The Role of SHG's in Promoting Entrepreneurship Among Tribal Women in Kerala

Abstract

Self Help Group plays a significant role for promoting entrepreneurship and economic empowerment among marginalized population of tribal women. This study investigates the impact of SHG in fostering entrepreneurial activities among tribal women in Kerala. The study also examines how SHGs contribute to economic inclusion, skill development programs and market accessibility during addressing socio-economic challenges. SHG can evaluate their influence on entrepreneurial success by analyzing key dimensions such as awareness and training, challenges of SHG, Performance evolution, marketing issues, health & wellbeing, microfinance effect and digital transformation. The study also explores the significant role of government policies, private sectors (non-governmental organizations) and community participation in increasing SHG based initiatives. These findings shows that SHGs offers financial support, act as a platform for social empowerment, capacity development and enhancements of sustainable business. However, challenges like insufficient funding, minimal market linkages and digital literacy gaps remains a major obstacle. The study recommends that policy measures and strategic measures to improve the effectiveness of SHGs in promoting sustainable entrepreneurship among tribal women. The research provides insights that can support policymakers, development agencies and stakeholders in designing inclusive program. These will empower tribal women and promotes socio-economic developments in Kerala. Moreover, the analytical framework utilizes both primary and secondary data sources to enhance strength of analytical framework and guarantee reliability of the results. The analysis of SHG participation in terms of quantitative data with the help of statistical methods (regression and correlation) indicates that SHG membership positively affects entrepreneurial activity and the income level in a quantifiable way. The results also highlight that the continuous training, enhanced market connection, and digital literacy programs are necessary to increase long-term sustainability. In general, the research offers a piece of empirical evidence proving the impact of SHGs as a driver of inclusive development and socio-economic change between tribal women in the Kerala region.