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University of Pittsburgh

Publication Date

Spring 2013

Program Name

Uganda: Post-Conflict Transformation

Abstract

This research explores the concepts of effectiveness and sustainability in the non-governmental organization (NGO) development sector by looking at two of the youth empowerment programs in the case study organization, Gulu Women’s Economic Development and Globalization (GWED-G). GWED-G is a women’s’ rights organization that works in the Amuru, Nwoya, and Gulu districts of northern Uganda and implements various different programs all with vulnerable individuals. The reason that this organization has chosen to work with empowering youth is due to the dismal conditions that these youths faced during their upbringings, which occurred during the 20-year-long conflict that affected much of the northern Ugandan region. During the course of this study five different effectiveness and sustainability strategies that GWED-G employs will be examined and compared across two youth programs that GWED-G implements.

The main method of data collection employed in this study included internship with the case study organization GWED-G. Other methods used included interview, focus group discussions, participant observation and collection of secondary source material. This study took place over a period of four weeks and worked to include a well-representative sample of respondents that included GWED-G staff, donor organization staff, partner organization staff, beneficiaries and other knowledgeable sources.

After examining the case study organization, five different effectiveness and sustainability strategies were found, and became the basis of the findings of this research. It was found that if NGOs employ some of these strategies, especially those dealing with northern Ugandan youth, then they will be better equipped to help their target beneficiaries. Therefore their collective success would help to speed up the process of post-conflict transformation in the region. This research has determined that GWED-G effectiveness and sustainability strategies are generally successful. Other organizations should consider adopting these strategies for their own usages.

Disciplines

Civic and Community Engagement | Family, Life Course, and Society | Gender and Sexuality | Growth and Development | Inequality and Stratification | Politics and Social Change | Women's Studies

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