Influence of Stakeholder Participation and Sustainability of Saka Community Development Project in Homabay County.

Abstract

Stakeholder engagement, which is crucial in the implementation of development initiatives, increases the sustainability of community programs. However, being enshrined in the Kenyan constitution, a stakeholder participation plan has remained elusive and has remained a formality. Its implementation has been sluggish and uneven, raising questions about its ability to achieve Sustainable Development. The study's overarching goal was to learn how leadership structure, resource management, capacity building, and needs assessment—impact the longevity of community development projects. This research employed a descriptive research design to investigate the long-term viability of community development programs in Rangwe Sub County, with a population of 7,299 households. The sample comprised 395 participants, including 379 household heads, 12 supervisors, and 4 project managers, who were selected using a combination of stratified and random sampling techniques. The research utilized both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods, namely questionnaires and interview schedules. A pilot study was conducted on a random sample of 38 respondents to ensure the validity and reliability of the research tools. Cronbach's alpha was utilized to assess reliability, while content, face, and construct validity were employed to evaluate validity. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the quantitative data, with frequencies, means, and standard deviations used for the descriptive statistics, while Pearson's correlation and the chi-squared test were utilized for the inferential statistics. Thematic analysis was employed to analyze the qualitative data. The research findings suggest that Saka Community Projects, a community development program, has the capacity to sustain its operations even after donor funding is no longer available. Furthermore, the study revealed that Saka Community Projects is capable of paying its workers' salaries on time, has provided value and benefit to the beneficiaries, and has the financial resources to sustain its operations. The research discussed practical, theoretical, and policy issues that are critical to diverse stakeholders in community development programs. In conclusion, this study provides valuable insights into the long-term viability of community development programs and contributes to the understanding of how these programs can be sustained even after donor funding is no longer provided. The findings have important implications for policy and practice, as they highlight the importance of financial sustainability, capacity building, and stakeholder engagement in community development programs. The research came to the conclusion that the Saka Community Project has a transparent auditing trend, that the Saka Community Project conducts both internal and external audits of projects, that the Saka Community Project has a healthy record keeping practice and a reliable funding source, and that in order to generate additional revenue for the ongoing maintenance of the projects, we are tasked with the creation of monetizable outputs. Additionally, the research found that the Saka Community Project provides the community with adequate, balanced, and objective information. They are involved by Saka community projects on need assessment to improve project quality, Saka communities projects ensure that public concerns and aspirations are understood and considered, and the reporting of project progress has been greatly aided by community participation in need assessment reports. According to the findings of the research, one way in which stakeholders may be given more agency is by being given the opportunity to participate in decision making. They should be given greater influence over the

activities that take place in their work environment, including the tasks they do and the speed at which they work.