Effect of Project Management Practices on Project Performance. Case of Partial Credit Guarantee for Women Project in Gisagara and Huye Districts-Rwanda

The significance of this study lies in its contribution to understanding the impact of project management practices on the performance of women empowerment projects, through the lens of established theoretical frameworks. By examining the BDF Women’s Empowerment Project in Gisagara and Huye Districts, the research underscores the critical role of effective project management in enhancing financial outcomes, business sustainability, and economic independence among women entrepreneurs. Grounded in Empowerment Theory, the study recognizes that access to financial resources, knowledge, and capacity- building initiatives can enhance women's ability to make strategic life and business decisions. Social Capital Theory is reflected in the role of institutional support, training networks, and ongoing post-loan engagement, highlighting how relationships and social structures influence resource accessibility and project success. Additionally, the study is informed by the Gender and Development (GAD) Theory, which emphasizes the structural inequalities women face and the need for inclusive project designs that address gender-specific constraints in entrepreneurship. The research specifically analysed how project management practices—namely, loan disbursement timeliness, risk assessment, training and capacity building, post-loan monitoring, and financial literacy—affect project performance. Using a descriptive research design, data were collected from a sample of 300 women out of 1,195 beneficiaries financed by BDF in the selected districts. Data collection methods included structured questionnaires and interviews, with analysis conducted using means, standard deviation, and multiple regression techniques to test the study hypotheses. Findings revealed that all project management practices examined had a significant positive effect on project performance. Specifically, post-loan monitoring (β = 0.757, p = 0.000) and risk assessment (β = 0.613, p = 0.000) emerged as the most influential factors, followed by loan disbursement timeliness (β = 0.369, p = 0.000), training and capacity building (β = 0.214, p = 0.002), and financial literacy (β = 0.024, p = 0.039). These results reinforce the importance of continued support and relationship-building in sustaining women-led businesses, consistent with Social Capital Theory. The high R- squared value of 0.983 indicates that 98.3% of the variation in project performance is explained by these project management practices.