Management Strategies Affecting Performance of Self Help Groups in Uasin-Gishu County, Kenya

Abstract

Self Help Groups play an important role in empowering members in order to improve their livelihoods. SHG movement has emerged as the world’s largest and most successful network of Community Based Organizations (CBOs). However, management issues are the major challenges that the SHG movement is confronted with at this point in time. Therefore, this study sought to investigate management strategies affecting performance of Self Help Groups in Uasin-Gishu County. The specific objectives of this study were to assess the effects of Training strategy on the performance of SHG’s, to determine the role of partnership on the performance of SHG’s, to establish the effect of diversification strategy on the performance of SHG’s, to determine effect of members innovativeness on performance of SHG’s and to establish the role of stakeholders on the performance of SHG’s in Uasin-Gishu County. The study is of benefit to several stakeholders for example the Ministry of special program and planning in adopting the right interventions to enable SHGs to be sustainable and meet the goals of the members. This study was based on the empowerment theory since it is central to the core functions of community coalitions: creating collaborative capacity, building community capacity, and fostering change at the local level. Empowerment theory suggests that community coalitions empower their member organizations to collaborate effectively and their communities to build the social capital necessary to address emerging issues. This study adopted a cross-sectional descriptive survey research design where the population for this study entailed a sample of 126 SHGs group members who were selected using stratified sampling. The research instrument used was a 5 point Likert scale questionnaire and interview schedule for collecting data. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics; correlation and regression and presented using tables and graphs. The results revealed that the SHG members had been trained on; asset building, book keeping, new methods of farming, leadership and governance, budgeting, and risk management in business. The groups are in partnership with other groups/ organizations; government agencies, banks and MFIs. These partners assist the member’s on financial support and training. Most members use energy saving stoves on brooding chicks which has reduced the cost on electricity and also members are divided into small manageable groups for easy monitoring loans payments. The funds given by the government has contributed to the sustenance and performance of the groups IGA’s. The regression analysis indicated that training strategy, partnership strategy, diversification strategy, stakeholders’ roles and members’ innovativeness were significant. In conclusion, members’ innovativeness is the strongest predictor of SHGs performance, followed by stakeholders’ roles, then diversification strategy, partnership strategy and lastly training strategy. The study recommend that; t The study recommend that; tThe study recommend that; t The study recommend that; tThe study recommend that; tThe study recommend that; tThe study recommend that; tThe study recommend that; tThe study recommend that; t The study recommend that; tThe study recommend that; t The study recommend that; t The study recommend that; there is need for the here is need for the here is need for the here is need for the here is need for the here is need for the here is need for the here is need for the here is need for the here is need for the here is need for the here is need for the here is need for the county governments and Noncounty governments and Non county governments and Noncounty governments and Noncounty governments and Noncounty governments and Non county governments and Non county governments and Non county governments and Noncounty governments and Non county governments and Non -governmengovernmen governmen governmental to increase funding SHGs and tal to increase funding SHGs and tal to increase funding SHGs and tal to increase funding SHGs and tal to increase funding SHGs and tal to increase funding SHGs and tal to increase funding SHGs and tal to increase funding SHGs and tal to increase funding SHGs and tal to increase funding SHGs and tal to increase funding SHGs and tal to increase funding SHGs and tal to increase funding SHGs and tal to increase funding SHGs and tal to increase funding SHGs and tal to increase funding SHGs and tal to increase funding SHGs and tal to increase funding SHGs and to monitor to monitor to monitor to monitor and mentor groups iand mentor groups i and mentor groups iand mentor groups iand mentor groups i n order for them to achieve its objectives