La Valutazione partecipata nei progetti di cooperazione internazionale allo sviluppo: il caso del progetto GHAJA in Ghana

This thesis aims to understand the opinions of beneficiaries of an international development project, called GHAJA, on its effects on their well-being, through a participatory evaluation. This work starts with the analysis of the main development theories and policies and illustrates how, nowadays, the development concept, and the international development cooperation inspired to these paradigms, are in a critical phase and deeply called into question. In this analysis, particular attention is dedicated to thealternativedevelopment theories in opposition to the diachronic and economicistic view of development, such as the basic needs, theSelf-reliance, and the human development approaches, which inspired this research work. The aid effectiveness debate is then introduced and the role of evaluation, in particular the participatory one, is underlined for its potential in improving aid strategies. Field research is framed in the participatory evaluation approach, considered as a learning opportunity and anempowermentoccasion.Focus groupsare the used research techniques, chosen for their potential to facilitate a shared comprehension of a complex situation.