Abstract Women are the most vulnerable population segment to gender-based violence (GBV) due to their economic dependence. A significant number of women (72%) do not participate in non-farming income-generating activities. Therefore; study assesses the experiences of women and girls who are participating in nongovernmental income-generating activities (IGA) in the Hawella Tula sub-city of Hawassa, Southern Ethiopia. The study employed focus group discussions and key informant interviews to assess the lived experiences of women and girls participating in income-generating activities of nongovernmental initiatives. The collected data were transcribed, classified, coded, and thematically analyzed. The findings indicated that there was no market assessment or stakeholder mapping for the technical support of income-generation participants. The participants utilized coping mechanisms such as shifting their primary choice of income-generating activities to alternative activities in response to the risks and challenges they faced. The lack of proper training in local languages, tailored to the understanding of the participants, contributed to the frequent shifting of activities due to limited success. Moreover, the participants could not obtain technical support from local financial institutions, which further roadblocked the success of the initiative. The participants engaged in subsistence activities, which limited their saving capacity, as evidenced by their lack of savings accounts. The study concludes that IGA encounter various shocks and risks that barriers income-generation performance when market system development is not place for mitigation. To improve the success of the initiative, it is necessary to unify the selected beneficiaries and introduce a revolving fund model through a vigorous governance structure to ensure sustainable cycle of financing.
Tukura et al. (Thu,) studied this question.