The influence of child sponsorship program on community empowerment: a case of compassion international in Limuru district, Kiambu county, Kenya
View/ Open
Date
2013Author
Njoroge, Stephen T
Type
ThesisLanguage
enMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Child sponsorship is one of the strategies adopted globally to fight poverty among the
disadvantaged and impoverished in the community. Sponsorship, as a development model, began
in the 1930s, and throughout the subsequent decades has evolved from a direct benefit
relationship to one that benefits the broader community. Compassion international is among the
leading global charities that adopted child sponsorship model in empowering local communities
in fight against poverty. Compassion’s sponsorship program focuses on holistic approach to
poverty and focuses on four main domains namely: the spiritual, physical, socio-emotional and
educational/economic needs of a child. Compassion achieves this through a partnership model
with local churches.
This study sought to establish the influence of Child Sponsorship on Community Empowerment
in Limuru District. The survey was conducted through interviews of the formerly sponsored
youth in this region, the church leaders and Project Directors of Compassion Assisted Programs.
One hundred and ten questionnaires were issued to randomly sampled formerly sponsored youth
in four compassion assisted projects in Limuru District. The questionnaires that were duly
completed and returned were ninety eight questionnaires which represented a response rate of
89%. The study results showed that formerly sponsored children were actively involved in the
community and had significant influence at the community-level decision making process.
Based on the findings of this study, it was evident that child sponsorship has a significant
positive influence on the community empowerment in Limuru District in Kiambu County.
Whereas education support was rated the highest in the ways Compassion’s Child Sponsorship
was empowering the community, inadequate funding for furthering education was cited as a
common obstacles among formerly sponsored children after they left the sponsorship program.
The study recommends that more funding is committed to programs that can empower the
caregivers to ably take-up the responsibility of furthering the education of their children after
sponsorship funding is expired.
Citation
Stephen Thairu Njoroge (2013). The Influence Of Child Sponsorship Program On Community Empowerment: A Case Of Compassion International In Limuru District, Kiambu County, Kenya, MA In Project Planning And ManagementPublisher
University of Nairobi
Collections
- Faculty of Education (FEd) [5964]