DOI: https://doi.org/10.36347/sjahss.2026.v14i07.005

Pages: 290-302

The socio-economic empowerment of women is essential for poverty reduction and sustainable rural development. In Burundi, Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) have emerged as an important strategy for community financial inclusion, improving women's access to savings, credit, and income-generating opportunities. However, empirical data on their contribution to women's socio-economic empowerment remain limited. This study assessed the contribution of VSLA programs to the socio-economic empowerment of rural women in Burundi, using data from groups supported by African Revival Ministries (ARM) in the commune of Gitega. A descriptive cross-sectional study, using mixed-methods approaches, was conducted. The study targeted 860 women members of VSLAs supported by ARM in the Rutegama and Kiriba areas, from which a representative sample of 86 respondents was selected according to Alain Bouchard's formula. The data were collected using structured questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and direct observations, then analyzed with SPSS version 26 software, using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression. The results revealed that 98.82% of respondents considered savings and loan cooperatives (SLCs) an effective tool for empowering rural women. Furthermore, 82.36% indicated that SLC loans were their primary source of financing for starting income-generating activities, while 70.60% invested these loans in agriculture and livestock farming, 21.17% in small businesses, 4.70% in small shops, and 3.53% in restaurants. Respondents also expressed a very positive perception of the support provided by African Revival Ministries: 71.76% rated its role in establishing SLCs as very positive, and 97.64% assessed its overall contribution positively. The study concludes that village savings and credit programs significantly improve women's financial inclusion, entrepreneurship, access to productive capital, and household livelihoods,