An investigation of the impact of developmental aid channeled through faith based institutions : a case study of Njolo irrigation scheme under Cadecom Dedza Diocese

Developmental aid is provided by developed nations to governments in the third world for specific reasons. Reasons for this kind of aid could be humanitarian, charitable, and what is called systematic. Some of the aid is channeled or provided through church or faith-based communities. One of such faith based institutions that received developmental aid is Catholic Development Commission in Malawi (CADECOM).For this study CADECOM has been selected due to the advantages of accessibility and quantum of aid received annually. The aim of the research study was to investigate the impact of developmental aid on the targeted beneficiaries of Njolo irrigation scheme, a project carried out by CADECOM. The researcher intended to achieve three objectives; a) to explore how Njolo irrigation scheme project was initiated, designed and implemented; b) to explore the challenges encountered during the implementation of Njolo irrigation scheme projects; c) to investigate the impact of developmental aid through Njolo irrigation scheme on the project beneficiaries and the promotion of human values as stipulated by Dedza Diocese. There are notable indications in the literature review that seem to suggest that aid has not made much impact in Africa especially in the sub Saharan region. The reasons vary, but one of it is lack of the transfer of the technical skills from the donor partner to the beneficiary of the aid. For the design of the research study the author applied epistemology type of philosophy which leans heavily on positivism because of the existing facts of Njolo irrigation scheme. On the basis of the approaches, the author applied qualitative research mainly, though quantitative element can be detected. The study revealed the following: • The Njolo irrigation scheme was initiated by the community; hence it was a demand –driven project. • To a larger extent, the stages in the project cycle that is project initiation, designing and planning, execution, and monitoring were done to satisfactory levels. • During the implementation of the project, there were a number of challenges that were encountered by both the implementers and project beneficiaries. • The project registered some impacts on the socio-economic welfare of the target beneficiaries. Such impact included: The beneficiaries became more food secure than before. • To a great extent, the project managed to promote the human values as stipulated by the Diocese of Dedza. • Overall, factors that affected the attainment of the intended project impact included inadequate funding, insignificant number of project beneficiaries, lack of market to sell the extra produce from the scheme, time span for the project and non-holistic approach to addressing the needs of the target community. Based on the revelations from the study, the researcher recommends that: • There is need to increase the time frame for such projects • There is need to increasing number of project beneficiaries in such projects in order to realize meaning impact • There is need to secure adequate funding for project implementation • There is need to be equipping the project beneficiaries with technical skills to ensure suitability of technical support. • In such projects, the project beneficiaries should be involved through the entire project cycle • Project planning should include an exist plan. The exist plan shall be a kind of agreement with the donor partners that when a project duration expires, there must be an allowance of a certain period where the donor still provides support that may be needed be it technical, financial. The researcher suggests this because Malawi is a third World country where learning doing new things takes a gradual process. For future research, a study that targets significantly a larger group would be necessary. Further to that there is a need to make comparative study with a group that has not received any donor support to find out how they survive