Determinants of Project Sustainability beyond Donor Support: Case ofCaritas Norway Supported Governance Project in Mansa Diocese, Zambia

Sustainability forms the basis of any development activity. Without it all the efforts engaged in the project become wasted. This study was aimed at investigating the Determinants of Project Sustainability beyond donor support; a case of Caritas Norway supported Governance Project in Kabunda and Mansa parishes, Mansa Diocese, Zambia. Sustainability can be referred to as the ability of the community to continue with the project activities while at the same time reaping similar dividends from a project long after the sponsor has phased out. That is, communities are capable of producing results for their benefits for as long as their problem still exists. However, community projects have suffered poor sustainability world over. This study was prompted by alleged failure by communities to perpetuate governance project outcomes after Caritas Norway’s financial and technical support in Mansa Diocese, as part of efforts to improve community projects and their sustainability. The researcher used a descriptive study design to conduct this study. Two parishes from Mansa Diocese were sampled. Purposive and random sampling techniques were used to select a sample size of 96 key informants and households respectively. The researcher collected data using questionnaires and interview guides. Both the qualitative and quantitative data were analyzed separately and results converged during interpretation. Quantitative data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 20.0 and were summarized using bar charts, frequencies and percentages. The qualitative data were analyzed and presented using narrative description. The findings show that the governance project has suffered sustainability due to poor community participation, low educational levels among households, undiversified households and poor understanding of governance. The findings also show that despite being an essential part of every development in society, women are the most uneducated and least to participate in community projects. Based on the findings, the researcher recommends that development stakeholders should ensure communities they are working with participate in all stages of project formulation and implementation. They should prioritize education by increasing and improving school infrastructure and scalability of adult education and policies that ensure education for all. Development duty-bearers should also consider strategies that empower households economically through linkages with entrepreneurial initiatives for IGAs. Households should also be assisted to expand their understanding of governance to include issues of corruption, transparency and accountability to ensure project sustainability.