Abstract:
This paper sought to understand the pandemic's effect on Women's Self Help Groups (WSHGs) operations in Kenya and the strategies stakeholders
could adopt to mitigate the effects. The social capital theory was used to
guide the research. It holds that social networks are valuable assets and
interactions are critical in self-help groups to promote trustworthiness and
reciprocity. The desktop review method was used to gather the information
from studies on WSHGs and Covid-19 in Kenya (15 studies in 9 out of 47
Counties). The study analysed the public health measures adopted and how
they affected WSHGs operations. It established that they adversely affected
interactions that are critical in WSHGs operations. The mitigation strategies
entail embracing technology, subsidised technological devices, affordable
data bundles, social safety nets, and evidence-based interventions. This
paper recommends that the government should establish partnerships with
more WSHGs to reach the hard-to-reach population. It should empower
WSHGs to offer the much-needed social safety nets for vulnerable groups in
society. The containment measures should be context-tailored to help
WSHGs operate following public health protocols.
