Integrated graduation program and its effect on poverty reduction in Gisagara District, Muganza Sector 2018-2020.

Abstract

Around the countryside, people‘s economy has increased to the pleasant level of development. The government of Rwanda have established many developmental programs to lift poor people from vicious circle of poverty. The Integrated Graduation program has been established to reduce extreme poverty in Gisagara district. This program is used to reduce extreme poverty among the citizens who live in vicious circle of poverty in order to have good living condition. Different perspectives from some scholars highlighted how graduation program is like vehicle to poverty reduction and socioeconomic development of disadvantaged people. The objective of this study is to found out the role the Integrated Graduation Program in reduction of extreme poverty in Gisagara District; to analyze the impact of Integrated Graduation Program in economic development of community in Muganza sector. The research also wanted to find out how Integrated Graduation Program increased the livelihood of people in Muganza sector and to highlight obstacles that hinders the development of people in Muganza sector. The qualitative design used in this research, interview, focus group discussions and documentations were all used. Both primary and secondary data were conducted and the respondents were selected purposively. The data from respondents have shown that graduation program not only contribute to socio-economic development of citizens. The graduation provides cash transfers, assets transfers that helped beneficiaries to be able to access their needs. The participants appreciate the trainings offered on how to prepare nitrous food and different technique of farming. This give them opportunity own livestock either small or big animals that help them access to market and manure that increase agricultural production. However, the district still is one of the districts with big number of people in extreme poverty in Rwanda despite different graduation program implemented there. From this, it is recommended that the implementation of graduation program needs serious execution, follow up, audition and evaluation in both implementers and beneficiaries so that supports provided to them should be more effective. Moreover, the collaboration between government institutions and nongovernment agencies should be strong to ensure effectiveness and efficiency of the program.