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This paper aims to examine the major determinants and challenges of women's participation in income-generating activities focusing on rural women of Ethiopia. To carry out this study, both primary and secondary data were used. Randomly selected 161 households were the source of primary data for this study. Secondary data were collected from the review of related literature. A binary logistic regression econometric model was implemented to identify major determinants of women's participation in income-generating activities. The finding of this study revealed that in the study area, women are not allowed by their husbands to participate in high-income earning activities. They are considered a housewife and only husband are expected to participate in high income-generating activities due to the local customs. In the study area, women's participation in the income-generating activity is determined by age, husband’s education, women's education, family size, land size, market distance, livestock holding, and access to credit. This paper contributes to the literature on women's participation challenges in income-generating activities, giving emphasis to rural women's perspectives. It provides the basis for further studies aimed at challenges hindering women's participation in high-income earning activities, particularly in developing countries.

This paper reports on a study with rural young people (aged 10-24 years) in Malawi and Lesotho, focusing on their opportunities to learn skills and access capital and assets to engage in incomegenerating activities (IGAs). Participatory group exercises and individual interviews provide many examples of how young people learn skills and start small businesses, as well as an insight into their strategic thinking about engaging in these livelihood options. Various factors, including the effects of AIDS, are shown to affect young people's prospects of succeeding in their ventures. Young people are very keen on starting IGAs, and are supported by adult members of their communities in asking for interventions to help them. We argue that expanded vocational and business training, focusing on locally appropriate types and scale of businesses, coupled with help to raise start-up capital has the potential to improve the chances of young people who are poor and/or AIDS-affected securing sustainable rural livelihoods in their futures. Since AIDS is intertwined with many other issues affecting young people's livelihoods, it is problematic to single out and target only AIDS-affected young people with interventions on skills building and IGAs. Policymakers' attitudes to vocational skills training and support for IGAs in Malawi and Lesotho are also explored, and policy recommendations made to support vulnerable rural young people in their attempts to build sustainable livelihoods.

Based on Food and Agriculture Organization data for 15 developing countries, we examine household characteristics, asset bundles and income-generating activities of the rural poor. Assets aid in exiting poverty, not independent of one another, but rather in combination. We develop an approach to estimate the complementarities between education, farm size and infrastructure. Limited access to the three assets of interest here (susceptible to medium- and long-term interventions) might prevent moving a large number of small farmers out of poverty in the short-term (even with support programs). Increased land holding often has lower poverty-reducing potential, and when its potential is high, it is in countries where most land is divided among small operations (for example, Bangladesh). Education is confirmed as highly poverty-alleviating, and has a high complementarity with infrastructure.

Background Despite the proven efficacy of Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) in promoting primary healthcare in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), they are not adequately financed and compensated. The latter contributes to the challenge of high attrition rates observed in many settings, highlighting an urgent need for innovative compensation strategies for CHVs amid budget constraints experienced by healthcare systems. This study sought to identify strategies for implementing Income-Generating Activities (IGAs) for CHVs in Kilifi County in Kenya to improve their livelihoods, increase motivation, and reduce attrition. Methods An exploratory qualitative research study design was used, which consisted of Focus group discussions with CHVs involved in health promotion and data collection activities in a local setting. Further, key informant in-depth interviews were conducted among local stakeholder representatives and Ministry of Health officials. Data were recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed using MAXQDA 20.4 software. Data coding, analysis and presentation were guided by the Okumus’ (2003) Strategy Implementation framework. Results A need for stable income was identified as the driving factor for CHVs seeking IGAs, as their health volunteer work is non-remunerative. Factors that considered the local context, such as government regulations, knowledge and experience, culture, and market viability, informed their preferred IGA strategy. Individual savings through table-banking, seeking funding support through loans from government funding agencies (e.g., Uwezo Fund, Women Enterprise Fund, Youth Fund), and grants from corporate organizations, politicians, and other donors were proposed as viable options for raising capital for IGAs. Formal registration of IGAs with Government regulatory agencies, developing a guiding constitution, empowering CHVs with entrepreneurial and leadership skills, project and group diversity management, and connecting them to support agencies were the control measures proposed to support implementation and enhance the sustainability of IGAs. Group-owned and managed IGAs were preferred over individual IGAs. Conclusion CHVs are in need of IGAs. They proposed implementation strategies informed by local context. Agencies seeking to support CHVs’ livelihoods should, therefore, engage with and be guided by the input from CHVs and local stakeholders.

Background Community health workers are widely used to provide care for a broad range of health issues. Since 2003 the government of Ethiopia has been deploying specially trained new cadres of community based health workers named health extension workers (HEWs). This initiative has been called the health extension program. Very few studies have investigated the role of these community health workers in improving utilization of maternal health services. Methods A cross sectional survey of 725 randomly selected women with under-five children from three districts in Northern Ethiopia. We investigated women’s utilization of family planning, antenatal care, birth assistance, postnatal care, HIV testing and use of iodized salt and compared our results to findings of a previous national survey from 2005. In addition, we investigated the association between several variables and utilization of maternal health services using logistic regression analysis. Results HEWs have contributed substantially to the improvement in women’s utilization of family planning, antenatal care and HIV testing. However, their contribution to the improvement in health facility delivery, postnatal check up and use of iodized salt seems insignificant. Women who were literate (OR, 1.85), listened to the radio (OR, 1.45), had income generating activities (OR, 1.43) and had been working towards graduation or graduated as model family (OR, 2.13) were more likely to demonstrate good utilization of maternal health services. A model family is by definition a family which has fulfilled all the packages of the HEP. Conclusions The HEWs seem to have substantial contribution in several aspects of utilization of maternal health services but their insignificant contribution in improving health facility delivery and skilled birth attendance remains an important problem. More effort is needed to improve the effectiveness of HEWs in these regards. For example, strengthening HEWs’ support for pregnant women for birth planning and preparedness and referral from HEWs to midwives at health centers should be strengthened. In addition, women’s participation in income generating activities, access to radio and education could be targets for future interventions.

Since 2005, major donors have been expanding Morocco's programs to combat poverty, social exclusion and gender inequality. Yet, despite newly designed programs that advocate participatory approaches, empowerment and inclusion, rural women endure a persistent marginalization in development programs. This article explores the latest strategies of the Green Morocco Plan (GMP) and the income generating activities (IGA) strategies that seek to support the employment and autonomy of rural women. Interviews and focus groups were conducted with women in seven villages in Rhamna province and with key official informants. The study shows that the women's participation in income generating activities and rural cooperatives' decision-making processes is virtually non-existent and that empowerment and gender equality is not unfolding for women. Rather, the women's involvement in running cooperatives is limited to providing cheap or even free manual labor, while only literate and generally educated people are able to benefit economically from the cooperative structures.

This study analyzes the factors influencing women’s participation in income-generating activities (IGAs) and its subsequent effect on household dietary diversity (HDD). Data from 356 rural women were collected in 2021/2022 using surveys, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions and subjected to descriptive statistics and Heckman’s two-step model analysis. Qualitative data were transcribed and further narrated to supplement the quantitative findings. The findings depict that only 38.4% of the surveyed women engaged in IGAs, indicating low participation in the region. Key factors positively influencing participation include formal education, training, prior business experience, access to initial capital, cooperative membership, and ownership of land and livestock, while distance to market had a negative influence. A significant difference in average HDD was found between women engaged in IGAs and those who were not, indicating that women’s IGAs enhance HDD. The study suggests targeted government and organizational initiatives to particularly strengthen business training, access to initial capital, markets and cooperative ventures to improve women’s IGAs and HDD.

South African National Parks (SANParks) face increasing pressure to generate revenue from tourism. Astrotourism has been identified as a potential low-impact income generating activity suitable for parks. However, SANParks need to understand the potential elements impacting on viability of astrotourism prior to development of such activities. The aim of the study was to explore the viability of low environmental impact astrotourism activities in SANParks to generate income based on important economic and practical considerations. A mixed-methods approach, using responses from 1150 participants in quantitative online surveys, combined with insights obtained through qualitative semi-structured interviews with 13 stakeholders in SANParks and 42 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders of global astrotourism initiatives, was used. Results from the online survey indicated that a demand exists for astrotourism activities in parks. Interest in astrotourism activities appealed to a wide range of respondents, from those with limited knowledge of astronomy to experts in the field. Tourists prefer authentic astrotourism experiences that have a low environmental impact and are not over-commercialised. The economic viability of astrotourism activities in parks was determined by considering demand and willingness to pay, while practical concerns derived from stakeholder interviews included suitable locations, availability of resources, expectations of the experience and challenges to be mitigated. In conclusion, astrotourism activities, if developed with these considerations, can be viable income-generating opportunities to generate direct income for SANParks and add value to the regional economy.Conservation implicationsSouth African National Parks need to develop income-generating activities with a low, non-degrading environmental impact to fund conservation. If implemented with the practical considerations highlighted in the article, astrotourism might be a viable option.

Support groups for people living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) have continued to evolve since their emergence over two decades ago. In addition to providing HIV education and fostering psychosocial support, recent efforts have shifted the focus to socio-economic activities and retention in care. The sense of urgency to adopt new treatment and prevention strategies in sub-Saharan Africa necessitates greater engagement of established HIV care programs, especially among researchers seeking to conduct implementation research, promote prevention strategies and optimize treatment as prevention. To maximize the utility of support groups in doing so, efforts to create an organized, collaborative framework should be considered. This paper aims to describe the process of refocusing an adult HIV peer-support group and illustrate how a structured program was strengthened to sustain implementation research in resource-limited settings, while promoting patient recruitment and retention. A multidisciplinary team of scientists supporting an HIV peer-support group spearheaded the implementation process that authored the successes, challenges and lessons documented over eight years. Psychosocial support, nutrition care and support, adherence education and income generating projects were the main interventions employed. The initiative resulted in seven peer-reviewed publications, submission of 23 scientific abstracts, scientific dissemination at 12 international conferences. Eleven research studies and 16 income generating projects were successfully conducted over eight years. More than 900 patients participated in peer-support group activities every month and 400 were engaged in income generating activities. This multidisciplinary structured program was valuable in the retention and recruitment of patients for implementation research and benefits extended to psychosocial support, microeconomic projects, and improved nutrition. The support group contributed to strengthening implementation research through providing a platform for identification of research priorities, patient recruitment and retention in studies and dissemination of research findings.

The current study assessed changes in children and mothers' nutritional status before and after raising Bangladeshi households out of extreme poverty through an income-generating activities (IGA) programme. Extreme poor households took part in the IGA programme for 2 years and recruitment took place over four waves in annual cycles. Children and mothers were measured with regarding their nutritional status before and after the IGA programme commenced. Rural Bangladesh. Three-hundred and eighty-two children under 5 years of age at recruitment, and their mothers. After 2 years of the IGA programme, the prevalence of stunting significantly declined from 40·3 % to 33·0 % (P = 0·003), anaemia declined from 51·6 % to 44·0 % (P = 0·020) while mothers' CED (Chronic Energy Deficiency) declined from 52·0 % to 42·7 % (P < 0·001), but no significant changes were found in children's wasting, declining from 25·4 % to 21·5 %, underweight which remained the same at 43·2 %, while mothers' anaemia rose from 39·3 % to 42·7 %. There were also highly significant improvements in household socio-economic status. Increases in socio-economic security (especially in relation to cash savings and net income) and improvements in food quantity and quality (indicated by greater food diversity and animal food intake) were associated with normal nutritional status, and cessation of open defecation was associated with reduction in mothers' and child anaemia. The IGA programme was associated with increased household socio-economic security, such as asset accumulation, food security and sanitation, and with improvements in the nutritional status of children and their mothers in extreme poor households.