The Impact of Training on Women's Micro-Enterprise Development

This study demonstrates that training combined with microcredit can have a positive impact on both, women's incomes and their status. The study examines the impact of training on women's microenterprise development in Ethiopia, India, Peru and Sudan, measuring it against four indicators: income, access and control of resources, status and quality of life. The study shows that:

• Poor women need training to develop skills and self confidence to operate and survive in the informal sector;
• Well-designed and suitably delivered training can lead to increased income, higher self-esteem and improved status in the household and community;
• Women participating in formal training groups in Indian and Ethiopian projects found it to be an empowering and liberating experience;
• Informal training in the form of one-to-one business or technical advice was effective in Peruvian and Sudanese projects.

Finally, the study recommends greater recognition of the role of training in empowering poor women, improved quality in design and delivery of training programs, and more research and evaluation into what constitutes 'good practice' in the training context.