Influence Of Project Implementation Practices On Performance For Uwezo Fund Supported Projects In Isiolo County, Kenya.

Abstract

This study on influence of project implementation practices on performance for Uwezo fund supported projects was necessitated by the fact that unemployment is one of the challenges facing the youth, women and PWDs in society. Uwezo funds seeks to empower these groups by funded them to start projects. These projects encounter many challenges in their operations. The purpose of this study was to analyze how challenges caused by project implementation practices influence performance for Uwezo fund supported projects in Isiolo county. This study sought to establish the influence of technical capacity, funding practices, management structure and monitoring and evaluation processes on performance of Uwezo fund supported projects in Isiolo North Constituency. The research was theoretically grounded on stakeholder theory, Public choice theory and Human Capital Theory. The study adopted descriptive research design where the respondents were requested to describe the circumstances facing their business operations. The target population of the study was 232 groups supported by Uwezo fund in Isiolo North Constituency between the year 2014 to 2019. Comprising of 51 youth, 146 women and 6 PWDs. A sample of 147 was selected using proportionate sampling method. A semi structured questionnaire was used in data collection. The completed questionnaires were coded, entered into Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) on the basis of the objectives and research hypothesis and presented using frequency tables and regression analysis. The study found that that to a great extent technical capacity of project implementors and beneficiaries positively impacts on project implementation and management. Education levels have effects in stakeholders relations, entrepreneurship and management skills are important in running businesses. The study found a unit change in the score of technical capacity would change the performance of Uwezo fund supported projects by 0.097. The study also found that funding practices to a moderate extent influence performance of Uwezo supported projects with a unit change in the score of project funding practices would increase the performance of Uwezo fund supported projects in by 0.150. The study also found that management structure to a great extent influence performance of Uwezo fund projects with a unit change in the score of project management practices lead to an increase in performance of Uwezo fund supported projects by 0.067. The study also found M&E practices have a moderate impact on the performance of Uwezo fund supported projects with M&E to a great extent influencing sustainability of projects. The unit change in the score of project monitoring and evaluation processes would increase the performance of Uwezo fund supported projects by 0.0203. The study recommended project funding procedures discouraging potential beneficiaries should be done away with. The group concept was found to enable borrowers get access to credit without collateral. It also recommended loan processing period to be minimized to encourage borrowing and repayment and beneficiaries to get business support services. The study concluded that, with proper and working management structures, the fund is able to reach to the community. These structures enable flow of information that are beneficial to groups, project managers and other stakeholders with feedbacks on continuous basis enhancing sustainability of the projects. Sharing of project M&E reports and findings with the beneficiaries was found to enables groups improve on their businesses, it was also concluded that the M&E teams should properly formed with inclusivity of all relevant stakeholders for their report to be owned and accepted by all. The M&E teams should also be adequately facilitated to routinely carry their functions.