Exploring Staff and Participant Perceptions and Experiences of Project Closure: A Case Study of HealthyFoodAfrica’s Closure in Kisumu

Abstract

This study is a case study of the closure of an International Development project in Kisumu, Kenya. Literature consistently demonstrates that the closure of projects is a vital stage, especially if the project is designed for the interventions to continue beyond implementation. However, this field has been under-researched, and the existing literature calls for the contribution of case studies to support academic knowledge. This study asks what participant’s perceptions of the project closure were, and whether they were prepared for the future. To assess the future practices of participants, Social Practice Theory was applied to the research, focusing on participants’ resources, skills and interest needed for the future. Participants from seven stakeholder groups were interviewed, including the project staff and people supported by the project.

The research found that most participants felt well-prepared for the project to close. Most participants felt motivated by the project and that they had received a high quality of training. Although the project had been designed to limit the need for participants to access expensive resources, some participants did feel that they might struggle to continue engaging due to the barrier posed by access to non-renewable resources. Throughout the research a clear contradiction arose between the project design and the context of the project. While the project attempted to be inclusive and meet high standards of “best practice”, it faced external limitations, such as the requirements of donors and complexities found within Kisumu. These findings provide useful insights about best practice, which future research into project closure could assess further.

This thesis therefore concludes that it is important for the project closure process to be better understood, by academics, donors and practitioners, for closures to be implemented effectively. To support future research, suggestions are given for future academic researchers and project staff to consider.