The influence of female entrepreneurship on the empowerment of women in Machakos sub-county, Kenya

Abstract

Entrepreneurship is an important driver of economic growth, productivity, innovation and employment Entrepreneurship is considered a major contributing factor to the growth of an economy and hence has a tremendous potential in empowering women and transforming society. Skill based training,business infrastructure, market information and technological advancement are among the factors that are vital in entrepreneurship. However the influence of these factors have not been critically examined. The study sought to determine the influence of female entrepreneurship on women empowerment in Machakos sub county. Specifically, the study was to determine the influence of skill based training on empowerment of women, examine the influence of business infrastructure on empowerment of women, investigate how financial system influence the empowerment of women, analyze the relationship between market information and the empowerment of women and to determine the extent at which technological advancement influence the empowerment of women. A descriptive survey was adopted targeting a population of 239 respondents. Census approach was used where all the members of the target population were included in the study sample. Data was collected using questionnaires and was analyzed using statistical package for social sciences(SPSS) version 21. The results showed that majority of the respondents agreed that there is access to business trainings, that the training and business infrastructure is available to those willing to use them. Majority of the respondents also cited that there is financial support available but they have to provide collateral to borrow money from financial institutions and that lack of assets limit their access to financial resources. Majority of the respondents indicated that they have access to market for their products and that there is access to necessary technologies. The study concluded that there is significant association between skills based training, market infrastructure, financial system ,market information and technological advancement on empowerment of women in Machakos Sub-County. The study has made several recommendations among them initiation of a comprehensive credit policy that should keep a provision of collateral free loans, credit without interest or low rate of interest and long duration loan for female entrepreneurs.