Stakeholder’ Engagement and Sustainability of Donor-Funded Rehabilitation Centers in Kiambu County, Kenya

Abstract

Allowing stakeholders to set the vision of a project and prioritizing results will enable them to possess the appropriate ideas throughout planning with the results remaining relevant to them during the project cycle. The aim of the study was to assess the effect of stakeholders’ engagement on the sustainability of donor-funded rehabilitation centers in Kiambu County, Kenya. The study was anchored on Stakeholder and Arnstein’s Participatory Theories. Descriptive research design was adopted and the targeted population was composed of 400 employees working in donor-funded rehabilitation centers in Kiambu County. The researcher used a stratified random sampling technique and a sample of 200 individuals participated in the study. Data was collected using a questionnaire and the results analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, with the aid of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Linear regression analysis was adopted and the outcome showed that donor-funded projects succeed when functional stakeholders are included. Additionally, a project's long-term viability is influenced by the resources that underpin it, and by the amount of interest and involvement from its stakeholders. The study recommends that the National and County Governments in Kiambu County should establish laws that control the execution of sustainability for donor-funded projects and invest in stakeholders to guarantee accountable use of funds. During the period of implementation, those in charge of projects should make it a priority to ensure that all relevant stakeholders have access to the resources they need to engage fully in the initiatives. There has to be a mental shift on the part of those who stand to benefit from the donor initiatives as well as the society as a whole. In order to adhere to study ethics, the researcher requested approval from Kenyatta University, National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation and the management of the rehabilitation centers in Kiambu County. Additionally, the data gathered will only be used for academic reasons, anonymity and confidentiality adhered to and the references and works used in the paper are acknowledged. Keywords: Stakeholders, Donors, Donor-Funded, Sustainability, Rehabilitation Centers