Influence Of Participatory Monitoring And Evaluation Practices On Performance Of Village Saving & Loan Associations Projects In Kwale County, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the Influence of Participatory Monitoring & Evaluation Practices on Performance of VSLA Projects in Kwale County, Kenya and come up with valuable recommendations on how to ensure financial sustainability prevailed amongst women owned VSLAs in Kwale County. The study objectives included: to examine the influence of Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation Practices on VSLA projects/ programmes reformulation, to assess the extent to which Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation Practices influence financial resources mobilization by VSLA Projects, and to assess the extent to which Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation Practices influence stakeholder feedback among the VSLA projects in Kwale County. The study was conducted in four sub-counties of Kwale county namely; Matuga, Kinango, Msambweni, and Lungalunga. The study employed a descriptive survey design. A sample of 291 members was selected from a total number 1205 VSLA heads using stratified random sampling method. A semi-structured questionnaire was utilized in collection of data. The questionnaire was validated by the supervisor, lecturers and colleagues from the University. To affirm the reliability of the instrument, Cronbach’s alpha method was used. This was achieved by the test re-test split method and a reliability index of 0.7 .The collected data was corrected, coded and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) Version 20.0. The outcomes of the study were presented in tables and percentages. Response rate was 86% positive while the non-response was 14%.This means that the study satisfied Mugenda and Mugenda (2008) who argue that in a study, if the response rate is over 70%, it can be said to be good. 32 % of the respondents represented men who were 80 while the remaining 170 who represented 68% were women. With reference to the finding from the field, the research established that participatory M&E has an influence in the implementation of VSLAs projects in Kwale County. This is felt whereby participatory M&E brings a direct influence on the projects/programmes’ reformulation whereby there are changes in the objectives, goals, plans and strategies; there are financial mobilization practices and the involvement of stakeholders that had directly been linked to the implementation of the VSLAs in the Kwale county and beyond. The researcher proposed that: A correlated study could be carried out in the neighboring counties of Kilifi, Tana River and Lamu counties; and, a research can be done in the county to assess the sustainability of the VSLAs project in Kwale County.