THE ROLE OF MICRO-CREDIT IN ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT OF DISABLED PERSONS IN THE UPPER EAST REGION, GHANA

Micro-credit has been acknowledged as a resourceful means of enhancing people economic activities and eliminating poverty among the poor. In Ghana, many organisations including those for disabled persons have adopted micro-credit as a strategy for enhancing empowerment. This study sought to explore, highlight and provide scientific information on the role of micro-credit in the economic empowerment of disabled persons using the Anglican and Community-Based Rehabilitation micro-credit programmes in the Bongo and Builsa Districts. A mixed-method approach was employed examining 140 disabled beneficiaries and 40 disabled non beneficiaries of the CBR micro-credit. The study used the borrowers (disabled micro-credit beneficiaries) recall of the “before-after” situation and also gauged the effects through disabled non-micro-credit beneficiaries’ perception on the effects of micro-credit on beneficiaries. This study found that micro-credit increased 84% of disabled entrepreneurs’ profit margins and income levels by 85% per annum. The study further ascertained that through micro credit 68.4% of disabled persons now have ‘bigger’ say in the use and management of their resources and 21.4% have gained better recognition and change in decision making position. Fifty-seven percent (57%) of micro-credit beneficiaries had repaid the credit received. Household decision-making is still mainly a prerogative of the male head of the family. Low levels of education, poor market access and lack of access to micro-credit from financial institutions are obstacles to disabled persons empowerment. It is recommended that organisations working for and of disabled persons should assist in creating linkages with other institutions for market access and also undertake advocacy and lobbying to achieve inclusion of the disabled persons.