‘Women who resist’: Case Study of Women-Led Informal Groups in North Imenti, Meru County, Kenya

Abstract

This research aims to assess the impact of women-led economic collaborative programs on poverty reduction in households within marginalized communities in Kenya, specifically in North Imenti, Meru County. Women play an essential role in Meru County's economy through agricultural production and informal trade. However, they have always been excluded from participating in formal economic structures and making decisions.

The pre- colonial era, through post-independence, maintained patriarchal traditions that confined women's work within domestic areas and subsistence zones while denying them both leadership positions and resource control authority. Women in Meru face continuous systemic exclusion in economic policies, thus affecting the region's socioeconomic structure, while their collaborative economic activities receive no official recognition or support. It is vital to analyze the historical context because it helps us understand the current efforts of women to regain agency through their collaborative movements against economic exclusion.

Utilizing feminist economic and development theories and social capital frameworks, the study investigates how grassroots organizing through platforms such as Chamas and self-help groups helps women establish informal structures of the economy and thereby compensate for state and institutional neglect. The study aims to use a mixed method of 80 surveys, 80 focus group discussions (FGD) respondents, 10 household observations, and 10 key informant interviews to assess the different dimensions of poverty, the role of women’s collective efforts, and limiting structural barriers to scaling up these efforts.

The research findings aim to shape gender-responsive policy while contributing significant evidence to economic justice campaigns by recognizing and creating visibility for local women's economic initiatives. The research objective extends beyond data production. In addition, it aims to support women in establishing advocacy platforms that enforce policy changes, eliminate tokenistic participation, and drive sustainable economic advancements within communities.