| dc.description.abstract | Women Enterprise and Development Fund was started through an Act of Parliament in 2005 under the Ministry of Gender, Sports, Culture and Social Services. The main aim of this fund was to alleviate poverty by devolving financial resources to women groups to start income generating projects. Their performance is poor due to weak monitoring and evaluation systems. This research project investigated the influence of monitoring and evaluation methods on performance of Women Enterprise Funded projects in Kisii Central District. Objectives of the study were to determine the influence of inspection monitoring and evaluation methods on performance of Women Enterprise Funded projects in Kisii Central District, to establish whether use of focus groups method in monitoring and evaluation had an influence on performance of Women Enterprise Funded projects in Kisii Central District and to explore the relationship between use of progress reports M&E method on performance of Women Enterprise Funded projects in Kisii Central District.
The study assumed that respondents provided correct information, groups had formulated objectives that were specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and within given time line. The study also assumed that all projects were viable and that participatory monitoring and evaluation was done. The study was limited by illiteracy, unavailability of updated and accurate progress reports and poorly written objectives in some groups. Descriptive survey research design was used on sample of 54 Women group members out of a population of 300 from 9 out of 30 women groups and their leaders represented the entire district. The sample was selected using simple random sampling whereby lottery sampling procedure was used to get members and their leaders were purposefully selected. Purposefully, the District Gender, Culture and Social Development.
Officer was picked for scheduled interview. A research permit was sought from the Ministry of Education to conduct the research. Briefing, rapport building and piloting of questionnaires and appointment was made with respondents. A self-made questionnaires were used to collect data from the respondents and information collected was qualitatively analyzed aided by a computer in SPSS Version 16. It was found that inspection, use of focus groups and progress reports method in monitoring and evaluation had an influence in the performance of projects as far as income is concerned. But they had no influence in project progress and achievement of objectives. It is recommended that these methods should be used frequently and at a good time in order to improve performance of Women Enterprise Funded projects.
Findings from this study can benefit Women Enterprise members to endeavour and formulate objectives which meet SMART criteria, train and practice sound monitoring and evaluation methods in order to achieve their objectives. Government officials would find the study useful in ~ formulating and using appropriate methods of monitoring and evaluation for better performance of the fund. Micro finance institutions can also find the study useful and possibly provide funds for monitoring and evaluation. Scholars will use findings of this study as a basis for further research in monitoring and evaluation methods to bring out more understanding about this area of study. | en_US |
