Contributions of strategies to self-help groups’ participation in the sustainability of household livelihoods in Nyakach Sub-County, Kisumu County, Kenya

Abstract

Self-Help Groups (SHGs) adopt joint liability lending schemes to access the poor financial resources. Among the rural poor households, access to SHG micro-credit enables households acquire assets of social and economic importance. Members build social and economic capital as well benefit group synergy. Notwithstanding, poverty levels in some regions in Kenya, especially the Nyakach Sub-County remains high despite several SHGs. Approximately 800 registered SHGs were in Nyakach Sub-County by 2023 engaging in different social and economic endeavours. Food insecurity, poverty, environmental degradation, poor technology and general insecurity manifest in the sub county. It contrasts evidence of other developed countries across the globe, especially parts of Asia and Europe that self-help groups have positively influenced the overall development of society. The study explored the contributions of strategies to SHGs’ participation influence the livelihoods of households in Nyakach Sub County, Kenya. By using Questionnaires, gathered quantitative data from the respondents was analysed and presented in descriptive statistics while Pearson Correlation Analysis measured the relationship between the variables. The study found that strategies like education and entrepreneurial training, group lending and partnerships, networks and SHG-facilitated bookkeeping and business skills influenced the members’ active participation for enhanced livelihoods. Improving participation in SHGs was found to have a high and significant influence on the sustainability of the livelihood of members’ households. The study recommends to the government for development of legislative regulations on participation and protection of SHGs from operational and performance risks.