Socio-Economic Empowerment of Marginalized Urban Women Through Self-Help Group Approach: A case Study of Yeka Sub-City.

Abstract

This study tries to find to look at the socio-economic empowerment of women in Self Help Groups approach. The study is situated in Yeka Sub-City in the North East part of the capital city Addis Ababa, a sub city corresponds somewhat to the expansion areas at its peripheries put next to poor social indicators; unemployment, lack of housing, lack of basic facilities etc are the main problems from which most of the residents are suffering from mostly women. The purpose of this study was to evaluate social and economic empowerment of Marginalized Women. The study uses, both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies. Data collected from various groups of respondents were then examined and summarized. Saving habit, access to loan, engage in different kinds of individual and group IGAs. The women also experienced ‘Power Within’: feelings of autonomy, strength, self identity and increases in levels of self-confidence and selfesteem. At the social level, social unity created due to group interaction and mutual support among SHG members .SHGs has enabled women to have a voice in the community affairs, improved decision making power of SHG members at household, group, and community level. Participation in various trainings and the resulting increase in knowledge and skills, and improved household consumption were some of the major outcomes of involvement in SHGs. xii Relevance to Social Work Practices Self-Help Groups are working on the theory of collectively for the common goal. According to Larkin (2004), social work is a profession that is devised toward helping disadvantaged members of society, improving the welfare of people within their social circumstances and dealing with the well-being of society as a total. The similarity of this basic concept of SHGs and the basic idea of the profession of social work as a helping profession calls for the close functioning correlation between the two.