ENHANCING STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATION FOR EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF WORLD FOOD PROGRAM-FUNDED PROJECTS IN KAKUMA REFUGEE CAMP, KENYA

ABSTRACT

Communication in projects implementation plays a crucial role in the achievement of project objectives and generating the desired change. In Kakuma Refugee Camp, where World Food Program (WFP) has been implementing food assistance projects since its establishment in 1992, communication with some primary stakeholders, especially refugees, is wanted. As a result, refugees protested in 2024 and in 2025 when WFP cut food rations. If there was robust communication system between refugees and WFP such protests would have been prevented in a series of joint stakeholder meetings. This study seeks to assess stakeholder engagement practices on the implementation of WFP-funded projects in Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya. The study was guided by four specific objectives: to examine influence of stakeholder communication on implementation of WFP-funded projects, assess stakeholder decision-making on implementation of WFP-funded projects, evaluate stakeholder capacity-building on implementation of WFP-funded projects, and analyze stakeholder feedback mechanisms on the implementation of WFP-funded projects. The study was anchored on Stakeholder Theory and Ladder of Citizen Participation Theory. A mixed-methods approach, using convergent parallel design, was employed. Quantitative and qualitative data were integrated for valuable insights. The quantitative data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27, whereas qualitative data was analyzed using thematic analysis by cleaning and coding data to identify the recurrent themes and patterns. The target population for the study was 210,711, and the sample size of 399 was selected using Yamane’s formula (1967). Stratified random sampling was used to select refugees, and purposive sampling was used to select 11 key informants from WFP and DRS based on their expertise, knowledge, and experiences. Structured questionnaires and interview guide were used to collect quantitative and qualitative data, respectively. The findings of the study revealed that project implementation and communication have a positive correlation of 0.62, p-value 0.001, project implementation and decision-making have a strong positive correlation of 0.75, p-value 0.000, project implementation and capacity-building have a positive correlation of 0.68, p-value, project implementation and  feedback mechanisms have a strong positive correlation of 0.70, p-value 0.000. These findings revealed the significance of effective communication in WFP projects implementation in Kakuma Refugee Camp. This study will contribute to actionable insights that can be applied in projects implementation in the world.