Women Empowerment via Micro Credit Programmes: Huye District, Rwanda

Abstract

The impact of micro credit programmes in empowering women has involved the policy makers’ attention in the sub-Saharan Africa especially in Rwanda. Access to micro credit programmes will help women’s socio-economic well being and improvement. Despite the success of micro finance institutions and the efforts made by the Government of Rwanda to encourage women to access micro credit programmes, there is no clear evidence that emphasises the positive impact of micro credit programmes on women empowerment. Therefore, this study aims to analyse the impact of micro credit programmes on women empowerment and to assess the factors that influence women to access micro credit programmes in Huye district, Rwanda. Data were collected from a sample of 182 women using questionnaire via interview. The survey sample included 81 (44.5%) women who were participants in micro credit programmes, and 101 (55.5%) non- participants. Both descriptive analysis and Probit model were used to analyse the data. The factors that influence women to access micro credit programmes were analysed by using probit model. The results from descriptive analysis show that micro credit programmes have a significant impact on women's economic, social and political empowerment. The results from probit model show also that marital status, education, total annual income, total annual expenditure, cooperative membership, own savings and own income are significant factors that influence women to access micro credit programmes. Access to micro credit programmes represents a form of economic empowerment thereby leading to a life of better standard and self-confidence among women within the household, and the community in general.