Evaluation of Community Initiative on People’s Socio-Economic Livelihood in Kenya: Case study of Bangla-Pesa in Bangladesh Slum, Mombasa County

Abstract

Community initiatives are important on people’s socio-economic livelihood. This study evaluates Bangla-Pesa community initiative on people’s socio-economic livelihood in Bangladesh slum, Mombasa County. Bangla-Pesa is a community complementary currency which is used as a mutual-credit model through a network of local business. It is a non-profit program to strengthen and stabilize the economy of the informal settlements of Kenya by organizing small scale businesses into Business Networks through which members can utilize a community currency to mediate trades. Bangla-Pesa is shown to facilitate exchanges of roughly more than 197000 Kenya shillings in value per day among 394 businesses. It is expected that this will raise living standards in the community primarily through the utilization of excess business capacity. The main objective was to evaluate community initiative projects on people’s socio-economic livelihood in Kenya with emphasis on Bangla-Pesa initiative in Bangladesh slum, Mombasa County. The specific objectives of the study were to; evaluate people’s socio-economic livelihood before Bangla-Pesa initiative; assess the effects of Bangla-Pesa initiative in people’s socio-economic livelihood; to establish the challenges inhibiting its application in eradicating poverty and to explore strategies of Bangla-Pesa initiative in alleviating poverty. The study was guided by Theory of change and used a case study research design. The study targeted 394 Bangladesh Business Networks owners. A stratified random sampling method was used to select the respondents that included 118 Bangladesh Business owners, 5 Bangla-Pesa initiative management, 3 head teachers and 16 teachers. Questionnaires and interviews for Bangladesh business owners were used to collect data. Validity and reliability of the instruments was ensured before conducting the actual study. The questionnaire was personally administered to the selected Bangladesh business owners. Interviews were conducted on the key informants. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and presented in frequency tables and graphs. Both qualitative and quantitative data was analysed by grouping quotations from the respondents by categories and coding of the particular common responses. This was done according to the quotations from particular themes. The findings indicated that the community and the local leaders supported other initiatives before Bangla-pesa. The initiative was found to have a major effect on people’s socio-economic livelihood. The challenges inhibiting its application in eradicating poverty included minimum support from the local government, fear of being victimized to be members of MRC and lack of awareness of its benefits among the community member. The strategy used to enhance the initiative in alleviating poverty was found to be relevant. It can be concluded from the findings that, Bangla-Pesa initiative had successful influence on the peoples’ socio-economic livelihood. The study therefore recommends that the local leaders should create awareness through barazas and rallies that will educate the community on advantages of the initiative.