Challenges Facing Women Entrepreneurs in Sotik Sub-county in Bomet County

Abstract

Women entrepreneurship has attracted increasing attention in recent years in light of concrete evidence of the importance of new business creation for economic growth and development (Acs etal., 2005; Langowitz and Minniti, 2007). Not only does women entrepreneurship contribute to economic growth and employment creation, but it is increasingly recognized to also enhance the diversity of entrepreneurship in any economic system (Verheul et al., 2006) and to provide avenue for female expression and potential fulfillment (Eddleston and Powell, 2008). The success of women entrepreneurship has been greatly affected by various factors in the society. Thisstudy examined the challenges facing women entrepreneurs in Sotik sub- county in Bometcounty. To achieve the goals of the study, a sample of 100 out of 500 women entrepreneurs in the subcounty were selected from all the sectors of the businesses. Out of the 100 questionnaires distributed to the women entrepreneurs, the researcher was able to collect 86 filled questionnaires representing a response rate of 86% of the sampled group. Their responses to the questionnaire were analyzed and evaluated and based on the findings, recommendations were made. It is therefore necessary for women in Sotik sub-county to be given support by ensuring that adequate infrastructure is developed. Men in the society should learn to accept women entrepreneurs bureaucracies and red tapes prevalent in the registration and accessing other services by women entrepreneurs should be removed. Women should also be given machine and financial support so that their operations become effective in their businesses. The results indicated that economic factors, social factors, legal and administrative factors training support and machine support factors pose great challenge to women entrepreneurs in Sotik subcounty. The contributing factors showing that the level of education by women entrepreneurs is low and the fact that county government has not put structures and policies in place to help women entrepreneurs rise above economic, social, legal and administrative training support and machine support factors. The researcher recommended that these factors should be seriously dealt with by the county government. There should be support from the central government, the financial institutions located in the county, the private institutions and the foreign investors