Capacity building for inclusive growth in community-based tourism initiatives in Kenya

Abstract

Capacity building for communities has become increasingly important since the 1980s as implementing agencies seek to realize sustainable impacts from development assistance to communities. The African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) implements capacity building interventions among communities engaged in tourism. There is, however, a paucity of knowledge regarding community capacity building interventions. Using the Learning Organization Model, this article investigates the outcomes of AWF's capacity building interventions in two Community-based Tourism (CBT) initiatives in Kenya. Empirical data were collected between January and April 2015 through in-depth semi-structured interviews with stakeholders, literature review and document analysis. Both CBT initiatives demonstrate minimal internal and external community interactions, limited learning opportunities for members and minimal shared vision and teamwork. The analysis further reveals the complexity in delivering community capacity building. This article recommends a strategic focus on the modalities and components of capacity building interventions as a way of enhancing the outcomes of CBT initiatives.