| dc.description.abstract | A significant development in recent years has been the mushrooming of community based organizations and initiatives at the local level for worncu. Reports indicate that women groups, often in the form of savings and credit or micro credit schemes, have succeeded in changing the lives of poor women. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of women group activities on their socio-economic status in Bungoma South District. It was guided by Liberal feminist theory and the following objectives: to establish the influence of Merry go Rounds on the socio-economic status of women in Bungoma South District, to assess the influence of social mobilization on socio-economic status of women in Bungoma South District, to determine the inf1uence of provision of loans on the socio-economic status of women in Bungoma South District, to determine the influence of entrepreneurship trainings on the socio-economic status of women in Bungoma South District.
It was assumed that the study was to be significant to the policy makers in formulation of policies, the leaders of the women groups and it was also to provide a pool of information for further research. The study was delimited to five locations: Kibabii, Bungoma Town, Bukembe, Musikoma and East Bukusu of Bungoma South District. It had a theoretical and conceptual frame work and a summary of the literature review.
The researcher used descriptive survey design which helped collect quantitative data for analysis using descriptive statistics technique. The researcher targeted 850 registered self help groups in Bungoma South District. The sample size was obtained using Yamane 1967 formula. The sample groups from each Location were obtained proportionally depending on the number of groups per Location. The data was collected using questionnaires and interview schedules. The instruments were piloted in two women groups which were not among the study sample to determine their reliability. Instrument validity was determined by exposing them to the supervisor, panel of experts and course mates for criticism. After collecting data the researcher inspected it to identifying the spaces left. Classified and coded the data according to patterns of responses give by the respondents.
The data was then analyzed and presented by the use of descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages and tables, the data was then discussed. Singleton noted that the most commonly used method of reporting descriptive survey research is by developing frequency distributions, calculating percentages and tabulating them appropriately. The study revealed that most women groups consisted of mature and married women many of them were house wives and run businesses. These women acquired assets from merry go round funds and loans. They also got loans from their savings and other financial institutions. However there were cases of misappropriation of the loans. Most groups held meetings ones a month but these meetings did not affect their marital stability.
The study further revealed that the duration of stay in the group, the amount of money contributed, the spending of loans, the trainings received affected the members status. The study recommended that the loaning agencies should open more branches, lower renting rates, increase the loan repayment duration and involve both spouses in the processing ofloans if the woman is married. The study concluded that women need to be trained on how to utilize loans from financial institutions. | en_US |
