Microfinance and the Socio-economic Wellbeing of Women Entrepreneurs in Ghana

Abstract

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE Abstract Microfinance has been touted as a means of improving the lives of the poor and the provision of funds for business enterprises. This study examines the impact of microfinance on the socio-economic lives of women entrepreneurs in Ghana. Using Ghana as the study area, this paper provides valuable insights into micro financing in a developing economy context. A multi-method approach was used in data collection and analysis. Eight hundred and forty (840) women beneficiaries of microfinance loans were surveyed; and interviews conducted with 35 of them. The overall results suggest that the women’s enterprises have expanded while their socio-economic status have improved tremendously after taking the loans. It is however recommended that microfinance institutions provide education in finance management for their clients, since only few of them undertakes such an exercise. /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:Table Normal; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:Calibri,sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Times New Roman; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:Times New Roman; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}