The Influence of Resource Mobilization on the Sustainability of Women Group Projects in Bamenda Municipality

Abstract

Project sustainability remains a persistent challenge for women’s group initiatives in developing contexts, particularly where donor dependence is high. This study examines the influence of resource mobilization namely financial resources, physical resources, and leadership on the sustainability of women’s group projects in Bamenda, Cameroon. Using a descriptive cross-sectional research design, data were collected from 152 respondents drawn from women’s group projects across seven villages and analysed using Pearson correlation and multiple regression. The results show strong positive associations between sustainability and leadership (r = 0.791, p < 0.01), physical resource mobilization (r = 0.675, p < 0.01), and financial resource mobilization (r = 0.310, p < 0.01). The regression model demonstrates high explanatory power (R = 0.831, R² = 0.691; Adjusted R² = 0.685), indicating that approximately 69.1 percent of the variance in project sustainability is explained by the three predictors. The overall model is statistically significant (F = 110.451, p < 0.001). In terms of individual predictors, leadership is a significant predictor of sustainability (β = 0.818, t = 10.393, p < 0.001); physical resources are also a significant predictor of sustainability (β = 0.492, t = 5.573, p < 0.001); and financial resources are a significant predictor of sustainability (β = 0.310, t = 3.563, p < 0.001). However, leadership is the strongest predictor of sustainability. The conclusion is that women’s group project sustainability is a function of effective integration of leadership capacity, mobilization of physical assets, and use of diversified financial strategies. Therefore, a recommendation is made for enhancing leadership capacity development, access to productive assets, and the use of diversified financial strategies for enhancing women’s group project sustainability.