Community Participation in Project Preparation and Management in Mogadishu

ABSTRACT 

Over the last two decades Somalia and many other African countries have undergone several economic restructuring through the assistance of the International Monitory Fund, World Bank and other international bodies. Most of these assistance have come in the form of aids, projects and financial assistance, all aimed at reducing the poverty among its people. Most of development projects in Somalia that are designed and implemented by the United Nations agencies and local NGOs were not fully involved to the beneficiaries, so most of them were not succeeded and sustained. The main objective of the study was to examine the extent to which beneficiary communities participate in community development projects in Mogadishu, specifically to examine the extent to which of beneficiary communities participate throughout the project cycle, to ascertain the mechanisms put in place by project donors to ensure community involvement in project implementation and management, and to identify factors responsible for low level of community participation in project implementation and management. The method of selecting the sample size was purposive sampling and stratified random sampling for the inter-governmental organization (IGOs), non-governmental organization (NGOs), and beneficiaries. The total sample size was 114 and was calculated using Sloven’s formula to determine the sample size, The methods of data collection of this study were structured questionnaires and interview guide administered to the target respondents. Data presented in a form of tables and analyzed using percentages and frequency distribution tables. Computer programs were used. The study found that there was high level community participation throughout the implementation and monitoring and evaluation phases. The mechanisms put in place by project donors to ensure community involvement in project implementation and management are Counterpart funding, Information sharing, Shared Decision-Making, Consultation Mechanism and Joint Assessment. Factors responsible for low level of community participation in project implementation and management are low accountability on the part of community leaders to the entire community, the rigidity and limited time for project implementation discourages implementing agencies from adopting participatory processes, and Disparities in counterpart funding was also identified as a constraint. The study therefore recommends that; Donors and development practitioners in general (especially consultants) to design the logical framework, and incorporate time for participation , donors should make community participation one of the criteria for funding and enforce it during project implementation, the beneficiary communities should be involved in the engagement of service providers, community leaders and committees entrusted with levy collections, regularly account to the community, and communities could come out with some principles on community participation, which would guide projects that are implemented in the communities.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

One THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE 1

Background of the Study 1

Statement of the Problem 2

Purpose of the Study 3

Research Objectives 3

Research Questions 3

Scope 4

Significance of the Study 4

Two REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 5

Introduction 5

Conceptual framework 5

Definition of community 6

What is participation? 7

Review of theories in participation 12

Dimensions of Participation 14

Levels of People’s Participation in Development 16

Typology of Interest in Participation

Cost of Participation 20

Community participation 21

Forms of community participation 24

Barriers to Community Participation 25

Project Management 26

Three METHODOLOGY 29

Research Design 29

Research Population 29

Sample Size 29

Sampling Procedure 30

Research Instrument 30

Validity and Reliability of the Instrument 31

Data Gathering Procedures 31

Data Analysis 31

Ethical Considerations 32

Limitations of the Study 32

Four PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA 33

Introduction 33

Research question one 33

Research question two 37

Research question three 41

Five FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS 45

Findings 45

Conclusions 48

Recommendations 48

References 50

Appendices 53

Appendix I -. Transmittal letter 53

Appendix II - Research Instrument 54

Appendix III- CVI 62

Appendix IV - List of International NGOs in Mogadishu-Somalia 63

Appendix V — Curriculum vitae 66