Women Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Rural Livelihoods

International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI) | Volume VIII, Issue II, February 2021 | ISSN 2321–2705

Women Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Rural Livelihoods

Mashapure Rahabhi¹, Madzimure Grace P.K², Msipah Nothando³, Dandira Martin⁴, Kandjinga Elias^5
1,2,3Chinhoyi University of Technology
^4,5Namibia University of Technology

Abstract:-The purpose of the study was to establish the effect of women entrepreneurship on the sustainability of rural livelihoods. The objective of the paper being to determine factors that influence entrepreneurship, to as certain factors that hinder women entrepreneurship and to suggest strategies to enhance women entrepreneurship. The review paper established that women entrepreneurship is mainly driven by push and pull factors as well as extrinsic and intrinsic factors. It was also established that women entrepreneurs were mostly affected by social and cultural gender-based inequalities and biases, psychological factors and role conflict when trying to sustain their livelihoods. These challenges being some how emanating from them being women. The study recommended the government to provide financial support and trainings to women entrepreneurs. Also there is need of networking so that women entrepreneurs will learn from other successful entrepreneurs.

Key words- women entrepreneurship, sustainable rural livelihoods

I. INTRODUCTION

Women entrepreneurship development is the engine of socio-economic growth for any nation (Tripathi & Singh, 2017). Herrington, Mike, Kew, Jacqui, Kew, Penny (2009) point out that an entrepreneur is one that shifts economic resources out of an area of low productivity into an area of higher productivity and greater yield. Women entrepreneurs are those who are ready for confronting risk and have persistence to survive in a competitive business world (Hani, 2015). According to Khanka (2009) women entrepreneurs think of a business enterprise, initiate it, organize and combine the factors of production, operate the enterprise and undertake risks and handle economic uncertainty involved in running a business enterprise.Shaila (2012) suggested that women entrepreneurship involves opportunity identification and resource gathering to start-up and grow a business (Hundera, 2019). From the above definition women entrepreneurship can be viewed as any economic activity being done by a women to earn a living.
A livelihood is the set of capabilities, assets and activities that furnish the means for people to meet their basic needs and support their well-being (Kabir, Hou, Akther, Wang, & Wang, 2012). According to Chambers and Conway (1992) livelihoods are means of earning a living (Brocklesby & Fisher, 2003).

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