Non-Governmental Organisations in Poverty Reduction: A Case Study of Actionaid Ghana in Sissala East District

Abstract

The aim of this research work was to examine the role of non-governmental organizations in poverty reduction with focus on ActionAid Ghana in the Sissala East District of the Upper West Region. The study employed qualitative research design with interview as the main research instrument for data collection. The study employed twenty-five (25) respondents who are key beneficiaries of ActionAid programs in Ghana. The study found out that, pursuant to effort in reducing poverty in the study area, ActionAid has instituted several poverty reduction related projects, in the areas of economic and income generation, provision of health care, scholarship and educational facilities and provision of financial assistance for economic and agricultural purposes, resulting in an improved living standard of the people in the district. Further, the study found that, the activities of ActionAid is impeded with issues of sustainability, politicization of the programs and operations of the organization, unwillingness on the part of local communities to do away with existing harmful cultures practices and lack of corporation on the part of state institutions in the area. the study recommend that, state institutions charged with the primary responsibility of reducing poverty must work in tandem with ActionAid and other NGOs towards attaining poverty reduction and development in the area.