The Role of Saving and Creditcoopera Tives In Empowering the Rural Poor: A Case Study From Kolla Tembien Woreda

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Date

2010-06

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Addis Abeba university

Abstract

Effective empowerment of persons has always been essential to the cooperative thoughts. Poor individuals who have joined cooperative groups can endow themselves with beller socio-economic power they need ConSidering this situation, this study has made a good effort to assess the role of Saving and Credit Cooperatives (SACCOs) in upholding the empowerment of the rural poor, taking members of Kalla Tembien Woreda SACCO in focus. The methodology of this study is a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods based on the data collected ji-om primary and secondary sources. Data were collected ji'om 110 respondents following simple random sampling method In order to strengthen the household survey, FGDs and key informant interviews were conducted. Besides the descriptive statistics, Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test (WSRT) was employed to look at the socia-economic benefits derived by members afterjoining the SACCOs, Accordingly, the WSRT result sholVs that the average monthly income, consumption and education expenditure, and total amount of monthly savings are significantly improved after joining the SACCOs. Besides, good improvements were observed in respondent's participation, respondents' exposure to mass media, members contact with DA 's and cooperative offiCials, re,lpondent 's living standard and occupation. To identifY the major problems of the cooperatives, FGDs and interviews were conducted and the results have shown that lack of skilled and educated man power, extreme dependence on external jill1ds, need of immediate dividend payment, poor saving habits, loan insufficiency, insuffiCient training and education, and firm competition Ji'om microjinance institutions are among the main problems of SACCOs identified in the study areas. Finally, the study concludes that members' income, savings, credit and participation have the possibility improving members' empowerment. Therefore, valuable and sl/ccessjid scheme or initiative should be undertaken by government, NGO 's and other stakeholders to realize members J socia-economic empowermenllhrough saving and credif cooperatives

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Keywords

Empowering the Rural Poor

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