Care-kenya’s Local Links Project: It’s Contribution to the Economic Empowerment of Women in Kibra, Nairobi County, Kenya

Abstract

Savings schemes for women play an important role. They are one of the economic empowerment tools for uplifting living standards of households. The study was conducted by exploring its general objective of investigating how CARE-Kenya Local Links Project contributed to the economic empowerment of women in Kibra, Nairobi County, Kenya. So as to attain the broader objective, the study looked at how participation in GS&L enhanced women economic empowerment. The focus was directed at women participating in savings and loans schemes from different groups saving different amounts. The objectives were to assess profiles of GS&L members, investigate the savings and loans scheme support of women, establish types of business operated by members and assess effect of business performance. Quantitative data used interval sampling to select a sample of 16 women groups giving a lower limit of 5 respondents per group. Qualitative data targeted 4 key informants. Quantitative data was presented in tables then analyzed by use of SPSS while qualitative data used content analysis. The pre-test of research instruments was done to test the credibility of the instruments. The study showed that majority of women took loans to boost their businesses, pay school fees for their children and meet other household expenses. The findings include: GS&L had promoted the culture of saving enabling group participants to provide avenues for accessing loan services at affordable rates. Women engaged in different businesses majority of them doing hairdressing business, selling of vegetables and tailoring. This helped in economic strengthening of the respondent’s households. There was increased business stock hence boosting of household income from self-employment activities, increased household assets and meeting of household education expenses which is part of Millennium Development Goals. Savings scheme had empowered women to a point where they could make independent decisions and solve problems on their own and also take collective decision making at group level. Women respondents were challenged with low business sales due to current economic crisis. The scheme had put in place mechanisms in the groups constitution to ensure timely loan repayment including: giving out of small manageable loans for ease of repayment especially 2 months to annual liquidation period normally done every December. Women had also been empowered to identify fast moving IGAs for quick loan repayment within specified period. The study concluded that it was worthwhile to foster household economic strengthening through promotion of savings led and community managed models to enhance household income of women through economic empowerment. The research recommended the integration of GS&L in development activities, formalization of groups, link groups to other agencies for financial support. Market linkages of women businesses will help to increase business sales hence strengthen women economic capacities.