1Assistant Professor with, S.V. Institute of Management, prof.kalpeshprajapati@gmail.com
2Assistant Professor in, Institute of Management, Nirma University, Ahmedabad, profnikunj@gmail.com
Online published on 10 December, 2015.
Microfinance activity plays a vital role for socio-economic empowerment of the women. It is also believed that there is positive relationship between access to microfinance facility and increase in the status of women within households and communities. This paper reflects on findings from interviews with women members of bank linkage self-help groups. The paper examines the social impact of microfinance activities on selected women SHGs (self-help group) members of North Gujarat, India. Exploratory Factor analysis was performed on 20 variable statements of 510 women respondents. Three factors were extracted from exploratory factor analysis namely, development in personality, enhancement in social attentiveness and enhancement in decision taking ability. Subsequently, a regression model was performed to check the significance of microfinance on the increment in self-confidence of the women.
Social empowerment, Social impact, North Gujarat, Self-help groups, Micro-finance
