Participatory Communication in Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation of Programmes in Christian Children's Fund Projects in Zambia : The case of Mwembeshi Cluster and Mtengo Projects

The research focuses on participatory communication in planning (design), monitoring and evaluation of programmes in Christian Children's Fund (CCF) affiliated projects in Zambia. The thrust is on the actual involvement of the communities in the planning, monitoring and evaluation of programmes. Of great importance is the use of the Project Management Tool (PMT) which was fully implemented in 1997 to enhance community participation. The specific places of research included the Mwembeshi, Namayani, Kabile, Kalundu and Mtengo Projects.
The study was prompted by the fact that despite the over twenty years CCF has been in operation in Zambia, no tangible empowerment of families and communities has been done, let alone the meagre handouts given to the families. The existing scenario is that communities do not have power to make decisions to control the developments and improve their well-being. Sustainability of programmes does not to exist in CCF projects..
The overall outcomes point to the fact that CCF communities are not fully empowered to decide on programmes though efforts towards that are being introduced through the PMT and organisational / structural changes. However, what is outstanding is that communities are merely informed of what should be done. Information flow is also not adequate and slows participation, hence the need for individual and social change innovations.