TABLE OF CONTENTS
DECLARATION ................................................................................................................. i
APPROPV AL ..................................................................................................................... ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT .................................................................................................. v
DEDICATION ................................................................................................................... vi
ACRONYMS .................................................................................................................... vii
CHAPTER ONE ............................................................................................................... 1
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 1
I . I Background of the study ............................................................................................... I
1.2 Problems statement ....................................................................................................... 2
I .3 Over all objectives: ....................................................................................................... 3
I .3. I Specific objectives ..................................................................................................... 3
I .4 I Research questions ...................................................................................................... 3
1.5 Justification of the study ............................................................................................... 3
I .6 The scope of the study .................................................................................................. 4
I. 7 Conceptual frame works ............................................................................................... 4
CHAPTER TWO .............................................................................................................. 5
LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................................ 5
2. I Introduction ................................................................................................................... 5
2.2 The concept of credit loans: .......................................................................................... 5
2.3 Empowerment strategies of women accessing microfinance credits: ........................... 9
2.4 Contributions ofMFis to women's empowerment.. ................................................... I I
CHAPTER THREE ........................................................................................................ 16
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY .................................................................................. 16
3.0 Introduction ................................................................................................................ 16
3.1. Research design ......................................................................................................... 16
3.2. Study area .................................................................................................................. 16
3.3. Study population ........................................................................................................ I 6
3.4. Sample selection ........................................................................................................ I 7
3.5. Data collection ........................................................................................................... I 7
3 .6. Data analysis .............................................................................................................. 17
CHAPTER FOUR ........................................................................................................... IS
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS .................................................................................. 18
4. I Introduction ............................................................................................................... 18
4.2 Socio-economic background of the study population ............................................... I 8
4.2.1 The age of the respondents ...................................................................................... 18
4.2.2 Marital status of the respondents: ............................................................................ 20
4.2.3 Types of household of the respondents: ................................................................... 21
4.2.4 Education of the respondents ................................................................................... 23
4.3 MFis service to women in Patongo town council... .................................................... 24
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4.3.1 Patongo Sacco .......................................................................................................... 24
4.3.2 Services offered by Patongo Sacco .......................................................................... 26
4.3.3 Membership to Patongo saaco ................................................................................. 27
4.3.4 Factors hindering women from joining Patongo Sacco ........................................... 27
4.4 contributions I benefits ofMFI on women's empowerment strategies in Patongo town
council ............................................................................................................................... 29
4.4.1 Changes in house hold income and its use by the respondents: .............................. 29
4.4.2 New information learnt from MFI ........................................................................... 31
4.4.3 Respondents attitude about the credit scheme ......................................................... 33
4.4.4 MFI and women's empowetment ............................................................................ 35
4.4.5 Challenges facing the beneficiaries ofMFI in patongo town council ..................... 37
CHAPTER FIVE ............................................................................................................ 41
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION ..................................... 41
5.1. Introduction .............................................................................................................. 41
5.2. Discussions and conclusion ..................................................................................... 41
5.3 Recommendations ..................................................................................................... 44
5.4. Suggested areas for further research ........................................................................ 45
REFERENCES ................................................................................................................ 47
APPENDIX A: QUESTIONNAIRES ......................................................................... 49
APPENDIX B: PROPOSED BUDGET ..................................................................... 52
APPENDIX C: TIME FRAME ................................................................................... 53
1.1 Background of the study.
1.2 In most parts of Africa, women neither own land nor inherit it. In ability to own property not only effectively blocks the women from decision making but also creates a serious obstacle to obtaining credit, leading to lack of economic independence (Nycander, 1998) leading principles of the financial institutions continue to be inclined to possession of collateral and the ineligibility for credit coupled with lack of access to women's capability to participate in development activities. According to K.C Shild1ae a11d Lekshenry Shekhar (2003), while lending money, batlicers frequently secure the loa11s. In some cases, a banker may grant a loa11 on the personal security of the harrower or on the personal security couples of the borrower or on the personal security coupled with the guarantee of a 11 other person or on ever often he insists on collateral securities against loans. Many of the co-operatives and credit Women income also attracted only low income urban salary earners a11d have not been able to take root in rural areas (Muyenzi, 1999). Realizing that lack of access to financing at affordable rates by poor and in particular the women many development agencies have turned their firms towards utilizing credit as a development tool. For instance, many non-governmental organizations begun to realize that, the formal credit institutions a11d development progra111mes were not providing appropriate services to the poor women to e1mance their empowerment yet they remained committed to servicing an extremely narrow range of clients who happen to be men.
