The Impact of Cocoa Life Project Interventions of World Vision Ghana on Beneficiaries in the Wassa East District, Western Region

Abstract

This study examined the Impact of Cocoa Life Project interventions of World Vision Ghana (WVG) on beneficiaries in the Wassa East District (WED) using the mixed methods approach in a descriptive survey and exploratory design. The neoliberal, alternative development, social structural, social capital and social cognitive theories were used to develop the conceptual framework for the study. A total of 410 respondents including farmers, members of village savings and loans groups, gari processors, soap makers, the Head of the District Agriculture Department, and the Head of Business Advisory Centre were sampled for the study. Interview schedule, focus group discussion and interview .guides were the instruments used, with percentages, means, standard deviation, chi-square, t-test, ANOV A, thematic and content analyses as the analytical tools. The study found that unlike the implementation stage, the level of satisfaction in participation in planning and evaluation activities of the interventions was low. However, the Project was generally relevant to the development of beneficiary communities. Also, WVG put in place various measures to promote gender equality under the Project. Although various factors helped to sustain the Project, the level of transparency and accountability was low and with very short duration. Though the overall impact of the Project on the livelihood of beneficiaries is high, significant differences exist in educational, religious and ethnic backgrounds of beneficiaries based on the impact of the Project on their livelihoods. It is recommended that WVG should team up with Cocoa Life, local authorities and community leaders to design measures to ensure that project interventions truly reflect the diverse needs of beneficiaries.