Factors influencing women participation in entrepreneurial activities in Mandera township,Mandera central division, Kenya.

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate the factors that influence women participation in entrepreneurial activities in Mandera Township, Mandera Central division. The study used descriptive survey research design method employing both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The study employed combination of cluster and simple random sampling; the study area was clustered based on their geographical location, in each location, businesses owned by women were clustered based on business types. The sample was 138 women entrepreneurs in Mandera Township. Findings of the study revealed that individual factors have an influence on women participation in entrepreneurial activities. The study further shows that Socio-Cultural factors have an influence on women participation in entrepreneurial activities. It was also revealed that economic factors had an influence on women participation in entrepreneurial activities. The study revealed that security factors influenced women participation in entrepreneurial activities. The study concluded that gender and entrepreneurship limit women's ability to accrue social, cultural, human, and financial capital and place limitations upon their ability to be engaged in entrepreneurial activity. It was also concluded that most women who venture into businesses needed to be financed. The study recommended that women in the society should be empowered to access enterprise information and marketing facilities which men entrepreneurs acquire. Women entrepreneurs should be supported in the service industry. Commercial banks need to provide Islamic sharia compliant interest free loans. The researcher suggested that since the study was carried out in one township, a similar study should be carried out in other areas.