Financial inclusion and entrepreneurial development amongst women refugees in Uganda, a case study of Nakivale refugee settlement.

Abstract

The study examined the relationship between financial inclusion and entrepreneurial development amongst women refugees in Nakivale Refugee Settlement. The study was guided by three objectives including the relationship between financial services accessibility and entrepreneurial development amongst women refugees, the relationship between financial services usage and entrepreneurial development amongst women refugees and the relationship between financial services quality and entrepreneurial development amongst women refugees. The study adopted a cross-sectional research duration, employed a mixed research approach, used a case study strategy and used the explanatory research classification as the research design. Simple random sampling and purposive sampling techniques were used to select 171 respondents who were drawn from a population of 300 individuals from categories of settlement leaders, NGO representatives, financial service providers, credit group members and women refugee entrepreneurs. A self administered questionnaire and interview guide were used to obtain data from the respondents. Correlation results showed that there is a statistically significant positive relationship between financial services accessibility and entrepreneurial development (r = .240, p = .000), financial services usage and entrepreneurial development also had a statistically non-significant positive relationship (r = .150, p = .100) and financial services quality and entrepreneurial development had a statistically significant positive relationship (r = .265, p = .000). The study concluded that while access to financial services plays a role in shaping entrepreneurial development among women in Nakivale Refugee Settlement, it is only one of many factors influencing their entrepreneurial outcomes. It was also concluded that engagement with financial products alone is insufficient to overcome the different barriers faced by women entrepreneurs in a refugee context, such as limited business experience, low literacy levels, constrained social networks and challenging market conditions. While financial tools are accessible, their capacity to foster meaningful business growth is contingent on the surrounding environment and the ability of women to leverage these resources effectively. It was recommended that women refugees through microfinance institutions should actively seek out financial institutions and programs that offer accessible services tailored to small-scale entrepreneurs. It was also suggested that Women refugees through NGOs supporting refugee entrepreneurship should access mentorship opportunities facilitated by these organizations, using financial services as a platform to implement guidance and strategies provided by experienced mentors