Accountability Practices Among Faith-Based Organisations and Household Poverty Reduction in Rwanda’s Western Province
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53819/81018102t4388Abstract
Accountability practices are central to the credibility and effectiveness of Faith-Based Organisation-led household poverty reduction. In Rwanda, poverty reduction has been advanced through Vision 2050, the National Strategy for Transformation, decentralised governance, social protection programmes, and district-level coordination structures. Yet many households in Western Province continue to face livelihood insecurity, food shortages, limited income opportunities, uneven access to basic services, and exposure to environmental and socio-economic shocks. This study assessed how accountability practices among Faith-Based Organisations influenced household poverty reduction in Rwanda’s Western Province, with attention to transparency, reporting, monitoring, beneficiary feedback, responsible resource use, and stakeholder participation. An interpretivist qualitative case-study design was adopted. Data was generated through semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, observation, and document review involving FBO leaders, programme staff, local government actors, Joint Action Development Forum representatives, community leaders, and beneficiary households. Findings showed that accountability strengthened trust, improved fairness in beneficiary selection, protected resources, enhanced programme legitimacy, and supported institutional learning. However, accountability remained uneven because reporting to donors, religious authorities, government institutions, and organisational leadership was more formalised than accountability to beneficiary households. The study concludes that accountability is not simply an administrative requirement; it is a participatory and ethical governance practice through which poor households gain voice, programmes become more responsive, and poverty reduction support becomes more sustainable. Stronger community feedback systems, transparent targeting procedures, participatory monitoring, accessible complaint channels, and multidirectional accountability are therefore necessary for improving FBO-led household poverty reduction.
Keywords: Accountability practices, Faith-Based Organisations, household poverty reduction, collaborative governance, Rwanda’s Western Province
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