Determinants Of Sustainability Of Community Based Projects In Kenya: The Case Of Carolina For Kibera Projects

Abstract

Sustainability of community projects, and of the benefits they deliver, has been a major concern of the sector. The great investment by local communities and business class has not effectively tackled the challenge of sustainability, therefore many projects still fail to maintain the momentum of their lifecycle. The aim of this study was therefore to examine the determinants of sustainability of the community based projects in Kenya. Main emphasis was paid to Carolina for Kibera programme of projects. The study was guided by the following research objectives: to examine the effect of resource support on sustainability of community based projects in Kibera Slums, Kenya, to establish the influence of project design on sustainability of community based ventures in Kibera Slums, Kenya, to determine the influence of operational maintenance on sustainability of community based projects in Kibera Slums, Kenya, to examine the effect of participatory monitoring and evaluation on sustainability off community based projects in Kibera Slums, Kenya. The research work used a descriptive design in the collection of data on the determinants of sustainability of community based projects in Kibera Kenya. The target population was drawn from twenty three (23) projects in Kibera initiated by Carolina for Kibera consisting of nineteen (19) project managers, ninety one (91) project staff and one thousand two hundred and eighty three (1,283) beneficiaries. Simple random sampling technique was used to determine the sample size. Questionnaires were used for data collection and reliability was tested using test-retest method and analyzed using Cronbach’s alpha with set lower limit of 0.6. Validity of the questionnaire was tested by use of content validity as well as experts’ opinion. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential (correlation and regression) statistics with the aid of the software for social sciences (SPSS) and presented using frequency tables, bars, line graphs and pie charts. The research concluded that resource support, project design, Operational maintenance significantly influence sustainability of community based projects. The study found that the greatest factor affecting the sustainability of the community based projects lies with resource support. This was followed by monitoring and evaluation then operational maintenance and finally project design. The study recommends that all the project stakeholders i.e. project managers, project beneficiaries, project donors and even the government officials should be keen to consider all this factors of project design, resource support, Monitoring & evaluation during the project inception, planning and implementation to ensure that the project attains its intended objectives.