Project Design and Child Welfare and Safety in Rwanda: A Case of Keeping Children Safety Project in Gasabo District

Abstract

This study examined the role of project design on child welfare and safety in Rwanda with reference to Keeping Children Safety Project in Gasabo. Specifically, the study investigated the effect of scope design, the effect of budget and the effect of risk design on child welfare and safety. The study used descriptive design with quantitative and qualitative approaches. The theory of change, system theory and the execution theory were used. A sample of 279 participants was selected among 904 beneficiaries of Keeping Children Safety Project implemented by Plan International in Gasabo District. The sampled population was chosen using simple random and purposive sampling techniques. Questionnaires and interview guide were used for data collection. Descriptive statistics were used to give frequencies, percentage, mean and standard deviation while inferential statistics were used to establish the correlation and regression effect between variables. The results show that defining course of activities is significantly correlated with children welfare and safety (b=0.129, p-value=0.033). Sequencing activities was insignificantly correlated with children welfare and safety (b=0.026, p-value=0.660). Estimation time of activities was significantly correlated with children welfare and safety (b=0.134, p-value=0.026). Results also showed that a unit of change in cost estimation leads to reduction of malnutrition in grade obtained limited by a factor of 0.23. Results to the third objective revealed that a unit of change in risk identification reduces children malnutrition limited by a factor of 0.97. The study concluded that scope design, budget design and risk design positively and significantly contributes to children welfare and to Keeping Children Safety Project in Gasabo District. The study recommends that cost estimation ought to be based on project scope and be associated with project plan. Project managers should encourage collaboration between variation in capabilities and in keeping children safe. Project team members and beneficiaries should understand that effective project design is capable of facilitating project performance. Keywords: Project design, child welfare, keeping children safe, time schedules, sequencing of actions and pertinent risks.