Influence of motivation and demotivation factors on sustainability of group saving &loan (gs&l) associations in Nyando sub county

Abstract

Group Savings and Loan (GS&L) associations have attracted much interest because of their promise to attain outreach to very poor and rural people better than microfinance institutions. Current trends have however, indicated low sustainability of most Group Saving and Loan (GS&L) groups beyond donor funding cycle thereby constraining group members’ access to basic financial services. Although previous studies have attempted to understand and demonstrate sustainability of GS&L programs, some of these studies have relied on bivariate analysis depicting methodological gaps in showing linkage and contribution of motivational, demotivational and socio-demographic factors to GS&L sustainability. The purpose of this study was to develop a model that demonstrates influencers of sustainability of GS&L groups in Nyando Sub County. It pursued this through 4 specific objectives namely: determine the level of sustainability of GS&L groups; establish the relationship between motivating factors and level of sustainability of GS&L groups; establish the relationship between demotivating factors and level of sustainability of GS&L groups; develop a predictive model showing the link between level of sustainability, motivating and demotivating factors among GS&L groups in Nyando Sub County. Conceptually, level of sustainability was influenced by 3 major blocks of factors which included motivating, demotivating and socio demographic factors. The study adopted across sectional design and using Fisher’s formula, a sample size of 255 saving group membersout of a population sample frame of 775were selected through Proportionate to size random sampling and interviewed using structured questionnaire. Quantitative data analysis entailed use of descriptive and inferential statistics as well as principal axis factoring followed by linear regression. The study has revealed that motivational and demotivational factors were the important predictors of GS&L sustainability. In particular, members’ confidence in themselves and in their groups (representing motivational block) and personal conflicts (representing demotivational block) were the strongest determinant of long term existence of saving groups. Greater sustainability of saving groups is possible when motivating factors are enhanced as demotivating factors are suppressed. As implementers (including development organizations and government institutions) of GS&L methodologyconcentrate their efforts in enhancing members’ confidence in themselves and in their groups to build attitude of success, detrimental effects of personal conflicts should be simultaneously repressed so that this does not compromise group’s longevity. Exposing new saving groups to learn from more experienced and successful groups operating in similar contexts and supporting establishment of strong leadership structures that guide participation of members are likely to guarantee continuous operation and existence of saving groups beyond the funding cycle of donor projects.