Evaluating the effectiveness of Kenya Women finance trust training skills on the sale performance of women owned micro-enterprises in Iten town, Kenya

Abstract

This study sought to evaluate the effectiveness of Kenya Women Finance Trust Training skills on sales performance of women micro-enterprises in Iten Town, Kenya. In order to achieve the purpose of this study, four specific research objectives were addressed: to identify the effectiveness of KWFT credit training skills on the sales performance of women micro-enterprises, to examine the effectiveness of financial skills offered by KWFT on the performance of micro-enterprises in Iten town, to establish the effectiveness of marketing skills provided by KWFT on the performance of micro enterprises in Iten town, to find out the effectiveness of planning and management skills and to find out other intervening variables that influence training offered by KWFT on the performance of micro-enterprises in Iten town. Relevant literature on training and women micro-enterprises was reviewed. The study adopted descriptive survey research design. The research instruments used were questionnaires and interviews. The instruments were developed and piloted before they were used. The study population comprised of 96 women entrepreneurs. A sample size of 32 women entrepreneur's respondents that represented 30% of the target population were selected through simple random sampling procedure. The data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics that is using numbers, mean scores, percentages pie-charts, histogram and tables. The major finding is the relevance training has on KWFT operations, major recommendations is the emphasis that methods of training should be given and major conclusion is the need to study the intervening variables that influence training given to women entrepreneurs. The study was based on social capital theory identified by Chibber (2000) as being the value of social networks, bonding similar and bridging between diverse people with norms of reciprocity. The study will be useful to KWFT, other micro-finance institutions and government policy makers in making appropriate decisions especially as regards to women in micro-enterprises, other people in micro-enterprises and women organizations.