The role of women groups in women economic empowerment: a study of selected women groups in Magutu division, Nyeri County, Kenya.
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Date
2018-07
Authors
Gachemi, Damaris Mumbi
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
ABSTRACT
This study examined the role of women groups in economic empowerment of women
in Magutu Division, Nyeri County. This study arose from the need to evaluate the
impacts of government, NGOs and policy makers’ efforts to improve the socioeconomic
status of women in Kenya. Thus the study focused on the income
generating activities that women get involved in, gender related factors that affect the
performance of women groups, challenges facing them and strategies that can be
employed to enhance women groups. The study was guided by Stromquist’s and
Sarah Longwe’s empowerment model. The study applied a descriptive research
design. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected. The target population
consisted of 320 members from 15 groups which had over 10 years of operation, and
whose economic empowerment process was noticeable in terms of completed projects
and revenues raised. A sample of 106 respondents was obtained which included group
leaders, members and the County Gender Officer. The study employed questionnaires
and an interview schedule as the instruments of data collection. The data collected
was then cleaned, coded, analyzed and presented in percentage frequencies, tables,
and narratives. The findings indicate that women groups in Magutu Division have
devised various income generating activities to improve their income, have rules and
regulations that govern their operations and demonstrate a commitment to their
groups’ activities in order to improve their economic status. The findings showed that
when women band together in women groups, they were able to improve their
economic status through the economic activity (ies) that they carried out. The study
recommends that active engagement by the members of staff in the department of
social services should be implored on as a measure to ensure that the women groups
realize their objectives. The group members should equally be offered educative
forums which will equip them on the challenges that cause difficulty in their groups.
The department of gender should put in place mechanisms such as capacity building
forums to ensure that its officers visit women groups in the field with an aim of
empowering them and sensitize those not in groups to join them, as a measure of
enhancing their participation in group activities. Policies should equally be put in
place to ensure that women groups are empowered to be effective in the activities that
they engage in. This will ensure that women groups in Magutu Division will become
powerful economic tools, which can help the women generate regular incomes for
themselves as well as their families.
Description
A research thesis submitted to the school of humanities and social sciences in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of Master of Arts degree in gender and development studies of Kenyatta University. July, 2018