Empirical Contributions of International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs) to Development: A Reference to World Vision HIV Programmes in Kenya

Abstract

This study sought to examine the empirical contributions of INGOs on development in regard to health programmes by World Vision Kenya. Studies show that since 1970s INGOs have strongly been recognized as key Third Sector Actors (TSA) on development globally as part of neo- liberal policy. INGOs emerged in Kenya and became part of the development agenda from early 1990s. HIV/AIDS has remained a major setback to development in many countries with Kenya severely affected. There is limited evidence on the empirical contribution of INGOs to development through tackling HIV problems; hence negatively affecting future funding decisions and development operations of INGOs. This study; assessed the role of INGOs in development though economic empowerment and reduction of HIV prevalence rate with reference to World Vision HIV/AIDS programmes in Tinderet Sub-County. The study used Transnationalism Theory (TT) by Robert Keohane and Joseph Nye (1971) to understand the role of INGOs as transnational actors involved in the process of accelerating development through interdependence and cooperation with States to handle global problems. In this study, mixed method was used involving systematic sampling techniques to select 114 beneficiaries of World Vision and purposively selecting key informant respondents. The data collection methods included use of personal interviews, in- depth interviews, and key informant interviews. Both quantitative and qualitative approaches were used for data analysis. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 20) was used to run descriptive statistics and merged with qualitative data according to the emerging themes using illustrations from the transcripts. The study found that; World Vision empowered HIV infected and affected persons economically and contributed to reduction of HIV prevalence rate in Tinderet Sub- County. The study concluded that INGOs have a role in development by addressing negative effect on health.

Keywords: INGOs,Transnationalism,World Vision,MNCs,TNCs.

DOI: 10.7176/IAGS/83-03

Publication date:June 30^th 2020