ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECTS OF MICROFINANCE SOCIAL-ECONOMIC INTERVENTION ON WOMEN AND YOUTH EMPOWERMENT IN JUBA (CASE OF RUFI IN JUBA)
Abstract
The traditional believes and norms of the communities in South Sudan oppressed the position of women compare to men. Youth on the other side face challenge of unemployment. Women and youth are engulfed in the circle of poverty portrayed by low education, customary law, limited access to financial services and high rate of unemployment. The study explored the effect of microfinance social economic intervention on women and youth empowerment. Meanwhile, the study used descriptive statistic and correlational design for data collection to explain the basic features of the study and relationship between social economic interventions and empowerment respectively. Probability samplings were used to allow equal chance to all the clients (women and youth) from population for selection. Out of total population of 624 women and youth customers in the category of women group, individual women and individual youth who had taken credit and saved for more than two times with RUFI in Juba, the researcher selected 244 as a sample size on stratified sampling technique based on the respondent’s proportion. Primary and secondary data were the main source of data and the data were obtained using questionnaires and documents. The data was analyzed by inferential statistic in the like of correlation analysis to investigate and gain insight on relationship between social-economic intervention and empowerment of women and youth. Linear regression was also applied using statistic package for social sciences (SPSS). It was found that women and youth are economically and socially empowered through their involvement and participation with RUFI programs. Verbal financial and social orientation considered as supplementary to the main functions of microfinance services has made women and youth’s feel more empowered.
Key Words: Social-economic Interventions, Empowerment, Microfinance, Women and Youth
CITATION: Rok, B. M. M., & Mpakaniye, J. P. (2022). Analysis of the effects of microfinance social-economic intervention on women and youth empowerment in Juba (Case of RUFI in Juba). The Strategic Journal of Business & Change Management, 9 (1), 734 – 650.
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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.61426/sjbcm.v9i1.2218
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