Contribution of Stakeholders Involvement in Monitoring and Evaluation Planning in Promoting the Funded Project Sustainability; A Case of Rwanda Health System Strengthening Project (RSSP)

The study was conducted in RWANDA and delineated the contribution of stakeholders involvement in M& E planning within RHSSP in bringing up the sustainability of donor funded project not only in the early stage of planning of program whereby the participant is viewed as Consultant, or People to be informed about the progress of project plans but rather Involving or empowering them. There has been ever increased project sustainability due to a well design contribution of stakeholder involvement in M& E planning process as detailed and pointed out. Some studies concluded that stakeholder involvement in M& E Planning contribute to sustainability of donor funded project though their description and explanation were insufficient in exploring how participation employed by different stakeholder contributes to project sustainability. The general objective of the study was to assess the contribution of stakeholders involvement in M& E planning in promoting sustainability of funded projects. Descriptive survey was used, the target population sample of the study was 109 respondents (M& E specialist& officers project Manager, partners, Beneficiaries, projects employees. This study used both primary data and secondary data, where questionnaire was used for data collection. Data collected was analyzed through SPSS version 21. Data analysis involved statistical computations for frequencies, percentages and correlation and regression analysis. Descriptive statistics and correlation (using Karl persons coefficient of correlation) were used to analyze the data and establish the relationship between the independent variables and dependent variables. Stakeholders contribution, Stakeholders participation and Stakeholders communication contribute the project sustainability, where (R=0.953). This implies that Stakeholders contribution, Stakeholders participation and Stakeholders communication have positive contribution on Project sustainability. The sig value (0.000) less than the level significance (0.05). The F-statistics (F=214.145) is far greater than the P-value (0.000). Using linear regression analysis from SPSS data bases, shows that Stakeholders contribution, Stakeholders participation and Stakeholders communication were significant with (sig=0.000 and 0.01), this means that all variables influence the project sustainability. The conclusion drawn from the study is that stakeholders involvement in various forms promoted project sustainability. These forms include resource mobilization, Collaborative partnership, Material contribution, advocacy, lobbying, information giving and consultation. In first instance, stakeholders involvement in a project needs to be initiated from the planning stage in order to win support of various stakeholders. The support can be in form of material support, Resource mobilization, Knowledge and skills, involvements ensure sustainability through active participation in various aspects of resource mobilization, material contribution, collaborative partnership, consultation and information giving.