PARTICIPATORY DEVELOPMENT APPROACHES

9.0 Participatory monitoring and evaluation approach

9.2 Definition of PM and E

In simple terms, evaluation is to assess the value of something. Evaluation as a discipline helps those involved in various community development programs to assess the value of what they are doing. This makes evaluation to be an act of retrospection, ranging from casual project visits to a very elaborate research project. It is a process of viewing both actions and assumptions behind the intervention. Evaluation assesses the progress of an intervention to ensure that it is in line with the vision and mission, within the set budget and within the specified time frame. 

PM and E is a tool of learning from experience. Learn from the project progress, the project success or the project failure and know what requires change or capacity building for better performance, and what can be replicated elsewhere. PM and E encourages all stakeholders to participation in the entire monitoring and evaluating process. This builds the participants skills and knowledge and people learn from each others’ views and challenges as they freely interact. It increases there awareness and understand factors that influence project success.

9.3 Understanding PM and E approach

Participatory monitoring and evaluation (P M and E) is a process through which stakeholders at various levels engage in monitoring or evaluating a particular project, program or policy, share control over the content, the process and the results of the M&E activity and engage in taking or identifying corrective actions. P M and E focuses on the active engagement of primary stakeholders.

 P M and E are essential components of successful community development activities. Participatory monitoring and evaluating is primary in project ownership and sustainability. Thus community participation in an intervention enables them acquire knowledge and skills on how to effectively manage the intervention. This raises the need for community capacity building to take control of the intervention, and ensure that the entire process is monitored, evaluated, and documented.

PM and E is viewed as a management tool. It enables the local community members to improve on their efficiency and effectiveness in community project performance. In this case, it is a process of judging or determining the works, value or quality of an intervention, whether it is proposed, ongoing or completed. This takes place in the following areas:-

·         Project relevance

·         Project cost efficiency

·         Project effectiveness

·         Impact assessment

·         Project replicability

·         Project sustainability

 

Project relevance: This is the assessment of the project appropriateness, viability, the relevance of the goals and the set objectives in relation to the expected outcome. Is the project SMART? This can be done at the beginning of the program so that the working parameters are set in line with the vision and mission of the project.

Project effectiveness: This is ongoing assessment. It refers to what has been achieved and the level at which it has been realized

Project cost efficiency: This is ongoing assessment of the project resource management and cost efficiency. It assesses the work done in relation to the set budget and how the resources are being used. These assessments highlight pitfalls that can be managed early, e.g. Misuse of resources or predict if the project is over spending at one stage. This calls for immediate action to be taken.

Impact assessment: The impact assessment is done after the project is completed. It assesses a broad long term effect of the success of the project in relation to the beneficiaries and other stakeholders. An impact assessment goes beyond the target population.

Project replicability: This is the replication of the successful project in another location. It refers to the feasibility of the project being repeated due to its benefits to the community. 

Project sustainability: This assesses the project maintenance and management structures enforced. It refers to the project growth and the positive impact to the community. The cooperation of the implantation of the feedback from the progress evaluations will lead to achievements at the project termination. 

9.4 The history of Participatory monitoring and evaluation

PM and E is not a new concept in participatory development. It has been employed in Participatory Action and Research (PAR), Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) and Farming System Research (FSR) approaches in community development. In the 1980’s this concept entered the policy making domains of USAID, DFID, DANIDA, World Vision … Most donor agencies and development practitioners employ PM and E for:-

·         Project accountability

·         Decision making and

·         Community empowerment or capacity building for better performance

PM and E can be effectively used in any community intervention and at any level by CBO’s, FBO’s, NGO’s and government professionals working in the communities.

9.5 Factors that led to the growth PM and E

·         Dissatisfaction of the conventional approaches of monitoring and evaluation which were based on the needs and policies of the funding agency

·         The trend in management circles towards performance based accountability

·         The growing scarcity of funds leading to the demand of greater accountability

·         Shift towards power decentralization and devolution of the central government responsibilities and authority to the local government which requires capacity building for efficiency and improve on the support of local community initiatives. 

·         Stronger capacities and experiences of NGO’s, CBO’s and FBO’s as decision makers and implementer of development interventions.

·         The realization that participation increases the effective utilization of resources and the implantation of the PM and E results

9.6 PM and E core values

There are four key core values employed by PM and E. Thus:-

·         Participation

·         Learning

·         Negotiation

·         Flexibility

Participation: This is the involvement of all stakeholders in the entire process of planning, decision making, implementation and monitoring and evaluation. The level of participation may vary thus active participation or passive participation. 

Learning: PM and E is a learning process where stakeholders learn, reflect on the past experiences, understand the current situation, plan for collective action and implement the action decided upon.

Negotiation: Negotiation is essential in purpose mobilization for transformational development. Negotiation with different stakeholders enables to understand the different interests and the diverse claims. Negotiations will lead to common cause for the common good. What to monitor in this context is the deliberations and the motives of the stakeholders on the community interests. The local community’s interests take the lead and a collective action is taken to achieve the set objectives where every person wins.

Flexibility: The entire process should be flexible and adaptable to the local context and also flexible to accept and facilitate the desired change.

9.7 Principles of facilitating PM and E in the community

1.      Flexibility: As a change agent, provide guidance but be adaptable to the local context. Take into context, the stakeholders needs

2.      Be interactive with the all stakeholders:

3.      Be realistic

4.      Be analytical

5.      Be relevant and useful to the stakeholders. Empower them and build their capacity

6.      Be outcome based:  Employing PM and E does not focus on each activity or achievement itself, but it focuses on how the local population achieves their set objectives

7.      Have regular and periodic assessment of the process and progress in an enabling environment

8.      Do not be target driven. PM and E facilitate community learning and policy change. Assess what happened, what was missed out and what will lead to sustainability unlike assessing the milestones that are met as planned.

9.      Use locally defined indicators that are SMART or SPICED

9.8 Benefits of PM and E in community development

1.      PM and E promotes learning about the achievements or the consequences of deviations from the original concerns and problems encountered in intervention implementation. The results enhances corrective measures that will facilitate project ownership and sustainability by building on the local potentials and abilities

2.      Evaluation is carried out to inform and guide the stakeholders, donor agencies and policy makers on effectiveness and efficiency of the program in the community. It leads to improved output and effective service delivery

3.      The knowledge acquired leads to community or organization growth and economic stability. Growth is experienced in solidarity and mutual respect.

4.      There is increase in knowledge concerning the community’s fiscal ability, devolution and power decentralization

5.      Individual participation is increased and the community is willing to facilitate CDD and ABCD using the acquired knowledge and skills

9.9 Challenges encountered in facilitating PM and E

Common mistakes and challenges encountered by change agents in facilitating PM and E include;-

1.      The assumptions that all stakeholders are interested in taking part in PM and E processes

2.      Imposing inappropriate indicators and approaches in the attempt of getting quick result in order to save on time. This may lead to lack or low participation

3.      Poor information dissemination skills

4.      Desire for big results so soon

5.      Do not appreciate PM and E. Do not want to open up for evaluation.

6.      Fear of exposing the leaders’ weaknesses to the stakeholders or donor agencies. Decentralization gives power to the local governance which the government assumes it is a dis empowerment process to leaders.

9.10 Conclusion

Monitoring the project performance is a daily activity, while evaluation is a periodic activity. Evaluation requires more data and it may take more time to come up with a comprehensive report. An evaluation aims to determine whether the objectives set in terms of expectations, effects and impact are being realized or are realized. This makes participatory monitoring and evaluation an essential tool in enhancing sustainable community development.

9.11 Learner’s reflection

1.      Define the concept participatory monitoring and evaluation

2.      Examine the importance of PM and E in facilitating community projects

3.      Discuss the benefits of each type of PM and E community development

4.      Discuss the roles of the stakeholders in facilitating PM and E

10.0 The local government, Business sector and NGO’s

10.1 Preamble

The local government, NGO’s and the business sector are development strongholds that are enhancing the sustainable development scaling up. The private sector is very influential is facilitating community development, creating employment opportunities, empowering the community to take control of their cause and effectively manage the private and public resources.

10.2 Learning objectives

The student will understand the role of the local government in facilitating community development through supporting and creating enabling environment for NGO’s, CBO, and FBO’s to effective work in the community and supporting and protecting the business sector as they empower communities to attain self-sustainability and self-supporting

10.3 Understanding the local government

The local government is the government administration in the community. This is the lowest level in the government leadership structure.  Under Kenya's new devolved system of government, the elected councils were dissolved and are set to be replaced by boards, in the case of city councils, and administrators, in the case of municipal and town councils, appointed by the county government. 

Under the former act of parliament local authority administration consisted of a mayor, town clerk and councilors. The councilors were elected during the Kenya General Elections and they were expected to be in office for a period of five years. In the current constitution, the authorities are divided into wards and each word elects one councilor. Wards have often common boundaries with administrative locations

The local governments generally act within powers delegated to them by legislation or directives of the higher level of government. In the federal state, local government generally comprises the third (or sometimes fourth) tier of government, whereas in unitary state local government usually occupies the second or third tier of government, often with greater powers than higher-level administrative divisions.

10.4.1The role of the local government in community development

The local government’s capacity is build to effectively manage the rapid changes in the community and the challenges caused by economic instability, insecurity, corruption, and high levels of poverty, health issues and many others. It is the duty of the local government to ensure that the community is at peace and developing. The local government has the authority bestowed upon them by the central government to lead the community to prosperity. Some of their roles include:-

o   Encouraging the community to effectively participation in the community development interventions, public meetings (Chief’s baraza), public functions, social forums … these are opportunities for the local government to mobilize the community and sensitize them on given issues e.g. training workshops, agricultural forms were their capacity is build

o   Plan for community development and ensure implantation

o   Provide security

o   Civic education

o   Encourage individual responsibility in community’s economic stability

o   Ensure CDF fund is effectively used for development purposes for the common good

o   Effectively manage the community credit unions: youth fund, bursaries for needy children,

o   Support NGO’s, FBO’s and CBO’s working in the community

o   Effectively manage community property or public resources for maximum benefit to the community members and not to compromise the livelihood of the future generation.

o   Convene community land trust to facilitate housing challenges and reduce internally displaced persons

Other functions include

o   Giving permit or licenses to public gathering

o   Licenses to business sector

o   Levy or tax is collected

o   Welfare services e.g. police post, health facility, schools, recreation facility …

10.4.2 Benefits to community development

i)        Power decentralization where the community members have an opportunity to understand their rights and role as citizens. Their capacity is build so that they can fully participate in development and drive their own development. 

ii)      Devolution enhances people centered development and thus promoting CDD and ABCD in the community which leads to community empowerment

iii)    CDD’s can benefit from the CDF fund

iv)    There is security in the community

v)      The local government support projects through local fund raising and government disbursement. The leader’s presence motivates the community members to participate which promotes project ownership, sustainability and effective management

vi)    Promotes local and external investments

10.5 Understanding the NGO’s in community development

NGO’s are nonprofit organizations and they are not part of the government. They are private organizations founded by individuals and funded by the government or donor agencies to champion challenges that communities encounter in the contemporary society.  Some NGO’s are managed by volunteers to serve the community on voluntary basis. Such organizations avoid formal funding advocates for love and service as volunteers. This aspect raises the diverse perspectives of NGO’s as they engage in community activities. Some may have charitable status, while others may be registered for tax exemption based on recognition of social purposes. Others may be fronts for political, religious or other interest groups.

Some NGOs see themselves as champions of the poor, lobbying government to give them a better deal. Others play a watchdog role, ensuring that governments and utilities remain honest, focused on serving the people. 

The main objective of the NGO’s is to fill the gaps on issues not addressed by the government to the interests of the community members. They attempt to address issues that cause suffering and pain such as socio-economic challenges, environmental issues, political issues and spiritual issues in the community.

Unlike NGO’s, Community-based organizations (CBOs) arose out of the people’s own initiatives. CBO’s were founded by the community’s collective action to address their challenges. Through capacity building and empowerment, the communities have formed CBO’s that have overcome the biases of NGO’s which are mainly based on individual perceptions. CBO’s interventions have popular participation from the community members. The community is involved at all stages of the project progress. This leads to project ownership and sustainability. Some projects initiated by the NGO’s and funded by the government lacked community ownership and sustainable measures due to lack of local participation.

Non Governmental organizations comprises of a broad spectrum organizations with varied objectives in the community

10.5.1 Benefits to participatory development

o   Improves the livelihood of people in the community through capacity building and skill acquisition on appreciating the potential and the ability of every member of the family and community. This is as a result of NGO’s championing for the rights of the vulnerable members in the community. These are the:- gifted differently (disabled or physically challenged) members in the community, health issues, FGM, education, environmental sustainability, safe water, gender violence and property ownership, domestic and wild animals …

o   Advocate for equity, respect of human rights

o   Community capacity building and civic education

o   Creating awareness and mobilizing the community resources for the common good

o   Creating awareness on common resources in the community, and how they can be utilized for the common good

10.6 Understanding the business sector

The business sector can be defined as the basic macroeconomic sector containing the private, profit-seeking firms in the economy that combine scarce resources into the production of wants-and-needs satisfying goods and services. The key economic function of the business sector is the production of goods and services. The three basic types of business organizations that comprise the business sector are proprietorship, partnership, and corporation. This is one of the four macroeconomic sectors. The other three are household sector, government sector, and foreign sector

The private sector is the most important driving force of community growth and sustainable development. In this context, the local economic development depends on financing small and medium-sized business sectors at the community level. Partnerships depend on a planning process that involves and empowers all sectors of the community. Today, local economic development depends on a strong local infrastructure, specifically a communications and information infrastructure.

The private sector remains the key driver of growth and wealth creation as employer, investor, source of finance, and in building capacity and human capital at any level in the community. It provides opportunities for poverty alleviation, creation of CDD and ABCD …

10.6.1 Community economic development strategy

o   Strike a community economic development forum to develop an economic development plan, including representation from the household sector, government sector, and foreign sector

o   Establish an economic development network.

o   Identify existing capabilities and skills.

1. Develop a local, coordinated, communications infrastructure, address local connectivity, and identify any impediments and barriers to its development.
2. Commit to the ongoing development of people in the community in the use and application of the available resources.
3. Promote the existing public and private resources
4. Provide accessible one-stop shopping to community and related services.

10.6.2 Business sector objectives

1. To create economic stability through job creation and business investments in the community.
2. To promote the community to be an enabling environment for government service, business, industry, tourism, resources, and the arts.
3. To provide efficient capacity building retraining and basic skills development.
4. To provide funds for economic development
5. Facilitate the devolution and power decentralization process