Enhancing sustainability of donor funded livelihood projects in Kilifi County through effective monitoring and evaluation

Abstract

Benefactor organizations have greatly funded livelihood projects and programs in Kilifi County. However, these projects grapple with sustainability. Some halt operations instantaneously the funding is withdrawn. The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of monitoring and evaluation (participation; tools; and timing and frequency) on the sustainability of donor-funded livelihood projects in Kilifi County, Kenya. The descriptive correlational research design was used with a sample of 170 from a population of 295 from three livelihood projects. Seven interviews and three focus group discussions were carried out. Standard deviations, standard error of means, arithmetic means, Pearson’s Product moment correlation, and linear regression were used. The perception of sustainability did not differ significantly with projects, gender, age, and marital status. However, perception differed based on the highest level of education and duration in the project. H0, r=0.458, p=0.000389<0.05 was rejected and concluded that monitoring and evaluation significantly influenced the sustainability of donor-funded livelihood projects. Participation in M&E and (p=0.000), frequency, and timing (p=0.024) had a significant while tools used in M&E (p=0.459) did have a significant influence on sustainability. This implies that corporate and individual knowledge of the project objectives, targets, and means of measuring project results were still critical in ensuring sustainability is attained. Simple templates of the logical framework should be used for the farmers to understand how inputs are converted into activities, outputs, outcomes, and goals. It is implied that the farmers had little knowledge of Likert items denoting tools in M&E. Therefore, simple and direct Likert items need to be chosen.

Keywords: {'name': 'participatory monitoring and evaluation, project exit strategy, donor funded livelihood projects'}

Authors & affiliations

Cornel Likale Ndombi
Affiliation not supplied

Dorothy Ndunge Kyalo
Affiliation not supplied

Angeline Sabina Mulwa
Affiliation not supplied

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