Towards Sustainable Poverty Reduction: The Role of Digital Technology in Enhancing Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (Leap) Programme

Abstract

The study investigated the role of digital technology in enhancing the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme towards sustainable poverty reduction in the Nandom District of Ghana. The research objectives focused on understanding beneficiaries’ access to the LEAP programme, their perspectives on using digital technology to deliver the intervention, and the potential and limitations of using digital technology for this purpose. The study utilized the empowerment theory and the theory of technological determination to gain a comprehensive understanding of the research topic. The research followed an interpretivist paradigm and employed qualitative techniques and a case study design. Purposive sampling method was used to select 50 participants for the study which is composed of the elderly poor, care givers of orphaned and vulnerable children and people living with disability. Likewise, the LEAP implementation officers at the District Social Welfare office were also interviewed and they formed the key informants for this study. Data was collected through interviews, observations and document review and analyzed using a thematic approach. The findings showed that LEAP beneficiaries have gained to some degree opportunities that came with the programme. The study also showed challenges in accessing the LEAP intervention and in utilizing digital technology in the delivery of the programme. Therefore, the study recommends collaborative efforts from various stakeholders responsible for the implementation of the programme to address these gaps and make integrating digital technology into LEAP service delivery a reality.