ASSESSMENT OF PROGRAMME ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED BY NGOs AND THEIR IMPACT TOWARDS POVERTY REDUCTION IN KASIPUL CONSTITUENCY, HOMABAY COUNTY, KENYA

Ending poverty in all its forms everywhere is the first of the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by which United Nations member countries including Kenya committed themselves to eradicate poverty by the year 2030. In this paper focus has been placed on the programme activities of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and their impact in reducing poverty in the area. The paper is a part of a study that was conducted in Kasipul Constituency in which the author sought to establish the role played by NGOs towards reduction of poverty. The aim of this paper is therefore to identify NGOs working in Rachuonyo South and analyse the programme activities through which they engage to reduce poverty in the region and the impact of such activities. The study engaged eleven NGO representatives in a survey that used questionnaire to collect data from the NGO’s perspective. This was followed by key informant interviews targeting community leaders and finally six focus group discussions were held with community members in selected locations within the constituency. The results of the study show that out of the 11 NGOs working in the area, improving agricultural productivity and HIV/Aids management and control were the leading poverty reduction programmes being undertaken. Nonetheless, water and sanitation were found to have contributed most to poverty reduction outcomes. The study recommends that there is need for NGOs to invest more in establishing programmes that improve the economic conditions of the people by increasing the people’s household incomes