The Role of Beneficiary Participation towards the Sustainability of Women Empowerment Projects in Rwanda: A Case of Funding Leadership Opportunities for Women Project in Karongi District
Moïse Mutabazi Rwamakombe and Ronald Kwena
University of Kigali
https://orcid.org/0009-0007-8920-9992
Email: mutabamoses1@gmail.com
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between beneficiary participation and the sustainability of the Funding Leadership Opportunities for Women Project in Karongi District, Rwanda. The investigation focused on three specific objectives: to assess the role of participatory needs assessment, to examine the role of participatory resource management, and to analyse the role of participatory monitoring and evaluation (M&E) towards the sustainability of the Funding Leadership Opportunities for Women Project in Karongi District, Rwanda. Quantitative data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 29 through Pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis. The coefficient findings showed that participatory needs assessment had a positive and significant role in the sustainability of the Funding Leadership Opportunities for Women Project in Karongi District, Rwanda, B = 0.516, t = 10.750, p = 0.000. Participatory resource management also had a positive and significant role in sustainability, B = 0.225, t = 5.233, p = 0.000, while participatory monitoring and evaluation had a positive and significant role in sustainability, B = 0.193, t = 3.860, p = 0.000. The study concluded that beneficiary participation through participatory needs assessment, participatory resource management, and participatory monitoring and evaluation significantly improved the sustainability of the FLOW Project in Karongi District. The study recommended that project management and local stakeholders institutionalise beneficiary participation across project planning, resource management, and monitoring processes to strengthen continuity, financial sustainability, social impact, and local ownership.
