The politics of development cooperation: African NGOs and their relational environment. A study of Maendeleo Ya Wanawake in Kenya

This study examines the politics of interorganizational development cooperation in Kenya. It focuses on the relationships between Maendeleo Ya Wanawake (MYWO) and foreign donors, and the Kenyan government. MYWO is Kenya's largest women's organization which claims to be a non-governmental organization (NGO). It is also the oldest women's organization of its type in Africa.;This study attempts to determine the degree of autonomy MYWO maintains in its development partnerships with the Kenyan government and foreign donors, which provide the lion's share of its financial and technical resources. It further attempts to determine whether or not "autonomy" necessarily leads to more successful development programs. This study is also concerned with whether or not gender is a factor which makes women's organizations more vulnerable to resource dependencies in male-dominated relationships.;Archival research was conducted in England in 1989 and 1992, and fieldwork was conducted in Kenya in 1991-1992 utilizing participant observation and interviews with grassroots women's groups, MYWO staff and elected officials, Kenyan government Ministry personnel, foreign donors and other relevant persons.;This study found that MYWO was not a genuine NGO. It falsified its reputation to secure foreign donor funding. In 1987, MYWO was captured by the Kenyan Africa National Union (KANU) party and government which effectively made it an appendage of the state. KANU controlled its finances, and undermined the power of women. MYWO national elected leaders allowed this to happen as they did not believe in women's solidarity. They were concerned with individual enrichment and recognition by KANU.;Foreign donors in partnership with MYWO were a diverse lot. Some of them provided assistance with relatively few strings attached. Others, however, made programmatic and policy mandates.;The conclusion of this study is that the partnerships of foreign donors and the Kenyan government and MYWO offer little hope for the development of Africa. For most of these groups, development is more about satiating their political and economic appetites rather than providing a supportive environment for the maximization of human potential. This study further raises questions about the authenticity of NGOs--Northern and Southern, the indigenousness of women's groups, and the untenable definitions of organizational autonomy and dependence.