EFFECTS OF STRATEGIC MONITORING PRACTICES ON SUSTAINABILITY OF YOUTH LIVING WITH DISABILITIES SELF HELP GROUP PROJECTS IN RONGAI SUB-COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

A project or programme is sustainable when it is able to deliver an appropriate level of benefits for an extended period of time. Subsequently, sustainability emphasizes recognition of the role of finite environmental and manmade resources; and concern for intra and intergenerational equity and stakeholder involvement in planning and decision making. Thus whereas appropriate organizational arrangements such as good governance, human resource and financial management are generally instituted, it is distressing to realize that youth living with disability projects continue to be relatively unsuccessful thus not achieving their intended objectives. The study therefore sought to establish the effects of strategic monitoring practices on sustainability of self help group projects in Rongai sub-county. The objectives of the study were information accessibility, capacity building, effective reporting and project appraisal. The study employed descriptive research design with a target population of youth living with disability self-help group projects in Rongai sub-county and an accessible target population of 138 respondents drawn from the target population using the Kejcie and Morgan (1990) sample size table. Structured questionnaires were administered to the respondents. The data collected was analyzed quantitatively using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 23. From the data analysis, it was established that feedback received after monitoring was considered in project decision making (mean= 4.691), communication and consultation with stakeholders took place whenever necessary (mean= 4.418), project managers underwent training programmes (mean=4.00, SD=1.262), youth groups did not receive adequate government funding (mean=3.346, SD=1.554), technical skills influences project sustainability (mean=3.655, SD=1.336), majority (58.2%) indicated that baseline plans influence project sustainability, reports were produced at regular intervals and majority were in agreement (mean=4.301, SD=0.619) and groups conducted project appraisal and project valuation before committing resources (mean=4.836, SD=0.672). The study also established that there was a positive, significant correlation between information accessibility (r=0.741, p=0.000), capacity building (r=0.719, p=0.023), effective reporting (r=0.697, p=0.018), project appraisal (r=0.704, p=0.032) and project sustainability. The study thus concluded that group leaders had good managerial skills, monitoring reports were available for project assessment and groups conducted a market analysis before settling on the cost of projects. The study recommended that projects should enhance feedback provision on project monitoring for decision making in a timely manner, the government should review and fund youth groups with disability adequately, project baseline plans should be well documented and followed during project implementation and market analysis should also be conducted before settling on the cost of projects.