Effects of participatory monitoring and evaluation on livelihood project outcomes: a case of selected enterprise projects in Kakuma

Abstract

This study sought to determine the effects of participatory monitoring and evaluation on livelihood project outcomes, focusing on enterprise development project in Kakuma, Kenya. To achieve this, the researcher specifically looked at the following specific objectives: To determine the effect of community involvement on enterprise livelihood project outcomes, find out the effect of NGO stakeholders involvement on enterprise livelihood project outcomes and establish the effect of government involvement on enterprise livelihood project outcomes in Kakuma, Kenya. To bring this to perspective, the study was guided by the theory of Participatory Development (PD) which was the main theory of the study, supported by the systems theory. To meet the study objectives, the study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The study targeted the 615 project staff, community, partner NGOs and government participants in the baking, soap making and tailoring projects. Using the Krejcie and Morgan formula, the study sampled 237 respondents. Stratified random sampling was used for sampling purposes. The study used a questionnaire which was close-ended. After data collection, quantitative data from the questionnaire was coded and entered into the computer for computation of descriptive statistics. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 27) was used to run descriptive statistics such as frequency and percentages so as to present the quantitative data in form of tables and graphs based on the major research questions. The researcher also analysed the data using means and standard deviations to measure central tendencies and dispersion of the data. The study further used linear regression analysis to measure the effect of each independent variable on the dependent variable. For hypothesis testing, regression analysis was used to devise the relationships between the study variables. The study found that community involvement significantly affected and livelihood project outcomes; T (196) = 13.184; β= 0.498.; P≤.05. NGOs stakeholders involvement also significantly affected and livelihood project outcomes; T (196) = 12.389; β= 0.679.; P≤.05. Further, government involvement significantly affects and livelihood project outcomes; T (196) = 13.787; β= 0.468.; P≤.05. The study concluded that all the three hypothesis of the study were rejected. The study recommends more training of beneficiaries on the overall project management processes to foster their participation. The NGOs should also ensure accountability to affected person, resources allocations, resources mobilizations, focus on all issues concerning human rights and advocacy, promote and improve the lives of the refugees and host community. This study recommends that comparative studies be conducted on the subject matter in other areas with enterprise projects for comparative results.