ASSESSMENT OF EFFECTIVENESS OF THE ANGLICAN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES PROGRAMME IN POVERTY ALLEVIATION IN KENYA

Abstract

It was a case study of assessment of the effectiveness of Anglican Development Services Program in poverty alleviation in Kenya: Ithanga region, murang’a county. The Anglican Development Services is a program run and managed by the Anglican Church of Kenya. The specific objective was to find out the effectiveness of the Anglican Development Services program in poverty alleviation in relation to nature of activities carried out by religious institutions with an aim of ensuring reduced poverty levels, nature of leadership and nature of financing. It was carried out in August 2015.The study employed a descriptive survey research design. The target population of this study consisted of all 90 members of the self help groups which work with the Anglican Development Services in Ithanga area, Murang’a county these groups are; Ithanga, Thungururu and Matunda. Purposive sampling was employed. The study used questionnaires, an interview schedule and focus group discussions as the instruments for the study. Analysis of quantitative data was then done using descriptive statistics that included percentage, frequency, means and standard deviations. Analysis of qualitative data which was gathered from interview guide, focus and open ended questions was done through content analysis and then presented in prose form guided by thematic approach. The study revealed that leadership affected success of poverty alleviation programs as members of the groups were involved in electing leaders hence leadership was a critical factor influencing implementation of poverty alleviation programs. The study established that the member groups were getting financial resources from income earned from generating activities, fund contribution from the donors, held harambee and receive fund from NGOs. The study concluded that nature of group welfare and social activities, econoimic activities, civic advocacy and religious activities for self help group members to improve on their livelihood.From the findings, the study concluded that leadership affected success of poverty alleviation programs as their way of making decision affected effectiveness of the Anglican development services programs in poverty alleviation in Ithanga, Murang’a County. The study concluded that the nature of financing of self help groups activities was affecting the effectiveness of the Anglican Development Services programs in poverty alleviation in Ithanga, Muranga County. The study recommends that the Anglican Development management should ensure that self help groups were having effective leadership which affected success of poverty alleviation programs.