Women Development Through Women Cooperatives In Kicukiro District Of Kigali City

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to investigate women's participation in development through cooperatives and how cooperatives can be made more effective as instruments to empower women in development in Rwanda, taking Kicukiro District of Kigali City as a case study. It was carried out with the following study objectives in mind: to investigate women's contributions to development through cooperatives, to identify the challenges that women face in development through cooperatives, and to devise strategies for overcoming setbacks that women face in Kicukiro District of Kigali City development through cooperatives in Kigali City. Data was collected using a questionnaires, face-to-face interviews, and focus group discussions, and they were guided by the questionnaire, which was distributed to be filled out by 100 respondents, who constituted the sample size of this study. Existing literature on cooperative enterprises was reviewed, and the information generated contributed to a better understanding of the cooperative movement and its contributions to the socioeconomic welfare of its members. The study showed that cooperatives have helped women contribute greatly to development, although, as members of the cooperative, they were facing a multiplicity of challenges. These challenges were tested with a variety of strategies ranging from social to economic measures. There is a need for government support in order to exploit the full potential of the cooperative movement and attain women's development through i