Abstract
The self-help group concept began in Asian countries, particularly India and Bangladesh, and was introduced into Zimbabwe in 2013. Rural women have certainly benefitted from such groups, particularly as a result of having access to funds from which they can borrow to finance small money-making initiatives. However, the groups have also struggled as a result of internal conflicts, including the non-repayment of loans, the causes and consequences of which are not well understood. This chapter reports an action research project designed to explore these conflicts and, in a participatory fashion, to devise ways to address them. Thereafter, Zimbabweans had positive outcomes in terms of building the skills of dialogue in self-help group contexts and the repayment of outstanding loans.
Cresencia Nyathi, doctoral student in the International Centre of Nonviolence, Durban University of Technology; e-mail: cresencia.nyathi@gmail.com.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bähre, E. 2007. Money and violence: financial self-help groups in a South African township. Leiden: Brill.
Bullen, D. and Sokheang, H. 2015. Identification and effectiveness of self-help groups in Cambodia (CGIAR Research Program on Aquatic Agricultural Systems Program Report, AAS-2015-11). Penang: WorldFish.
Creighton, C., Yieke, F., Okely, J., Mareri, L. and Wafula, C. 2008. Gender inequalities in Kenya. Paper presented at the Understanding gender inequalities in Kenya. Egerton University, 5–8 April. Available: https://www.popline.org/node/183969 (Accessed 25 April 2019).
Guerin, I. and Palier, J. 2007. Microfinance and the empowerment of women: will the silent revolution take place? Dialogue, 37: 27–34.
Kalpana, K. 2008. The vulnerability of ‘self-help’: women and microfinance in South India. Institute for Developmental Studies. Working Paper 303. Available: https://www.microfinancegateway.org/sites/default/files/mfg-en-paper-the-vulnerability-of-self-help-women-and-microfinance-in-south-india-apr-2008.pdf (Accessed 19 May 2015).
McTaggart, R. 1998. Is validity really an issue for participatory action research? Studies in Cultures, Organizations and Societies, 4(2): 211–236.
Ramachandar, L. and Pelto, P. 2009. Self-Help Groups in Bellary: microfinance and women’s empowerment. Journal of Family Welfare, 55: 1–16.
Reason, P. and Bradbury, H. 2001. Action research. London: Sage Publications.
Rothwell, J. 2015. In mixed company: communicating in small groups and Teams. 9th edition. New York: Oxford University Press.
Samanta, G. 2009. Microfinance and women: gender issues of poverty alleviation and empowerment. The Microfinance Review, 1(1): 100–120.
Stringer, E. T. 2014. Action research. 4th edition. London: Sage Publications.
Yang, M. and Stanley, T. D. 2012. Micro-credit and income: a literature review and meta-analysis. Bulletin of Economics and Meta-analysis. Available: https://www.hendrix.edu/uploadedFiles/Departments_and_Programs/Business_and_Economics/AMAES/Micro-Credit%20Meta-Analysis12-18(2).pdf (Accessed 25 April 2019).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Nyathi, C. (2019). Collaborative Conflict Resolution: A Case Study of Women’s Self-help Groups in North-Western Zimbabwe. In: Hove, M., Harris, G. (eds) Infrastructures for Peace in Sub-Saharan Africa. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-14694-8_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-14694-8_6
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-14693-1
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-14694-8
eBook Packages: Political Science and International StudiesPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)