The Impact of Women Participation in Income Generation Activities in Igurusi Ward, Mbarali District, Mbeya Region, Tanzania

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to assess the impact of women participation in income generation activities in Mbarali District a case of Igurusi ward. The general objective of this study was to determine the impact of women participation in income generating activities to house hold income. The specific objectives were to; identify income generative activities under taken by women at house hold level, establish number of hours, women work in income generation activities (IGAs) in a day, estimate income generated from different income generation activities in house hold level, and examine factors constraining women involvement in IGAS. The study adopted a cross sectional research design where by the respondents included only women who participate in income generation activities, who were selected randomly through stratified sampling among them.  Data were analyzed under the aid statistical packages of social science software of which percentages, and correlation between factors and participation on income generation activities was done. Finding revealed that the type of IGAS carried out by women, the resources used, number of hours spends and the education level and its marital status were insignificant factors to income earned by the house hold and its impact. The constraints such as, inadequate initial capital, unpredicted changes in Market, market competition, abusive language customers failing in debt paying, and poor working conditions. It is recommended that higher education should be given priority to women as they are not achieved to get it. The results show that women have attended either primary or secondary levels, therefore special attention should be taken to ensure women are highly considered. It is thus recommended that, women in rural areas should be given first priorities in credit provision with low collaterals that would enable women to carry out bigger business and also ability to repay back credits as well as to have high contribution so far as house hold is concerned, the government vision for poverty reduction should go hand by hand with formulation of reliable markets for domestic commodities especially those produced by women. Also the local government should keep records of how many women are engaging in income generative activities and asses their impact to the development as far as the households, villages ward and nation are concerned.