Influence of Microfinance Training Content on Women’s Acquisition of Financial Skills: A Case of Women’s Self-Help Groups in Kiambu County, Kenya

Microfinance institutions have had their fair share of challenges, especially the ability of the women entrepreneurs to manage loans secured from the institutions. Thus, the study intended to examine the effectiveness of microfinance training content on women’s acquisition of financial skills in Kiambu County, Kenya. The study was guided by Pearson’s Theory of Gender Relations, The Endogenous Growth and Knowledge-Based Theories. It adopted mixed methods approach and thus applied exploratory research design. The target population comprised of 8 Credit Officers, 25 staff members, 1900 women in SHGs, 700 spouses and 100 Key Informants (Training Officers) all totaling to 2733. Using the Central Limit Theorem to obtain a sample of MFIs, that is, 25.0% of 8 MFIs and 295 respondents, that is, 10.9% of 2708, were selected. Purposive sampling was used to select two Credit Officers and 20 key informants (Training Officers). 190 women in SHGs and 83 spouses were selected using simple random sampling. Focus group discussions were used to collect data from women in SHGs and their spouses, interview schedules for women in SHGs, Credit Officers and spouses whereas questionnaires were used to gather information from Training Officers. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically along the study objectives and presented in narrative forms while the quantitative data was analyzed descriptively using frequencies and percentages with the help of Statistical Packages for Social Science (SPSS 23) and were presented using tables and charts. The study established that microfinance training content influence women’s acquisition of financial skills. Thus, the study recommends that training materials should be specifically designed to suit the content of training programmes in order to enhance faster understanding of concepts to be learnt

Alternative Rites of Passage in FGM/C Abandonment Campaigns in Africa: A research opportunity

Alternative Rites of Passage (ARP) are a relatively recent invention, and a key element in female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) abandonment strategies organised by NGOs in some regions of Africa, particularly East Africa. They aim to replicate traditional initiation rituals for pubescent girls who are transitioning to womanhood, but without FGM/C. This paper briefly describes the genesis of ARP in Kenya since 1996, and discusses its significance as a hybridised cultural assemblage that forms part of new cultural and relational processes. It emphasises the importance of examining the deep context in which ARP takes place, including the traditional ritual that it aims to replace. The paper identifies lacunae in the literature, and potential lines of enquiry for future research. The Appendix includes summaries of a selection of the literature on ARP

Influence of Microfinance Trainers’ Characteristics on Women’s Acquisition of Financial Skills: A Case of Women’s Self-Help Groups in Kiambu County, Kenya

Microfinance institutions have had their fair share of challenges, especially the ability of the women entrepreneurs to manage loans secured from the institutions. Thus, the study intended to examine the effectiveness of microfinance trainers’ characteristics on women’s acquisition of financial skills in Kiambu County, Kenya. The study was guided by Pearson’s Theory of Gender Relations, The Endogenous Growth and Knowledge-Based Theories. It adopted mixed methods approach and thus applied exploratory research design. The target population comprised of 8 Credit Officers, 25 staff members, 1900 women in SHGs, 700 spouses and 100 Key Informants (Training Officers) all totaling to 2733. Using the Central Limit Theorem to obtain a sample of MFIs, that is, 25.0% of 8 MFIs and 295 respondents, that is, 10.9% of 2708, were selected. Purposive sampling was used to select two Credit Officers and 20 key informants (Training Officers). 190 women in SHGs and 83 spouses were selected using simple random sampling. Focus group discussions were used to collect data from women in SHGs and their spouses, interview schedules for women in SHGs, Credit Officers and spouses whereas questionnaires were used to gather information from Training Officers. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically along the study objectives and presented in narrative forms while the quantitative data was analyzed descriptively using frequencies and percentages with the help of Statistical Packages for Social Science (SPSS 23) and were presented using tables and charts. The study established that microfinance trainers’ characteristics influence women’s acquisition of financial skills. Thus, the study recommends that microfinance trainers’ need to update their skills to match the changing times such as adopting use of ICT and attitude change towards women empowerment. The trainers need to plan for quarterly and semi-annual evaluation of training programmes since they are effective in ascertaining of the efficacy of such programmes

Guidance for Applied Cross-National Research in Under-Resourced Countries: Lessons from a Gender-Based Violence Intervention in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Applied research for social change is still in its infancy in cross-cultural psychology. Despite the potential for tremendous impact, the complexities of conducting applied research, particularly in under-resourced countries, may discourage scholars from pursing this important but daunting venture. To forewarn and equip other scholars, we outline a variety of challenges (e.g., resource constraints, cultural norms) that influence all aspects of the research process, from gaining entry, organizing the cross-national research team, working with local stakeholders, designing the methods, developing and administering instruments, collecting and interpreting the data, to reporting the findings for local use. Via a personal account of our experiences in conducting a study on a gender-based violence intervention in Congo, we share our lessons and offer recommendations (e.g., using multiple methodologies) for conducting applied cross-national research. We hope that as a result more scholars will be encouraged to undertake this impactful and rewarding work

When religious leaders champion gender equity and religion is a strength: Empowering women and men to collectively mitigate gender-based violence

Cha and Roberts (2019) suggest that marginalized groups can leverage identity-based strengths as resources to achieve desirable organizational outcomes. Scaling this up, we suggest that for a marginalized community, leveraging their cultural strengths as resources can also be an effective strategy to combat large, complex, and entrenched societal problems. In the aftermath of decades of war, gender-based violence (GBV) is a pressing concern in the Democratic Republic of Congo. To combat this, an intervention aimed to leverage the most influential cultural strengths in the region – religion and religious leadership - to energize social change. We tested whether such an approach was impactful in three critical areas: 1) GBV within marriage; 2) gender roles in the family; and 3) activism and male allyship in the community. Individuals from cities and rural areas in North Kivu and South Kivu who attended the year-long intervention (n = 100) and a matched control group (n = 100) completed a survey 4 years later. Results showed that compared to the control group, the intervention attendees reported significantly lower experience of emotional abuse, physical violence and sexual violence behaviors, endorsed more egalitarian gender roles and power sharing within the family. Finally, they exhibited activism in the community, and male allyship, grounded in positive masculinity. Findings demonstrate that interventions that emphasize and leverage cultural strengths offer a useful approach to combat entrenched social problems, even in extreme environments

Fertility and contraceptive dynamics amidst COVID-19: who is at greatest risk for unintended pregnancy among a cohort of adolescents and young adults in Nairobi, Kenya?

Objectives Among youth in Nairobi, we (1) characterised fertility and contraceptive use dynamics by gender; (2) estimated pregnancy prevalence over the pandemic; and (3) assessed factors associated with unintended pandemic pregnancy for young women.Design Longitudinal analyses use cohort data collected at three timepoints prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic: June to August 2019 (pre-pandemic), August to October 2020 (12-month follow-up) and April to May 2021 (18-month follow-up).Setting Nairobi, Kenya.Participants At initial cohort recruitment, eligible youth were aged 15–24 years, unmarried and residing in Nairobi for at least 1 year. Within-timepoint analyses were restricted to participants with survey data per round; trend and prospective analyses were restricted to those with complete data at all three timepoints (n=586 young men, n=589 young women).Primary and secondary outcome measures Primary outcomes comprised fertility and contraceptive use for both genders, and pregnancy for young women. Unintended pandemic pregnancy (assessed at 18-month follow-up) was defined as a current or past 6-month pregnancy with intent to delay pregnancy for more than 1 year at 2020 survey.Results While fertility intentions remained stable, contraceptive dynamics varied by gender—young men both adopted and discontinued coital-dependent methods, whereas young women adopted coital-dependent or short-acting methods at 12-month follow-up (2020). Current pregnancy was highest at 2020 (4.8%), and approximately 2% at 2019 and 2021. Unintended pandemic pregnancy prevalence was 6.1%, with increased odds for young women recently married (adjusted OR (aOR)=3.79; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.83–7.86); recent contraceptive use was protective against unintended pandemic pregnancy (aOR=0.23; 95% CI 0.11–0.47).Conclusions Current pregnancy in Nairobi was highest at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020), and subsided to pre-pandemic levels by 2021 data collection; however, requires further monitoring. New marriages posed considerable risk for unintended pandemic pregnancy. Contraceptive use remains a crucial preventive strategy to averting unintended pregnancy, particularly for married young women

Product-access challenges to menstrual health throughout the COVID-19 pandemic among a cohort of adolescent girls and young women in Nairobi, Kenya

Background Access to menstrual hygiene products enables positive health for adolescent girls and young women (AGYW). Among AGYW in Nairobi, Kenya, this prospective mixed-methods study characterised menstrual health product-access challenges at two time points during the COVID-19 pandemic; assessed trajectories over the pandemic; and examined factors associated with product-access trajectories. Methods Data were collected from an AGYW cohort in August-October 2020 and March-June 2021 (n=591). The prevalence of menstrual health product-access challenges was calculated per timepoint, with trajectories characterizing product-access challenges over time. Logistic regression models examined associations with any product-access challenge throughout the pandemic; multinomial and logistic regressions further assessed factors associated with trajectories. Qualitative data contextualize results. Findings In 2020, 52.0% of AGYW experienced a menstrual health product-access challenge; approximately six months later, this proportion dropped to 30.3%. Product-access challenges during the pandemic were heightened for AGYW with secondary or lower education (aOR=2.40; p < 0.001), living with parents (aOR=1.86; p=0.05), not the prime earner (aOR=2.27; p=0.05); and unable to meet their basic needs (aOR=2.25; p < 0.001). Between time points, 38.0% experienced no product-access challenge and 31.7% resolved, however, 10.2% acquired a challenge and 20.1% experienced sustained challenges. Acquired product-access challenges, compared to no challenges, were concentrated among those living with parents (aOR=3.21; p=0.05); multinomial models further elucidated nuances. Qualitative data indicate deprioritization of menstrual health within household budgets as a contributor. Interpretation Menstrual health product-access challenges are prevalent among AGYW during the pandemic; barriers were primarily financial. Results may reflect endemic product-access gaps amplified by COVID-specific constraints. Ensuring access to menstrual products is essential to ensure AGYW's health needs. Copyright (C) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd

Gendered health, economic, social and safety impact of COVID-19 on adolescents and young adults in Nairobi, Kenya

Background Infectious disease outbreaks like COVID-19 and their mitigation measures can exacerbate underlying gender disparities, particularly among adolescents and young adults in densely populated urban settings. Methods An existing cohort of youth ages 16–26 in Nairobi, Kenya completed a phone-based survey in August-October 2020 (n = 1217), supplemented by virtual focus group discussions and interviews with youth and stakeholders, to examine economic, health, social, and safety experiences during COVID-19, and gender disparities therein. Results COVID-19 risk perception was high with a gender differential favoring young women (95.5% vs. 84.2%; p<0.001); youth described mixed concern and challenges to prevention. During COVID-19, gender symmetry was observed in constrained access to contraception among contraceptive users (40.4% men; 34.6% women) and depressive symptoms (21.8% men; 24.3% women). Gender disparities rendered young women disproportionately unable to meet basic economic needs (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.21; p<0.05) and in need of healthcare during the pandemic (aOR = 1.59; p<0.001). At a bivariate level, women had lower full decisional control to leave the house (40.0% vs. 53.2%) and less consistent access to safe, private internet (26.1% vs. 40.2%), while men disproportionately experienced police interactions (60.1%, 55.2% of which included extortion). Gender-specific concerns for women included menstrual hygiene access challenges (52.0%), increased reliance on transactional partnerships, and gender-based violence, with 17.3% reporting past-year partner violence and 3.0% non-partner sexual violence. Qualitative results contextualize the mental health impact of economic disruption and isolation, and, among young women, privacy constraints. Implications Youth and young adults face gendered impacts of COVID-19, reflecting both underlying disparities and the pandemic’s economic and social shock. Economic, health and technology-based supports must ensure equitable access for young women. Gender-responsive recovery efforts are necessary and must address the unique needs of youth