THE ROLE OF SAVING AND CREDIT COOPERATIVES TO IMPROVE SOCIO ECONOMIC STATUS OF WOMENS: THE CASE OF Cheha Woreda , Gurage Zone, and Central Ethiopia.

Abstract

the study analyzed the role of saving and Credit Cooperatives in improving socio-economic status of women in Cheha Woreda, Gurage Zone. To achieve this objective, the study used both primary and secondary data. Primary data were collected from 399 randomly selected women’s from the members of saving and credit cooperative; FGD and key informant interview. The secondary data’s are like reports, training documents and others. For data analysis, the study used both qualitative and quantitative approach. The study employed descriptive research design. The result of the study reveals that cooperatives increase the access of members to livelihood status and enabled members to improve their decision making in family affairs and local administrations, participation in cooperatives improves Socio-economic status of women’s, allowed members to improve their productivity and to increase their awareness. Lack of technical support from the government, efficient management, lack of commitment among the members is found to be among the problems that adversely affected the healthy functioning of the cooperatives. The study concluded that saving and credit cooperative has positive and significant role in improving women’s livelihood status. The study recommended that continuous training is needed to enable the women’s should use their income not only for consumption purpose only but for income generating purpose, cooperatives need to be managed and administrated by skilled and educated leaders, the capital of the cooperatives must be increased to meet the member’s needs, the promotions through media needs to be considered in improving awareness about cooperatives.