An Assessment of the Effectiveness of Non-Governmental Organisation Funded Small Scale Businesses in Improving Rural women’s Standards of Living: A Case Study of Tulina Omubeezi Project.

Abstract

SEKITOLEKO ACHILLES (2008-M092-30036) An Assessment of the Effectiveness of Non-Governmental Organisation Funded Small Scale Businesses in Improving Rural women’s Standards of Living: A Case Study of Tulina Omubeezi Project. The objective of this research was to assess the effectiveness of Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) funded small scale businesses in improving rural women‟s standards of living. NGOs have been operating in Uganda for some time now giving out all sorts of assistance but mainly to improve rural women‟s standards of living. However, the results are shocking because it is hard in some instances to trace the impact made by some organisations. The study is undertaken with all the carefulness of the mind and it is expected to derive insights into this issue of NGO funded small scale businesses in improving rural women‟s standards of living. The researcher chose a case study research design. It focused on Tulina Omubeezi Child Development Centre as a funded project of Compassion International. The study population is that of the organisation‟s beneficiaries who received the funds. These constituted 50 percent of the project beneficiaries. A non-random sampling technique was used because both the beneficiaries and the key informants were purposively selected. A sample size of 65 respondents was selected from a sample frame of 120. The methods of data collection used were a structured questionnaire, in-depth interview, observation and documentary analysis. Data were analysed qualitatively which enabled the researcher to draw practical recommendations and logical conclusions. A number of limitations were met by the researcher which hindered the rate at which this research would have taken. Among these included; reluctance of the respondents to answer the questions paused to them, interrupted concentration of the respondents especially when attending to customers, suspicion among the social workers about this research. Time and financial constraints caused by constant visits to the study area and unfulfilled appointments from the respondents. The findings of this study centred mainly on the assessment of the effectiveness of NGO funded small scale businesses in improving rural women‟s standards of living. Issues to do with compelling factors to start businesses, training, monitoring, motivation, attitudes and the others were so central in this research and they formed the line of the researcher‟s assessment. Therefore, the researcher recommends that NGOs, CBOs, and Government Departments/economic programmes take time and read this piece of work so that it may inform their decisions in policy making processes and in the planning and implementation of various projects/activities. Key Words: Non-Governmental Organisation, Funded Small Scale Businesses, Rural women’s Standards, Living, Tulina Omubeezi Project.