Sustainability of donor-funded projects in developing remote minority Tonga communities of Zimbabwe

Discover Sustainability
Mark Matsa1, Beauty Dzawanda1, Oshneck Mupepi1, John Hove1
1Department of Geography Environmental Sustainability and Resilience Building, Midlands State University, Gweru, Zimbabwe

Tóm tắt

AbstractUnderdevelopment and poverty are causes for concern, towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in the Global South. In most developing countries donor-funded projects through non-governmental organisations (NGOs) accompany governments’ quest to achieve development through poverty reduction initiatives. However, the sustainability of these donor-funded projects in developing minority communities remains questionable. As such, this research evaluates the sustainability of donor-funded projects in developing remote-minority Tonga communities of Zimbabwe in pursuit of the SDGs. The research adopted a descriptive survey design triangulating quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques. Ten percent (805) of the total households (8053) in four wards of Binga District (Siabuwa Ward 23, Pashu Ward 19, Kabuba Ward 17, and Kani Ward 24) were selected to participate in this study. Findings indicated that there are various projects (food aid, water and sanitation, monetary aid, and climate change resilience) undertaken by NGOs in Binga District. There was a slight change in household socio-economic development since the operation of NGOs in the district and challenges were witnessed after donor-assistance withdrawal. This resulted in the stagnancy or collapse of some projects which affected the development of the Tonga minority community. There is an inadequate understanding of the livelihoods of the poor in Binga District due to a lack of adequate needs assessments, hence the need for participatory grassroots development approaches. Lack of development in Binga District, despite the various donor-funded projects operating in the area, is an indicator that the projects are insufficient and ineffective to deal with underdevelopment in this district. The paper recommends a shift in approaches used by both NGOs and the government to ensure sustainability in donor-funded projects to develop minority communities and help the government in its efforts to attain Vision 2030 and the SDGs.

Từ khóa


Tài liệu tham khảo

Agricultural Sector Survey. The state of Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector survey 2019. Harare; 2019.

Agba AM, Akpanudoedehe JJ, Stephen O. Financing poverty reduction programmes in rural areas of Nigeria: the role of non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Int J Democrat Develop Stud (IJDDS). 2014;2(1):1–16.

Amofah S, Agyare L. Poverty alleviation approaches of development NGOs in Ghana: application of the basic needs approach. Cogent Soc Sci. 2022;8(1):2063472.

Appe S. Reflections on sustainability and resilience in the NGO Sector. Adm Theory Praxis. 2019;41(3):307–17.

Ayoo C. Poverty reduction strategies in developing countries. Rural Develop-Edu, Sustain, Multifunction. 2022. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.101472

Banks N, Hulme D, Edwards M. NGOs, states, and donors revisited: still too close for comfort? World Dev. 2015;66:707–18.

Bassey N. Contribution by the NGOs Major Group Sector on Africa and Sustainable Development. United Nations, New York Working Paper No 3. 2008.

Bratton M. Non-Governmental Organizations in Africa: can they influence public policy?". Dev Chang. 1994;21:87–118.

Chepkemoi YE, Kisimbii JM. Determinants of the sustainability of donor-funded poverty reduction programs in non-governmental organizations in Mombasa County, Kenya. Int Acad J Inf Sci Project Manag. 2021;3(7):18–42.

Chiduzha C. On farm evaluation of sorghum (BiColor L.) Varieties in the Sebungwe Region of Zimbabwe. Harare: University of Zimbabwe; 1987.

Chirisa I, Maphosa E, Matamanda AR, Mandaza-Tsoriyo WW, Chatiza K. Constitutional knowledge, rights-based development, and citizenship in Zimbabwe, research anthology on citizen engagement and activism for social change. 2022, 1039–1055.https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-6684-3706-3.

Chizimba M. The sustainability of donor funded projects in Malawi. Rome: MCSER-CEMAS-Sapienza University of Rome; 2013. p. 86.

Chowdhooree I. External interventions for enhancing community resilience: an overview of planning paradigms, external interventions for disaster risk reduction. 2020, 3–21. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-4948-9.

Davis JM, Swiss L. Need, merit, self-interest or convenience? Exploring aid allocation motives of grassroots international NGOs. J Int Dev. 2020;32(8):1324–45. https://doi.org/10.1002/jid.3505.

Devereux S, Kapingidza S. External donors and social protection in Africa: a case study of Zimbabwe. Brighton: Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex; 2020.

DOCHAS. A wave of change: how Irish NGOs will sink or swim, a discussion paper on the future roles and relevance of Ireland’s Development NGOs. 2008. http://www.dochas.ie. Accessed 3 Sep 2022.

Dube K. A review of the strategies used by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) use to reduce vulnerability to poverty in Zimbabwe. Afr J Soc Work. 2021;11(6):371–8.

FEWS NET. Zimbabwe food security outlook, June 2019 to January 2020. Harare. 2019.

Guzura T, Tshuma V. The rural development false start in Zimbabwe: a dichotomous composition of theory and practice informing community based planning in Binga District. Afr Asian J Soc Sci. 2016;7(1):1–9.

Hunt A, Samman E. Women’s economic empowerment: navigating enablers and constraints. Overseas Development Institute Research Report. London; 2016.

Ibrahim U, Wan-Puteh SE. An overview of civil society organizations’ roles in health project sustainability in Bauchi State, Nigeria. Pan Afr Med J. 2018;2018:30.

Kilewo EG, Frumence G. Factors that hinder community participation in developing and implementing comprehensive council health plans in Manyoni District, Tanzania. Glob Health Action. 2015;8:26461.

Krantz L. The sustainable livelihood approach to poverty reduction. SIDA. 2001;44:1–38.

Lewis D, Schuller M. Engagements with a productively unstable category: anthropologists and non-governmental organizations. Curr Anthropol. 2017;58(5):634–51. https://doi.org/10.1086/693897.

Mago S, Nyathi D, Hofisi C. Non-governmental organisations and rural poverty reduction strategies in Zimbabwe: a case of Binga Rural District. J Gov Regul. 2015;4(4):59–68.

Martens J. Complexities of rural development in globalised environment: lessons from Binga District Zimbabwe. Johannesburg: Rosa Luxemburg Foundation; 2010.

Matsa M, Dzawanda B. Dependency syndrome by communities or insufficient ingestion period by benefactor organizations? The Chirumanz Caritas Community Gardening Project experience I Zimbabwe. J Geogr Earth Sci. 2014;2(1):127–48.

Ministry of Finance and Economic Development. National Development Strategy 1: towards a prosperous & empowered upper middle income society. Harare: Print flow; 2020.

Moucheraud C, Schwitters A, Boudreaux C, et al. Sustainability of health information systems: a three-country qualitative study in Southern Africa. BMC Health Serv Res. 2017;2017:17.

Mpofu P. The dearth of culture in sustainable development: the impact of NGOs’ agenda and conditionalities on cultural sustainability in Zimbabwe. J Sustain Dev Afr. 2012;14(4):191–205.

Muluh GN, Kimengsi JN, Azibo NK. Challenges and prospects of sustaining donor-funded projects in rural Cameroon. Sustainability. 2019;11(24):6990. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11246990.

Mutale Q. Factors affecting the success of NGO interventions in social service provision for the rural poor communities in zimbabwe: Case of Luunga ward 1 in Binga District. A dissertation submitted to the Midlands State University in partial fulfilment of the requirements of Bachelor of Science in Local Governance studies honours degree. 2016.

Mutale W, Ayles H, Bond V, et al. Application of systems thinking: 12-month postintervention evaluation of a complex health system intervention in Zambia: the case of the BHOMA. J Eval Clin Pract. 2017;2017(23):439–52.

Ndhlovu E. Relevance of sustainable livelihood approach in Zimbabwe’s land reform programme. Africa Insight. 2018;47(4):83–98.

Onwujekwe O, Obi F, Ichoku H, et al. Assessment of a free maternal and child health program and the prospects for program re-activation and scale-up using a new health fund in Nigeria. Niger J Clin Pract. 2019;22:1516–29.

Ronalds P. Reconceptualising international aid and development NGOs, critical reflections on development. 2013, 104–121. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230389052

Sally Z, Gaskin SJ, Folifac F, Kometa SS. The effect of urbanization on community-managed water supply: case study of Buea, Cameroon. Community Dev J. 2013;2013(49):524–40.

Sarupinda D. Market and supply chain assessment report for Binga: SCF, Zimbabwe; 2010.

Speizer IS, Guilkey DK, Escamilla V, Lance PM, Calhoun LM, Ojogun OT, Fasiku D. On the sustainability of a family planning program in Nigeria when funding ends. PLoS ONE. 2019;14:e0222790.

Trammel M. The Tonga people of the great river. Gweru: Mambo press; 1994.

Prabhakar KL, Latha K. Non-government organizations: problems and remedies in India. Serb J Manag. 2011;6(1):109–21.

Wickremasinghe D, Hamza YA, Umar N, et al. A seamless transition': how to sustain a community health worker scheme within the health system of Gombe state, northeast Nigeria. Health Policy. 2021

United Nations. Sustainable Development Goals. http://www.sustainabledevelopment/goals. 2017.

World Bank. Poverty and shared prosperity 2020: Reversals of fortune. Washington: World Bank; 2020.

Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee (ZimVAC). 2019 Rural Livelihoods Assessment Report. Zimbabwe: Harare; 2019.

Thông tin
Thông tin xuất bản

Discover Sustainability

Thông tin tác giả