Doing Business Amidst Constraints: a Case Study of Somali Refugee Women Entrepreneurs in Eastleigh Area, Nairobi
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to identify the factors affecting the performance of
refugee women in business. The findings of this study were expected to provide
reasons why Somali Refugee women tend to succeed in business in Nairobi's
Eastleigh area despite the numerous barriers/constraints they encounter. The study
would expose what contributes to the success in businesses ran by Somali refugee
women. This study was to avail lessons that other business owners could borrow and
business ideas that could be replicated elsewhere. The case study was carried out in
the .Ibcal Eastleigh area in Nairobi Kenya often called 'little Mogadishu'. The
objective of the study was to investigate why Somali Refugee women tend to succeed
in business in Nairobi's Eastleigh area despite the numerous barriers/constraints they
encounter. This study adopted the survey design. The study was carried out in
Eastleigh Estate, Pumwani division in Nairobi. The main target for the study was
Somali women refugees in Kenya doing small scale businesses in Eastleigh. The
target population consisted of 200 Somali women refugees who owned business in
Eastieigh's 3rd to 12th Streets and 5 keys informants in Eastleigh. The researcher
collected data from the Somali business women in the area both in the malls and the
small stores and stands by the roadsides through interviews and questionnaires. Data
were analyzed statistically by use of SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences).
Descriptive statistics such as frequency distributions and percentages were presented
in form of tables, graphs and charts. Findings indicated that the types of businesses set
up by women refugees in Eastleigh were influenced by access to capital, social
networks and business strategy. The findings also indicated that women faced several
barriers including the burden of household chores, lack of capital, cultural factors,
insecurity, lack of proper documentation, education and training. The women also
employed various strategies including use of partnerships and social networks to
sustain their businesses and overcome challenges faced. The study recommended that
government should issue refugee business women with proper permits; women should
seek help from business organizations and should engage extra help in business and at
home to enable cope with the business demands.
Citation
Degree of Master of Art in Sociology,Publisher
University of Nairobi,