Characteristics of Intervention Workers Nominated by Local Ugandan Leaders: Understanding Motivations for Delegating Power

Date Presented:

February 7

Abstract:

Development initiatives increasingly regard the participation of beneficiaries as essential to improving provision of public goods. So much so, that international aid agencies such as the World Bank requires the development projects they fund to include "beneficiary participation" components. Local village leaders act as key information brokers between the villagers, the government, and non-governmental organizations. They are often asked to recommend community residents to help implement social good interventions. However, limited literature exists on the characteristics of the nominated intervention workers and motives for why specific leaders make specific nominations. I employ mixed-methods to examine the social network and demographic characteristics of individuals nominated by local Ugandan village leaders to help implement hypothetical health, female empowerment, technology, and agricultural interventions as compared to those who were not nominated, as well as analyze why specific leaders make specific nominations. I use a 2011–2012 sociocentric network study of 1,669 adults and original fieldwork interviews with four types of local leaders in eight villages in Nyakabare Parish, Southwestern Uganda. The results suggest that individuals with a direct relationship with a local leader, higher socioeconomic status, and higher social network centrality are more likely to be nominated as hypothetical intervention workers.