Empowering her drive: Unveiling the resilience and triumphs of women entrepreneurs in rural landscapes

Abstract

Rural women entrepreneurship plays a pivotal role in poverty eradication and inclusive development, yet many women in developing nations, including Tanzania, grapple with challenges hindering their enterprise success. This study delves into these challenges and explores resilience strategies for positive transformations. Primary data was collected from 540 women-led enterprises in the Tabora region between April and June 2022, analyzed using the One-parameter logistic, and Ordinary Robust Least Square models. The One-parameter logistic model, suited for binary outcomes, reveals nuanced challenges faced by rural women entrepreneurs, with government policy, regulatory environment, and education and training showing positive and significant relationships to discrimination, while cultural factors, infrastructure, and socioeconomic characteristics exhibit negative significant relationships. The Ordinary Robust Least Square model indicates that resilience strategies, including diversification of income streams, access to credit, skills development training, sustainable agriculture practices, and value addition programs, significantly influence women entrepreneurs' performance. These strategies empower women to overcome challenges and thrive. Conclusively, the study advocates for targeted policy interventions fostering education, financial inclusion, and sector-specific support to empower and enhance the resilience of women entrepreneurs, contributing to broader socioeconomic development.