Factors influencing sustainability of donor funded projects: a case of Wenje water projects in Tana river county, Kenya

Abstract

This study investigated factors influencing sustainability of donor funded water projects in Tana River County, Kenya. The guiding objectives include; establishing the influence of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) on sustainability of donor-funded projects, to assess the influence of level of funding and establish how the involvement of stakeholders influences sustainability of donor funded water projects in Tana River County. The study applied quantitative research design, which makes use of questionnaires to gather information. Quantitative research incorporates the statistical elements designed to quantify the extent to which the target group is aware of, thinks and believes. The study targeted fifty (50) respondents; comprising of Ten (10) technical persons from line ministries, Ten (10) donor agency representatives and thirty (30)Water Point Executive Committee (WPEC) members; comprising of (Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer). The representatives were aware about the management, technical decisions within their departments of work, and are involved in daily operation and had the required information for the success of this study in Wenje Donor Funded Water Projects in Tana River County. Census sampling method involving inclusion of all target population into the sample followed by purposive sampling methods was applied. Purposive sampling method which relies on the researcher‟s judgment; in selecting respondents regarding those special participants who had specific information of interest to the study was applied. The information of number of Water Point Executive Committees was sourced from WESCOORD Coordination body in Tana River and Conslog Engineering Services, a consultancy firm/NGO operating in Wenje Division. Data collected was analysed using descriptive statistics where relative frequency distribution tables as well as mean and standard deviations values were calculated with the help of Likert scale ratings of (1,2,3,4 and 5) in the analysis. Standard deviations were calculated to denote the variability of responses around mean values in the likert rating scale so as to ascertain consistency of responses among respondents. The findings of the study were presented in frequency distribution tables. It could be concluded that; all donor funded water projects were not sustainably managed. The researcher recommended for a more strategic oriented water projects management, which would be the pro-active approach, to be adopted in the community water projects management. This would help by negating the current water management practices that are still focused on reacting to events that have already occurred: the re-active approach. The researcher suggested that further studies on factors influencing sustainability of donor funded water projects both in Kenya and the rest of the world should be conducted. A study on various water use and demand sites such as the: domestic, agriculture, livestock and other uses would help the policy makers/donor agencies or the water projects developers on the approximate water demands per community. Also a study on the community preparedness to participate and manage the donor funded water projects long after the completion of the projects, regardless of other sources of cheap water among other obstacles was suggested.