Village Savings and Loan Associations Instrumental in Enhancing Women' Socioeconomic Empowerment in Rwanda
Dr.Isaboke Peter Kennedy Nyataya
Citation : Dr.Isaboke Peter Kennedy Nyataya, Village Savings and Loan Associations Instrumental in Enhancing Women' Socioeconomic Empowerment in Rwanda International Journal of Research in Sociology and Anthropology 2018, 4(3) : 42-56
Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) is a group of people who save together and take small loans from those savings The present study was on contributions Village Savings and Loan Associations(VSLAs)are generally, making directed towards the enhancement of women' socio-economic empowerment in Rwanda. For proper and adequate understanding of the subject under the present investigation, VSLAs operating in Nyamata and Rilima Sectors of Bugesera District of Rwanda, were chosen and taken to serve as case studies. In Rwanda, the female population is than that of male population. The Fin Scope Survey Rwanda 2016,noted that the prevailing gender differences in the country could be viewed in terms of education, social, economic income and health status. The main objective of this study is to identify the contributions of Village Savings and Loan Associations on women' socio-economic empowerment in the selected areas for the study by assessing the level of socio- economic status of women as beneficiaries after joining their respective VSLAs, besides, identifying services provided by the VSLAs aimed at ensuring women' socio economic empowerment in the district. The researcher adopted cross-section research design for the present study. The target population of the study comprised officials of World Relief Rwanda, women perceived have been or are being empowered by VSLAs in the sectors of Nyamata and Rilima, Representatives drawn from the local government, Bugesera District. The total population was then found to be 2292 people from which the representative sample size of the study chosen. The Yamane Formula (1967) was applied in the determination of the representative sample size of 96 respondents. Questionnaire method and interview method were used in the collection of the needed. The collected data were then analysed through the use of SPSS (Statistical Package for Socio science) Version16. It was found that 93% of the respondents had no medical insurance before but acquired them soon after joining their respective VSLAs. Women's Purchasing power a economic indicator was less before and it improved after joining the VSLAs and this was claim put forward by 97% of the respondents. It was observed that the VSLAs covered in the study in a significant way, have contributed towards women' socio-economic empowerment in the area: through their various activities such as social funds provided, saving facilities, easy accessibility of basic health insurance as well as payment of school fees for their members' children, among others.