Effects of the Financial Services of Ahon sa Hirap Inc. on the Well-Being of its Women Members in Los Banos, Laguna, 2019

Date

6-2020

Degree

Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Economics

College

College of Economics and Management (CEM)

Adviser/Committee Chair

Bates M. Bathan

Committee Member

Bates M. Bathan, Antonio Jesus A. Quilloy, Agham C. Cuevas

Abstract

Microfinance was seen as an effective tool in improving the quality of lives of the borrowers through an increase in business opportunities and empowerment of its women members. The study estimated the effects of the products and services of Ahon sa Hirap Inc. on the well-being of its women members in ASHI centers located in Los Banos, Laguna. To have a representative respondent from each center, stratified random sampling with proportional allocation was used to select 186 women respondents. Primary data were collected using a pre-tested interview schedule. Secondary data were borrowed from ASHI publications. The analytical tools used in the study were descriptive analysis, assessment of credit utilization, analysis of real net income, Ordinary Least Square Regression analysis, assessment of security indicators, Fisher's exact test, Paired sample t-test and Tobit regression analysis.

The average amount of loan received by the women respondent was Php 21,397 while the average amount of loan used for the intended purpose, which is for their income generating activity, was Php 13,668. The average credit utilization of a woman respondent was 66%. Majority of the respondents diverted some of their loans received to either another enterprise not indicated in their application form or for another household expenses. There was a statistically significant increase in the real net income of the women respondents after their participation in ASHI. Household livelihood security domains namely food security, educational security, economic security, housing condition and women empowerment, were found to be statistically significant after membership in ASHI. Educational security was lower after membership in ASHI as most of their children have already graduated. There was a statistically significant increase of 0.37 in the overall livelihood security of the members after their membership in ASHI. Among the significant determinants of overall livelihood security, result of the Tobit regression revealed that age and years in formal school have a negative effect on overall livelihood security while household size and other sources of income have a positive effect on the overall livelihood security.

The most common problem faced by the women members in a group lending scheme was the late payment of its group member. Through the products and services offered by ASHI to its women members, it helped in reducing the vulnerability of its member to being poor and an important tool that helped the empowerment of its women members and in improving the quality of their lives. The following were the recommendations to further improve the implementation of ASHI program: close monitoring of credit utilization of its members, incentives in the form of small prizes or tokens to motivate members to attend center meetings diligently, and expansion of its geographical reach.

Language

English

LC Subject

Microfinance

Location

UPLB College of Economics and Management (CEM)

Call Number

LG 993.5 2021 A14 C38

Document Type

Thesis

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS