Shirima, Joyce2020-06-192020-06-192004Shirima, Joyce (2004) women empowerment in micro and small enterprises and poverty alleviation in Tanzania: a case of ilala district. Master dissertation, University of Dar es Salaam. Dar es Salaam.http://41.86.178.5:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/12579Available in printed form, East Africana Collection, Dr. Wilbert Chagula Library, Class mark (THS EAF HQ1381.T34S45)This study is about women empowerment and poverty alleviation through participating in micro and small enterprises in Ilala district, Dar-es-Salaam region. The study investigated and qualified three issues with respect to empowerment of women, the issues are contribution towards family budget; business performance and the decision making at household level. The study used both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The main research methods used in data collection were questionnaire and interviews. A sample consisting of 65 respondents was used to generate information about women empowerment in micro and small enterprises. The study was able to prove mathematically that women’s ability to contribute towards family budgets increases as a result of engaging in businesses. The study established that there is a positive relationship between women’s involvement in major household decisions and engaging in micro and small enterprises. The study also confirmed that women could control and manage their businesses such that they grow in terms of sales and number of employees. The study confirmed that micro and small enterprises have significantly contributed positively to the empowerment of women and hence contribution towards family budgets, involvement in major household decisions and ability to manage business growth can be used as social indicators of empowerment. The study recommended several matters regarding the micro and small enterprises sector, these include introduction of entrepreneurial education in schools, and increasing of loan sizes by the microfinances which finance the MSEs sector.enWomen empowermentEconomicsSmall enterprisesPoverty alleviationThesis