NGOs and local scale sustainable development

Abstract

This dissertation looks at sustainable development in practice and the role which NGOs play in implementing it. The concept of sustainability in action was explored through the use of a case study which was located in a small rural community in Kenya called Kitui. Operating within the Kitui community a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Green Africa Foundation (GAF), were running a programme aimed at achieving sustainable community development through the implementation of environmental ‘friendly’ practices. Through field research, the practices and activities introduced by GAF were explored in relation to the social, economic and environmental changes which had occurred in order to assess whether the activities had been effective in achieving sustainable community development. Results indicated that sustainable community development had not been fully realised for the local Kitui community members largely due to a drop in GAF funding. The issue of donor funding and the consequent restrictions placed on an NGO when implementing projects came to the forefront of this project as one of the key factors which influences the role and effectiveness of an NGO when implementing sustainable development programmes.