Negeri, DessalegnKassa, Melese2018-06-202023-11-042018-06-202023-11-042015-06http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/2078The purpose of this research was to assess the contribution of women participation in self-help groups to empowerment. Luck of sufficient research in the area led to information gap that hindered the promotion of the concept in the country. This research tried to fill this gap by providing additional knowledge about the contributions of SHG in the process of empowering the poor women. Case study design was used with the study population being drawn from registered women SHGs in Bishoftu town and respondents were only the registered members. The sample of SHG studied was drawn from the thirty (30) SHGs registered. The sample size of ten (10) SHGs was identified through systematic random sampling. The study used` in-depth interview and data captured using semi structured questionnaire. Quantitative data collected was analyzed using SPSS expressed in frequencies and percentage and coded according to research objectives and presented using tables and figures. The SHG has improved the saving culture of the respondents through making it compulsory for all to save and encouraging members to increase their savings and reinvest them in entrepreneurial activities. The study noted that by participating in SHG the respondents were able to access revolving project loans with easy and access better amount of loan as compared to pre SHG period. Most respondent were able to attend training after joining SHG which had an impact in enabling them increase asset, improve book keeping, spend wisely, and diversify investment. NGOs were noted to be the major organizers of trainings and GOs involvement was limited on providing training halls. There is a need to train SHG members and its leaders on organization skills, leadership skills and strategic management skills so that they can transform these grass root organization to another levelenSocial WorkThesis