Yale University

Sustainability of NGO capacity building in southern Africa: successes and opportunities.

TitleSustainability of NGO capacity building in southern Africa: successes and opportunities.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2011
AuthorsHumphries, Debbie, Ligia Gomez, and Kari Hartwig
JournalThe International journal of health planning and management
Volume26
Issue2
Paginatione85-101
Date Published2011 Apr-Jun
ISSN1099-1751
KeywordsAfrica, Southern, Capacity Building, Developing Countries, Health Planning, Health Services Needs and Demand, HIV Infections, Humans, Interviews as Topic, Organizational Objectives, Organizations, Program Development, Questionnaires
AbstractDespite an increase in organizational capacity building efforts by external organizations in low and middle income countries, the documentation of these efforts and their effects on health programs and systems remains limited. This paper reviews key frameworks for considering sustainability of capacity building and applies these frameworks to an evaluation of the sustainability of an AIDS non-governmental organization (NGO) capacity building initiative. From 2004-2007 Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation's Secure the Future(TM) initiative in southern Africa funded a five country program, the NGO Training Institute (NGOTI), to build capacity of NGOs working to address HIV/AIDS. Lessons learned from this project include issues of ownership, the importance of integrating planning for sustainability within capacity-building projects, and the value of identifying primary capacity-building objectives in order to select sustainability strategies that are focused on maintaining program benefits. Sustainability for capacity building projects can be developed by discussing key issues early in the planning process with all primary stakeholders.
DOI10.1002/hpm.1029
Alternate JournalInt J Health Plann Manage

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