Effect of Education and Training Role of Catholic Women Association on Women Empowerment in Nyandarua County, Kenya

Abstract

This study's objective was to investigate the effect of education and training role of Catholic Women Association on women empowerment in Nyandarua County, Kenya. The study adopted a descriptive research design. A sample size of 224 subjects was used in the study. Simple random sampling and stratified random sampling and procedures were used to obtain study participants. Using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23, the researcher coded, entered and analysed quantitative data. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were computed. The study found out that all (100%) of the participants agreed that education and training programs by CWA had provided women with skills on small business management and sustainability. A vast majority (97.5%) of the participants affirmed that new businesses had been started by women as a result of entrepreneurship training received from CWA in Nyandarua County. There was a statistically significant association between education and training offered by CWA to women and women empowerment in Nyandarua County, F (5, 193) = 15.188, p = .000. The study concluded that women training on small business management and entrepreneurship have resulted in start-ups of many income-generating activities by rural women that promote household income and reduce poverty levels. The study's recommendation is that both governmental and non-governmental institutions should support informal education and training programs for rural and informal settlement women to help them learn basic small business management skills, basic rights and litigations, peace building and conflict resolution strategies among other courses.