover, we collected detailed information about diverse forms of inequalities and deprivations at the societal and intra-household level, paying particular attention to the areas of social capital and decision-making power. Additionally, the data contain details about the relationships with and attitudes to traditional leaders and statutory government representatives, respondents' economic activities and aspirations (with a special focus on agriculture), and their various socio-demographic characteristics. Individual survey results can be compared with a robust set of data as we intentionally used questions applied in other international surveys when possible.

The Livelihood of Artisanal and Small-Scale Miners and Awareness of the Use of 3T Minerals in Rwanda-A Case Study in the Rutsiro District: A Qualitative Assessment.

This article examines the impact of artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) on livelihood in mining communities in Rwanda (Rutsiro) where wolframite and coltan are mined. The paper discusses the development of ASM and other entrepreneur activities, in particular agriculture. With ASM activities, there is environmental degradation on the one hand but also an improvement in the well-being of the local population on the other. The 3T (tin, tungsten, tantalum) minerals extracted by ASM are used in the electronics industry for products such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops, which are mainly consumed in the developed world. Based on questionnaires and structured research with miners, it was determined how ASM affects their lives, or whether there is a deterioration or improvement in their well-being. The research builds on previous field research in Rwanda. Because of mining, communities in the mining areas have access to health care, they can pay tuition fees, insurance, etc. On the other hand, the lives of miners are endangered by respiratory diseases, accidents in mines, landslides in mining areas, and other negative environmental impacts. The extraction of these minerals, however, may lead to a worse quality of life for the miners responsible for the extraction in developing countries. This different view is also illustrated by the fact that miners themselves often do not know what 3T minerals are used for. ASM benefits miners from an economic perspective but may worsen their quality of life due to unsuitable working conditions. This study covers a broader understanding of socioeconomic impacts of ASM and tries to point out the lack of awareness about the mining of minerals important for the daily use of modern technologies. This article would like to contribute to the larger debate about the lack of awareness of the origin of 3T minerals.