Impact of non-governmental organisations’ cost reduction strategies on marginalised communities’ sustainable development in Zimbabwe’s volatile economy
- Author
- Tore, Natasha
- Title
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Impact of non-governmental organisations’ cost reduction strategies on marginalised communities’ sustainable development in Zimbabwe’s volatile economy
- Abstract
- This study investigates the impacts of NGOs’ cost reduction strategies on sustainable development in marginalized communities within Zimbabwe’s volatile economy. With the on-going economic crisis, NGOs are forced to balance financial survival and effective service delivery. The primary objectives of this research are to examine the cost reduction strategies employed by NGOs, assess their effects on service delivery, and investigate the challenges posed by economic environment and recommend effective approaches for sustaining services. A qualitative research design was utilized, employing semi-structured interviews with finance and program officers from four NGOs: CAMFED, ZELA, Oxfam and Caritas. A total of 10 interviews were conducted, following the principle of thematic saturation to ensure comprehensive insights into the challenges faced by these organizations. Thematic analysis was applied to evaluate the effectiveness of the different strategies discussed. Findings reviewed that voluntary labour is the most effective strategy followed by capacity building initiatives. While digital transformation reduces operational cost it creates barriers for marginalised communities lacking technical access , use of energy conversion ,community based resources was also mentions Zimbabwe’s hyperinflation, Currency fluctuation, cuts in donor funding infrastructure challenge , changing regulations , significantly impact NGO operation forcing constant budget adjustments and program downsizing. Atlas ti qualitative data analysis tool version 25 was used to analyse data from interviews. The study concludes that cost reduction strategies while essential for survival often compromise service quality and exclude vulnerable populations. Recommendation includes adopting community based approaches utilising voluntary labour, investing in renewable energy solution, strengthening oversight mechanism for outsourced service and implement inclusive digital strategies that address connectivity barriers while maintaining development impacts
- Date
- June 2025
- Publisher
- BUSE
- Keywords
- Non-governmental organisations
- Cost reduction strategies
- Sustainable development
- Zimbabwe
- Supervisor
- Dr Mabhungu
- Item sets
- Department of Accountancy
