2009 AIAEE Proceedings of the 25 th Annual Meeting, InterContinental San Juan Resort, Puerto Rico 273 Selected Factors Affecting the Performance of Women’s Self-Help Groups in Western Kenya Billy A. Jivetti Department of Rural Sociology University of Missouri-Columbia 121 Gentry Hall Columbia, MO 65211 Tel. #: 573-882-7451 FAX #: 573-884-4444 jivettiba@gmail.com M. Craig Edwards, Ph.D. Department of Agricultural Education, Communications & Leadership Oklahoma State University craig.edwards@okstate.edu Abstract Women frequently encounter greater limitations and fewer opportunities than men, especially in regards to income-generating activities. They may face social and economic constraints that perpetuates poverty and spans generations. However, significant opportunities exist in the informal, small-scale enterprise sector for which women may be advantaged. Community groups are popular institutions in Kenya’s rural areas; groups help provide services that the government may have failed to deliver. So, it is important to examine such affiliations as they may promote sustainable, local development. The purpose of this study was to describe selected factors affecting the performance of women who belonged to self-help groups in the Shaviringa Location, Vihiga District of Western Kenya. Semi-structured, focus group interviews were used to collect data from 11 groups, including 64 women. Factors that the groups’ perceived affected their performance included issues related to marketing, transport of goods produced, lack of motivations (intrinsic and extrinsic), general group governance, management, and leadership. Most women’s self-help groups were involved in entrepreneurial activities including some form of business ventures. However, it is recommended that the women’s self- help groups be provided training in the development of business plans and guidance about how best to avoid redundancy or undue duplication of income-generating projects and activities. Keywords: Education, Kenya, Poverty, Women’s Groups