Impact of Non-Governmental Organisations Interventions on Long-Term Economic Development of Low Income Earning Households of Rural Areas of Rwanda; A Case Study of Maraba Area Programme in Huye District

Rwanda like many other developing countries has been experiencing a slow economic development over the decades since her independence. This situation was worsened by political instability and the civil war that culminated to the 1994 Tutsi genocide that claimed live of a million of people while destroying the socioeconomic apparatus of the country. This left a too huge task to the government to support the population in the development journey especially in rural areas where most of the populations live in poverty. International community supported the reconstruction of the country and its development endeavors in various forms. NGOs as development actors are some of the supports that Rwanda benefited firstly as emergency but later changed their agenda to support the development process. NGOs are key development actors who support the population through service, financial donations; gifts in kind to low income earning families to unleash their potentials and wealth hence attain better livelihoods. The role played by NGOs in the lives of poor families in rural areas is recognized though many do not agree the extent to which they support their beneficiaries as far as long-term economic development is concerned. This research aimed to factually establish the impact of the interventions of World Vision Rwanda, Maraba AP onto the long-term economic development of its beneficiaries in sectors of Maraba and Kigoma. This research observed the changes in socio economic indicators like access on basic needs namely education, health, shelter and other indicators like income generation through job creation, increase of production, access to finance, etc. Using a case-control study, the research collected data from reports on two case group the sectors namely Maraba and Kigoma and compared them to control group sectors that are Rwaniro and Karama. The research found out that in case sectors indicators performed better than in control sectors. The information from the reports was completed by qualitative data collected from 64 respondents through Focus Group Discussions also from in-depth interviews with the four officers in charge of social affairs in four sectors listed above. The analysis of primary and secondary data from sectors of both case and control groups was done trying to measure the difference in differences which was attributed to the interventions of Maraba AP in beneficiary sectors. 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) hence a further confirmation that aspects of training& Coaching was significantly influenced long-term economic development of low income earning. The statistical deference was observed from data from reports and emphasized by the data qualitative data. This research formulated recommendations that will guide the programming of World Vision and other NGOs in general for optimal results. These recommendations will as well help both government and the beneficiaries to hold accountable NGOs on their activities both at local and national level.