Self-Help Groups’ Contributions and Empowerment of Women in Nakuru County, Kenya Moraa
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Date
2025-01
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Kenyatta University
Abstract
This study examined the capacities women gained through participation in self help groups and how they utilized these capacities to improve their lives and those of their families in Kaptembwo Ward, Nakuru Town West Sub-county, and Nakuru County, Kenya. While previous studies have emphasized the role of self-help groups in women’s empowerment, few have explored how these groups equip women with capacities and how they convert them into practical skills. The study had four objectives: to identify factors influencing women’s participation in groups, to examine the capacities women acquire and how they convert them into skills, to assess challenges hindering women’s empowerment, and to identify strategies for enhancing women’s acquisition of capacities and their conversion into skills. The study applied the Capability Approach and Functionalism Theory. A descriptive survey research design wasused, with a sample of 185 respondents selected through random and stratified random sampling from a target population of 2,044 women in 192 self-help groups. Data was collected using questionnaires for group members and an interview schedule for group leaders. A letter of introduction was obtained from the Graduate Schooland a research permit from the National Commission for Science, Technology, and Innovation(NACOSTI). Before obtaining informed consent from the respondents, the researcher provided them with details about the study's purpose, expectations, voluntary participation, and NACOSTI's permit for the research. Respecting confidentiality and anonymity, the researcher securely stored data, met participants in safe, comfortable locations, and adhered to anti-plagiarism standards by presenting original work and citing sources appropriately.Qualitative data was analyzed using inductive coding, while quantitative data was processed using descriptive statistics.The study found that women primarily joined self-help groups to save money and access loans, with secondary motivations including acquiring skills in investment and negotiation. Women reported acquiring capacities such as time management, negotiation, and assertiveness. However, these capacities did not always translate into practical skills.The study found that a significant barrier to women’s participation in group activities was the refusal of their husbands to grant them permission.The study identified three strategies for enhancing women’s acquisition of capacities and their conversion into skills: a participatory approach that educates both men and women about the role of self-help groups, translating policies into local languages, and providing regular training sessions for women and their spouses on managing profitable businesses. The study recommends that self-help groups expand their activities to include entrepreneurship training, health education, and legal awareness. Additionally, structured mentorship and follow-up programmes should be introduced to help women apply their acquired capacities. Stakeholders, including the government, non-governmental organizations, and community leaders, should provide support to address the challenges women face in self-help groups. Development partners should collaborate to implement strategies that integrate inclusive educational programmes,addressing both the value of self helpgroups and broader socio-economic barriers.
Description
A Research Thesis Submitted to the School of Law, Arts and Social Sciences in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of Master of Arts in Gender and Development Studies of Kenyatta University, January 2025.
Supervisors
1. Pacificah Okemwa
2. Casper Masiga