An Assessment of Practices And Challenge of Community Participation In Local Developmental Programs And Its Implication For Poverty Reduction: The Case of South West Showa Zone, Dawo District
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Date
2017-06
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Addis Ababauniversity
Abstract
This Research was designed to assess the practices and challenges of community participation in
local developmental programs. It also tried to address the community experiences; the
implications of adult educations for developmental programs and the contribution of community
participation to poverty reduction. Samples of 78 respondents were taken for the study using
multistage stratified sampling. In the process of answering the basic questions, a questionnaire
that include demographic profiles, experiences of community participation, major challenges of
community participation, implication of adult education, current practical level (degree) of
community participation and the current community participation implication to reduce poverty
were designed in the form of closed and open ended questions. Key informant Interviews were
held with top officials and one expert whose activities are related with the research topic from
Woreda administrative, Education, road construction, Health, agricultural, and water and
energy offices and totally 12 respondents were purposively selected. In addition, three (3) focus
group discussions (FGD) were conducted with four community areas (Busa, Kersa, Arbigebaya
and Bashi). After the data had been collected, it was analyzed using simple statistical techniques
(tables, figures and percentages).The results of the study indicated the practices and challenges
of community at the local area. First, the major experiences identified were peoples with high
income, high education level, low family members, and alternative incomes, managerial or
professional, were the ones who participated in political, and civil services activities. However,
peoples with low incomes, large family sizes, less education level, in sales and services
participated in low level. Second, the major challenges identified were lack of finance, lack of
information, capacity problems of local leaders, lack of policy support, lack of periodically
monitoring the participation and time constraints .third, the study revealed that adult education
in developmental programs contributed to poverty reduction activities, fourth, it was found out
that community participation was weak except in implementation process. Finally, it was
conducted that community participation in local developmental programs was weak. Hence, it
was recommended that more participatory approach should be encouraged by south west showa
zone, dawo district, more socially disadvantaged sections of the community should be
encouraged to actively participate in local developmental programs
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Keywords
Community Participation