Thesis:

Vision 2020 Umurenge program and socio-economic growth: a case study of Gasabo District

This study set out the Vision 2020 Umurenge Program (VUP) and socio-economic growth. A Case study of Gasabo District. The research was carried out in Gasabo district, Kigali City. The Vision 2020 Umurenge Program is one of three flagship programs of the National Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (2008-2012). The aim of the program is to eradicate extreme poverty by 2020 through three core components: Public Works planned to build community assets and create off-farm employment infrastructure; Financial services /Credit packages to tackle extreme poverty as well as to foster entrepreneurship and off-farm employment opportunities; Direct Support to improve access to social services or to provide for landless households with no members qualifying for public works or credit packages. The objectives of this research were to examine if the beneficiaries are involved in the process of VUP components; to assess the impact of VUP support on household socio-economic improvement; to analyze how effective are VUP monitoring and control mechanisms. Quantitative data collected were analyzed using simple descriptive statistical methods like, frequencies and percentages. Qualitative data were analyzed during and after the study. During the study the themes were developed as the interviews, questionnaires were collected from the respondents. More analysis was done after the interviews to identify more themes. Data were coded, examined, compared and categorized based on the research questions. The study utilized descriptive design. The researcher used a combination of both qualitative and quantitative methods. Data were collected using various tools namely: Document review, Questionnaires, Focus Group Discussions, and Interviews. The study employed purposive sampling method and Simple random sampling was used to select the VUP clients to be studied in those sectors. The study found that community was not adequately involved in their projects; monitoring and control mechanisms were not effective in a sense that they were not participatory. The community should be sensitized about the activities conducted, to increase ownership and sense of achievement. Project prioritization should be more participatory and directly involve beneficiaries for achieving goals. Without solid control mechanisms and strategies of how credit must be recovered, financial services should fail; consequently, the project should not achieve its objectives, to eradicate extreme poverty.