The Strategy Implementation Approach as an Alternative to Improving Programmes Implementation in Zimbabwe’s Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs): The Case of a Selected Peace Building NGO

Abstract

Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in a majority of cases depend on donors for funding. However the global economic crisis has left many traditional donors with very limited financial resources to fund NGOs. As a way of ensuring that the little resources that are at their disposal are efficiently utilised, donors are now targeting NGOs that have sound corporate governance structures and are engaged in sustainable programmes that have the greatest impact on the communities that they serve. This has created intense competition among NGOs, including those operating in Zimbabwe, as they jockey for donor support. However the allocation that Zimbabwe’s NGOs are receiving compared to other countries is relatively small. This paper proposes that the reason why Zimbabwe’s NGOs are not receiving a large share of donor funding is that they are poorly implementing programmes. This poor implementation has resulted in programmes lacking sustainability and having little impact on communities. To assess the study’s proposal, the study used the qualitative research approach. Semi structured interviews were conducted with management from a selected peace building NGO. The findings confirm that there are weaknesses in programmes implementation, mainly related to poor systems-poor programme planning processes, weak financial and human resources policies, and a weak organisational culture. The study recommends that the NGO institutes effective project planning and implementation, human and financial resources management systems. These recommended systems will inadvertently strengthen the organisation’s culture.

Keywords: Implementation, sustainable, programme, Non-Governmental Organisation, strategy.