Factors Affecting Implementation of Projects in International Non-Governmental Organizations in Rwanda. A Case of Adventist Development and Relief Agency

Abstract

Project implementation is generally affected by various factors from the beginning to completion of the project. This research deals with the factors influencing the implementation of international non-governmental organizations (NGOs)' projects in Rwanda, with Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) as a case study. Over the past years, NGOs have been returning funds to donors because the planned activities were not implemented. The main purpose of this research was to examine the effect of planning, communication, and managerial factors on projects' implementation, as the three objectives, respectively. The research used a descriptive research design on a population of 97 ADRA staff, where the census method was applied since the target population could be managed within the time and cost of the research. The descriptive research design with a quantitative approach helped to collect data using a questionnaire in which the responses were scored on a numerical scale. Regression analysis was performed to reveal the correlation between planning, managerial factors, communication, and projects' implementation. The study shows a significant and positive relationship between planning and cost, with a Pearson correlation of 0.822 and a calculated significance level of 0.00, which is less than the 0.01 significance level. The study also shows a significant and positive relationship between planning and timeliness, with a Pearson correlation of 0.819 and a calculated significance value of 0.00, which is also less than the 0.01 significance level. The second objective of the correlation analysis results shows that there is a positive and significant relationship between communication and cost (r=0.767), timeliness (r=0.764), and quality (r=0.818) at the sig=0.00<0.01 level of significance. Lastly, the third objective of the study was to investigate the managerial factors affecting the implementation of ADRA projects. The correlation analysis results confirmed a positive and significant relationship between managerial factors and cost (r=0.753), timeliness (r=0.750), and quality (r=0.804) at the sig=0.00<0.01 level of significance. In conclusion, the results of the research showed that there is a positive and significant relationship between managerial factors, communication, planning, and the implementation of ADRA projects in Rwanda. Keywords: Implementation of Projects, International Non-Governmental Organizations, Adventist Development, Relief Agency, Rwanda.