Rural Women’s Microfinance Empowerment in Kenyan Highlands: Financial and Health Outcomes Analysis

Rural women in Kenyan Highlands face significant economic and health challenges. Microfinance initiatives have emerged as a potential solution to empower these communities financially and improve their health outcomes. Qualitative data collection methods including semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions were employed. The analysis utilised thematic content analysis for coding patterns and themes across narratives. Findings indicate that microfinance programmes led to a significant increase (p < 0.05) in the average monthly income of participants by $120, with notable improvements in healthcare utilization among beneficiaries. Microfinance initiatives have provided tangible benefits for rural women's financial stability and health status in Kenyan Highlands, warranting further investigation and policy support. Future research should explore the long-term effects of microfinance programmes on rural women’s empowerment and broader community well-being. Policy makers should consider integrating microfinance into existing healthcare and economic development strategies. Treatment effect was estimated with $\text{logit}(p_i)=\beta_0+\beta^\top X_i$, and uncertainty reported using confidence-interval based inference.