A sustainable liverlihood approach to poverty reduction : participatory experiences of women involved in art and craft co-operative in Bhambayi, KwaZulu-Natal.

Abstract

This study is an extension of a pilot study that was conducted by Raniga and Ngcobo (2014) in a predominantly informal settlement in Bhambayi, which revealed, single parents from low-income communities surface social and economic marginalisation on the grounds of poverty reduction. Therefore, it is to Ngcobo and Raniga (2014) study, which qualitatively explored the economic experiences of single mothers in Bhambayi and revealed that “transformative interventions should include the establishment of a business forum to assist single mothers to network and lobby for funding and to implement business training programmes” (Raniga & Ngcobo, 2014, p. 526). Women in Bhambayi have taken the initiative to stand up and join the economic co-operatives to fight poverty as a substitute of government social grants they are receiving. This paper aims to fill the gap in literature that is about the involvement of women in co-operatives. Especially in KwaZulu-Natal and South Africa, as there is little literature on studies concerning women and formal income generating projects such as co-operatives. This study aims to understand the participatory experiences of women involved in the implementation of an art and craft economic co-operative projects using the sustainable livelihood approach as a poverty reduction strategy, in Bhambayi. Using a participatory action research methodology, the evidence from six of nine women in an art and craft economic cooperative in Bhambayi area, North of Ethekwini, Kwa Zulu-Natal is presented in this paper. Guided by the sustainable livelihood approach to conduct this study, this paper presents the following themes: a positive contribution of in sustaining human capacity development, political influences on enhancing economic development; and lack of project management skills were some of the obstacles encountered within the cooperative project and had dire implications for the sustainability of art and craft cooperative. Conclusion: the findings of this study corroborate the conclusions made by Kumar, Wankhende and Gena (2015) who emphasise the need for training workshops before self-help groups commit themselves into operating as co-operatives.