Title_ Non-Governmental Organizations and Rural Poverty Reduction in Northern Ghana: Perspectives of Beneficiaries on Strategies, Impact and Challenges

Author_ Osei-Wusu Adjei, Seth Agyemang, and Kwadwo Afriyie

Pages 47-74

Abstract_ This paper draws experiences from 198 heads of rural households benefitting from four operational NGOs to address the extent to which NGOs impact on poverty reduction in the Wa West and Tain districts of northern Ghana. It examines the NGOs poverty reduction strategies and their impact on people’s quality of life. The paper reveals that the NGOs adopt the integrated rural development strategy with both basic needs and basic means approaches. The paper identifies improved income, productivity levels of beneficiary households and improved utilization of basic social amenities as significant impact of operational NGOs in the study areas. However, low level of participation of beneficiaries in the NGOs strategies’ design is a major challenge inhibiting their effectiveness. The paper recommends that, given the necessity of local government support through the creation of an enabling environment, NGOs can effectively combat the multiple manifestations of poverty in the rural communities in northern Ghana.

Keywords_ NGOs, Poverty, Rural, Livelihoods, Ghana