Contribution of entrepreneurship on women’s well-being in Tanzania: a case of Arumeru District

A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULLFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN RURAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE SOKOINE UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE, MOROGORO, TANZANIA.Women entrepreneurs are increasingly becoming one of the development determinants particularly in Sub-Sahara Africa. However, the contribution which entrepreneurship has on women’s well-being is not adequately explored. Therefore, the general objective of this study was to determine contribution of entrepreneurship on women’s personal well-being. The study adopted a cross-sectional research design. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected through individual survey and focus group discussions respectively. A random sample of 180 respondents including 90 women entrepreneurs and 90 women non entrepreneurs was involved. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS while qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis. A multiple linear regression was used to model contribution of entrepreneurship on well-being. The results show that majority of women entrepreneurs were not employed in the formal sector. Being not employed in the formal sector explains their involvement in entrepreneurship. Majority were involved in shops and petty businesses. Secondly, majority of women entrepreneurs had acquired at least a primary education. In addition, entrepreneurs were constrained by many challenges including limited access to credit. Overall personal well-being was high among women entrepreneurs relative to non women entrepreneurs and the difference was significant at 0.1%. The personal well-being was high among women who had formal education, single, employed in the formal sector, middle to old age, high wealth status and whose households were headed by women. The multiple linear regression analysis showed that entrepreneurship had significant contribution on personal well-being at 0.1% level of significance. Based on the results, the study concludes that entrepreneurship is a key to improving personal well-being among women. Therefore, governmental and non- governmental efforts and policies to improve women’s well-being should focus at promoting entrepreneurship in the study area and the country at large