Abstract:
The study was aims at finding out the role of women cooperatives in the contribution to sustainable development of Huye district, case study of Ingoro Ihuje Ababyeyi (Tumba Sector, Huye District). Its specific objectives are to identify the challenges faced by women cooperatives in Huye District and how they are addressed, evaluating the contribution of women cooperatives to socio-economic development of their families (job creation, income earnings, savings, food security, health insurance), and investigating the contribution of women cooperatives to sustainable development in general.
The cooperatives have been identified as key tools for development and women have been marginalized in the history of African countries. This study is significant in order to evaluate the role of women cooperatives in sustainable development, considering the level of gender balance and women empowerment in Rwanda. The primary data were collected from 33 cooperative members using questionnaires, interviews, observation. The secondary data were also collected using documentations. Both data were analyzed to find out the extent at which cooperative helped members to change their life conditions.
The study found out that the cooperative employed 20 men and 40 young people (youth) in its everyday activity of making bricks. The members earn income from the cooperative activities that helps them to find health insurance and feeding. It supports its members and its employees in food security, poverty reduction, social welfare and economic development (access to finance). It improved their economic situation in helping 78.8% of its members to have bank account and 21.2% use lending groups (amatsinda yo kugurizanya) as one form of saving. Out all respondents 84.8% did not know about saving before participating in the cooperative activity.
However, the women cooperative faced the challenges of insufficient raw materials, lack of training related to the entrepreneurship and lack of big capital for introducing the new technology in their activities so that they should supply the whole market.
The study concluded that women cooperatives are the ones who help its members in improving the life condition and sustainable development as a whole. They were recommended to work with local authority in addressing some of challenges, working with banks to enable the big capitals.
