Challenges of Local Non-Governmental Organizations in the Practice of Monitoring and Evaluation of Projects: A Case Study of African Evangelistic Enterprise

Abstract

The overarching perception is that local NGOs through their projects, contribute to improving peoples social and economic welfare by participating in governance, community mobilization activities; health and education initiatives. It is also assumed that effective monitoring and evaluation of these projects is one of the ingredients of good project performance; that it provides a tangible means of accountability demonstrates transparency to the stakeholders and facilitates organizational learning for the benefits of any future projects. However, there continues to be challenges in Local NGOs to effectively monitor and evaluate the projects they implement. This study sought to identify challenges that Local Non-Government Organizations face in the practice of Monitoring and Evaluation of project they impalement. The study identified best practices in monitoring and evaluation of projects and analyzed current M&E practices in Local Non-Government Organizations. It also identified challenges that Local NGOs face in the practice of M&E on project implementation activities. Data for the study was collected using the descriptive survey method where a questionnaire was administered to project managers, branch office coordinators and monitoring and evaluation officers and other senior officials in AEE Rwanda. The findings of the study show that Local NGOs still face UN-a mountable challenges in the use of integrated M&E practices that are appropriate to local context. The findings also discovered that the monitoring and evaluation practices in local NGOs fell short of the best practices whereby most of the best practices were inconsistently done and others were not done at all. In addition, a quite number of challenges that local NGOs face in carrying out monitoring and evaluation of projects were identified. These included, among others, inadequate finances, lack of expertise, stringent and multi-donor reporting requirements, lack of baseline Findings from the research led towards recommendations in order to mitigate the challenges which Local NGOs face in the practice of monitoring and evaluation of their projects.