This article investigated varieties of livelihoods strategies employed by some informal women traders doing business at flea markets in the Harare Business Districts of the Harare Province. The study was informed by the Sustainable Livelihood Approach proffered by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency Division (SIDA 2001) for Policy and Socio-Economic Analysis. A quantitative and qualitative research design was developed and data was gathered through questionnaires, in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and direct observations during transect walks. The objectives of the study were to; identify micro-credit schemes used by the informal women traders doing business at flea markets, explore the livelihoods of microcredit schemes as pathways to poverty eradication and finally determine interventions and sustainable strategies that could be used for the informal women traders. The study discovered that women informal traders engaged in diverse activities for sustainable livelihoods strategies that eradicate poverty. The bulk of informal women traders face staid livelihoods challenges, resulting in them living in poverty. The study thus calls on Government and financing institutions to finance them for local empowerment, gain access and control of available livelihoods resources in a meaningful way. A range of policy interventions and sustainable strategies could be developed that enable informal women traders to eradicate poverty in Zimbabwe,
This article investigated the livelihoods strategies of informal women traders doing business at flea markets in Zimbabwe. The study was conducted in Harare Province at a flea market near the Harare Central Business District. The study was informed by the Sustainable Livelihood Approach proffered by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency Division (SIDA, 2001) for Policy and Socio-Economic Analysis. A qualitative design was utilised and data was gathered through interviews, focus group discussions and observations during transect walks. The specific objectives of the study included the following; to discover micro credit schemes used by the informal women traders doing business at this particular flea market, to explore the impact of microcredit schemes as pathways towards poverty eradication amongst informal women traders; to examine the survival and coping challenges experienced by women doing business under socio-economic environment hardships and finally, to determine possible interventions and sustainable strategies that could be used to out-scale and throw a lifeline to the informal women traders. The study revealed that while women informal traders engaged in diverse activities for their sustainable livelihoods strategies that eradicate poverty, vast majority of informal women traders encountered numerous challenges, resulting in them employing unpleasant survival and tough coping techniques. The study concluded that if financing institutions and Non Governmental Organizations could give them small funds for capacity building for local empowerment; this would help them to gain access and control of their sustainable livelihoods resources in a meaningful way. The study is therefore proposing sound policy interventions and sustainable strategies that could be used to empower informal women traders doing business at flea markets for them to gain access and full control over livelihoods resources in Zimbabwe.
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