Access to informal micro finance institutions for the poor and marginalized is critical in poverty reduction. However, most persons with disabilities have no or limited access to informal micro finance institutions due to a myriad of barriers (WHO, 2015). Anecdotal evidence shows that persons with disabilities periodically consume their savings and do not invest in ventures with financial benefits and such practices may not contribute to poverty reduction (Nuwagaba, et al, 2017). Most Persons with disabilities encounter difficulties running their businesses. Persons with disabilities are perceived by ordinary members and informal micro finance institutions as unable to return the borrowed money (Musinguzi, 2019). The study aimed at exploring the investment practices of persons with disabilities who save and get loans from informal micro finance groups. The study objectives were threefold: To explore the perception of Persons with disabilities regarding investment, saving and borrowing from informal micro finance groups, analyse what influences Persons with disabilities investment choices as individual and as group members of informal micro finance, and to explore how Persons with disabilities acquire knowledge and skills they use while investing resources obtained from informal micro finance groups.

The study employed a qualitative research approach deploying a case study design. Participants of the study included: People without disabilities and Persons with physical, visual, hearing, disabilities who are members of informal micro finance groups.

The study found out that, the unfavorable policies imposed by informal micro finance institution on failing to pay the borrowed funds make persons with disabilities develop a negative attitude towards their finances. Participants reported that, failure to refund the loan informal micro finance institution sell their property and others are imprisoned. Irrespective of the unfavorable policies, Persons with disabilities have a positive attitude towards saving and borrowing from IMFI because of realized benefits. They reported that, through groups they have improved their savings, businesses and can now live an independent life. The Persons with disabilities because of mobility and communication challenges prefer to save and invest alone. They prefer to work from or near their home to ease accessibility. However, the persons with mild disabilities prefer to work in groups with other ordinary persons due to benefits like big capital, loss sharing and support persons. Findings too reveal that, most persons with disabilities do not regularly attend group meetings, training and workshops due to their unattended needs like unmodified environment, lack of assistive devices and sign language interpreters. This leads to limited knowledge and skills in income generating activities. The little knowledge used in their business activities is acquired from informal micro finance trainings, community-based rehabilitation training and home learnings. In conclusion, there is a need for Government through the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development to work with community rehabilitation workers, community development officers and families of persons with disabilities for socio-economic empowerment. Based on the study finding, there is a need for awareness raising by disability stakeholders on what is disability, community roles responsibilities and informal micro finance opportunities. Persons with disabilities need to be supplied with assistive devices to ease mobility and communication in order to access informal micro finance services and start income generating activities for independent living.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 Introduction

Chapter one presented study background, problem statement, research objectives and questions, scope of the study and significance of the study. The human rights- based approach to development United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA, 2003) clarifies that the goal for development programs should focus on marginalized and excluded groups. Persons with disabilities should be key factors in their local development programs. Persons with disabilities have a right to make their own choices, educated and empowered for programs sustainability.

1.1 Background of the study

According to World Health Organisation (WHO, 2015) disability report, the most observed disability is physical and sensory disabilities. This is loss and limited use of limb 35.5% and loss of senses 31,7% Due to physical look of persons with disabilities, they are perceived negatively in many areas of life including business ventures (Ndeezi, 2004). This negative perception leads to the marginalization of their products thus less market, less saving and less investments (Ntegamahe & Omona, 2021).

Micro finance institutions in Uganda include accumulated savings and credit associations in which members engage in saving and leading activities mainly in sub-counties. These informal micro finance institutions give loans and charge interest, which is shared together with savings at the end of a pre-determined cycle (Karlan, Savonitto, Thuysbaert, & Udry, 2017). The multifaceted nature of informal micro finance (Ksoll, Lilleor, Lonborg, & Rasmussen, 2016) has acknowledged that these informal micro finance groups have positively affected rural populations in Africa. IMFI meets the most needs of savings and credit as evident in its reach to over 10 million people in Africa (Karla, et al, 2017; Aerjee, et al, 2015), in Uganda (Burlando & Canidio, 2017) Malawi and Mali (Ksoll, Lilleor, Lonborg, & Rasmussen, 2016) and (Tarozzi, Desal, & Johnson, 2015).

Although World Health Organisation (WHO, 2010), urges every developmental programme to include persons with disabilities as their right and for poverty reduction. Ordinary informal micro finance group members have negative perception towards investing and saving with Persons with disabilities. This has created unnecessary barrier for their economic inclusion (Hughes, 2010)

Many Persons with disabilities in Africa lack access to formal banking services due to limited security (Brannen, 2010; Ksoll, Lilleør, Lønborg, & Rasmussen, 2016) and that is why informal microfinance has been an avenue for money for borrowing and lending to low income earners. Allen (2006), noted that informal micro finance institutions can address personal financial commitments and investments. In these self-help groups, members attend regular meetings and contribute a fixed amount of money assigned to the pool. Pooled resources are shared among group members in turns (Karlan, Savonitto, Thuysbaert, & Udry, 2017). Some informal micro finance groups give loans and charge an interest. This interest is shared among group members at the end of a pre-determined cycle. The multifaceted nature of informal micro finance is relevant to the rural poor because it meets the basic needs of their savings and credit (Karlan, Savonitto, Thuysbaert, & Udry, 2017; Ksoll, et al., (2016) acknowledged that these informal micro finance groups have positively affected disadvantaged rural populations in Africa (Karlan, et al., 2017; Banerjee, et al., 2015), in Uganda (Burlando & Conidio, 2017), Malawi and Mali (Ksoll, Lilleor, Lonborg, & Rasmussen, 2016) and Ethiopia (Tarozzi, Desai &Johnson, 2015). The Community Based Rehabilitation guidelines propose that the “needs and views of persons with disabilities” should be included in “national poverty reduction and other development programmes” (WHO, 2010, p.1). In Uganda, persons with disabilities access to informal micro finance determines their success in their investments (Nuwagaba, et al. 2012).

In line with above, the study done in Kabale Municipality by Ntegamahe (2021), physically disabled persons do not access most social services like education, health and micro finance services due to mobility challenge. Most persons with disabilities need assertive devices and personal guides who most cases are expensive to maintain. More so, some ordinary people do not value their products due to a negative perception. Historically persons with disabilities were seen as objects of pity, charity and cursed (Ndeezi, 2014) some persons with disabilities still have this mentality of being given while others see disability as not inability.

Lwanga-Ntale (2003), revealed lack of enough capital affects Persons with disabilities’ investment choices. This limited capital among Persons with disabilities is due to low formal education levels, which limits formal employment opportunities. Limited employment opportunities limit income for savings and low savings leads to low investment. Connected to above Nuwagaba, et al. (2012) adds that inadequate access to information about informal micro finance institutions due to social- economic barriers has led to reduced investments and saving among Persons with disabilities in Uganda. Worse still, the little earned is for home consumption. The negative inter-personal attitudes held by micro finance providers and intra-personal negative perception among Persons with disabilities constrain access to utilization of informal micro finance services. This limits Persons with disabilities investment choices, saving and borrowing from informal micro-finance institutions.

It is against this background that, the study embarked on evidence-based information on investment practices of persons with disabilities in informal micro finance groups. This knowledge generated from the study shall equip Persons with disabilities with knowledge and skills for better investment choices. In addition, can change the negative inter and intra- personal perceptions of Persons with disabilities and informal micro finance group members.

1.2 Statement of the problem

Persons with disabilities are not benefiting from informal micro finance financial resources to start and maintain their income generating activities like non-disabled persons in business ventures. Sustainable inclusive development goals, (2016) every person irrespective of individual differences has a right to invest in economic development programmes for poverty reduction. But most persons with disabilities in Uganda are not participating in business ventures due to lack of enough capital for start-up and nature of disability.

Uganda’s Disability Data Landscape, (UDDL, 2021) reveals that 12% of the population has a disability and 22% of unemployed have a disability. Most persons with disabilities due to nature of disability cannot compete for open employment, and the available option is community-based income generating activities. United Nations Development Programmes (UNDP, 2016) emphasizes that Persons with disabilities have got to invest in income generating activities to live an independent life and empowered economically (UNDP, 2015). Social-economic barriers like negative perception, limited business skill and limited start-up capital affect investments and savings among persons with disabilities in Uganda (Nuwagaba et al, 2012).

Informal micro finance institutions provide finance resources to registered group members in their respective communities. This helps the group members to start and sustain their income generating activities. The funds are to be returned with some agreed interest at a specified period. Saving and investing as a group provide loan security and persons with disabilities are supported by non-persons with disabilities during income generating activities. Most Persons with disabilities in Ibanda district are not investing with informal micro finance groups as required on the perception that, they may not be able to use loans profitably and pay back the borrowed funds. Most persons with disability are poor, have no security and group members fear that in case of failure to get enough money to pay IMFI, they might not contribute from their own savings. Little is known about persons with disabilities less investment with IMF groups (Nuwagaba et al., 2012; Musinguzi, 2015). Irrespective of IMFI effort to give loans to group members in their respective communities, few persons with disabilities have joined IMF groups. Yet little is known about persons with disabilities less investment, borrowing and saving with IMF groups. Therefore, this study on persons with disabilities investment practices with IMFI was carried out in Ibanda district to reveal evidence-based information on persons with disabilities investment choices, perceptions, knowledge and skills used while investing in IMF resources.

1.3. Purpose of the study

The purpose of the study was to explore investment practices of selected persons with disabilities in informal micro finance groups in Ibanda district, Uganda.

1.3.2 Research objectives

The study specific objectives were:

To explore the perception of Persons with disabilities toward investment, saving and borrowing from informal micro finance groups in Ibanda district in Uganda.
To analyse what influences Persons with disabilities investment choices as individuals and as group members of informal micro finance groups.

To explain how Persons with disabilities acquire the knowledge and skills they use while investing resources obtained from informal micro finance groups.

1.4 Research questions

The proposed research questions were as below:

What are the perceptions of Persons with disabilities regarding investment, saving and borrowing from informal micro finance groups in Ibanda district in Uganda?
What influences Persons with disabilities investment choices as individual and as group members of informal micro finance?
How do Persons with disabilities acquire the knowledge and skills they use while investing resources obtained from informal micro finance groups?

1.5 Study Scope

The study was conducted with selected informal micro finance group in Ibanda district in Uganda. Covering selected persons with physical, hearing, visual disabilities and non-disabled persons.

The study was restricted to investment practices of persons with disabilities in Ibanda district in Uganda bounded by the three study objectives.

The study was conducted in the period of one year, January to December 2022. This period included identifying the topic of interest, reviewing related literature, writing a proposal. Collecting and analysing data plus final report writing.

1.6 Significance of the Study

This study will be significant as below:

The study findings are expected to change negative perceptions towards Persons with disabilities’ investment, saving and borrowing from informal micro finance groups. Therefore, this study will reveal evidence-based information to guide action towards perception change, to enable Persons with disabilities participate in income generating activities (Ntegamahe, 2021; Nuwagaba et al, 2015)

This study will reveal information to respective stake holders on how Persons with disabilities acquire knowledge and skills they use while investing resources obtained from informal micro finance groups. This evidence-based information will provide appropriate way forward for educating and training Persons with disabilities in informal micro finance activities.

Disability affects a wide range of investment choices, including general community participation. This study too will reveal how Persons with disabilities make investment choices as individuals and in groups. This will shade more light on investment policies, for inclusive developmental programmes. Every disability is different and needs different interventions in terms of assistive devices, financial assistance, and training to mention but a few.

1.7 Definition of key terms

Disability: Equality Act (2022), defines a disability as a body or mind restriction caused by an impairment that makes it more difficult for a person to do certain activities and interact with their environment.

Informal micro finance institutions: Uganda Micro finance Regulatory Authority (UMRA, 2016), defined Informal micro finance institutions as financial service providers who are not regulated or supervised examples include: traditional credit providers such as savings groups, Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), rotating savings and credit associations (ROSCAs), community-based money lenders and burial societies. Interest is paid on borrowed funds according to terms agreed upon.

Investment: To maintain an additional source of income or gain profit from acquired wealth or saved money from hard earned income over specific period (Bank of Wealth, 2019).

Inclusion: According to United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy (UNDIS, 2019), defines inclusion as a practice of providing equal access to opportunities and resources to all people irrespective of individual differences.

REFERENCES

Ajai N. (2015). World Bank Policy Research working paper. No. 3516.

Alarape, A. (2007). Entrepreneurship programs, Operational efficiency and growth of small business. Journal of Enterprising communities: people and places in global economy, 1, 3: 6-10.

Allen, H. (2006). Village Savings and Loans Associations-sustainable and cost-effective rural finance. Small Enterprise Development, 17(1), 61-68.

Aron, M. (2017). Micro-finance top Credit Market Standard. Nairobi, Standard Group.

Ayallo, A. R. (2018, August 26). Determinants of access to micro finance services among self-employed persons with disabilities in Nairobi. Retrieved from www.newsite.co.ke

Bakhshi, P., Babulal, G., & Trani, J. (2017). Education of children with disabilities in New Delhi: When does exclusion occur? PloS one, 12(9), e0183885.

Barton, L. (2017). Disability, empowerment and physical education. In Equality, Equity and Physical Education (pp. 43-54). Routledge.

Baxter, Leslie, A., & Babbie, E. (2019). Basics of Communication Research, Belmont, CA. Thomson Wadsworth.

Bennet, L. & Cuevas C.E. (2016). Sustainable Banking with the poor, journal of International Development. Special Issue, Col, 8, 2: 15-27.

Brannen, C. F. (2010). An impact study of the Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) program in Zanzibar, Tanzania. Zanzibar.

Braverman, A; & Guasch, J.L. (2016). Rural Credit markets and institutions in developing countries: Lessons for policy analysis from practice and theory. Vol 14, Pgs. 1253 – 1267.

Bryman, A. (2008). Social Research Methods. New York: Oxford University Press.

Chilisa, B., & Preece, J. (2005). Research methods for adult educators in Africa. Hamburg, Germany.

Carew, M., Deluca, M., Groce, N., & Kett, M. (2019). The impact of an inclusive education intervention on teacher preparedness to educate children with disabilities within the Lakes Region of Kenya. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 23(3), 229-244.

Cheltenham. Handicap International (2016). Good Practices for the Economic Inclusion of People with Disabilities in Developing Countries. Lyon, France: Handicap International

Chowdhury, J. & Foley, D. (2016). Economics of disability: An empirical study of disability and employment in the Bangladesh district of Chuadanga, Disabilities Studies.

Chowdhury, M. J., Dipak, G., & Wright, R. E. (2015). The impact of micro-credit on poverty: Evidence from Bangladesh. Progress in Development Studies, 5(4), 298-309.

Christen, R., Lyman T., & Rosenberg R. (2019). Microfinance Consensus Guidelines: Guiding Principles on Regulation and Supervision of Microfinance. CGAP and World Bank. Washington, DC.

Copestake James., Sonia Bhalotra, & Susan Johnson, (2019) Accessing the impact of microcredit on poverty: A Zambian case study. Journal of Development Studies.

Daley-Harris, S. (2009). Pathways out of poverty: Innovations in microfinance for the poorest families. Delhi: Kumarian Press.

Daley-Harris, S. (2019). The State of Microcredit Summit Campaign Report, Washington DC. Microcredit Summit Campaign.

DFID (2017). Disability, poverty and development. London: Stairway Communications.

Diagne A. & Zeller M., (2016) Access to Credit and Its Impact in Malawi. Research Report No. 116. Washington Dc, USA International food policy (IFPRI).

Dondo, Aleke, C. (2019). The Status of Microfinance in Kenya, Paper Presented at the Annual Seminar on New Development Finance 1st August to 27th October, Goethe University, and Frankfurt.

Dresse Jean & Sen Amartya, (2019). The Economics of Lending with Joint Liability: Theory and Practice. Journal of Development Economics.

Dupas. P, Karlan, D, Robinson, J., Ubfal. D. (2018). Banking the Unbanked? Evidence from Three Countries. American Economic Journal of Applied Economics, Vol 10 (2).

Dyer, S. (2016). The Inclusion of Disabled People in Mainstream Micro Finance Programs. London: Leonard Cheshire International.

Emong, P., & Eron, L. (2016). Disability inclusion in higher education in Uganda: Status and strategies. African Journal of Disability, 5(1), 1-11.

Eskay, M., Onu, V., Igbo, J., Obiyo, N., & Ugwuanyi, L. (2012). Disability within the African culture. Contemporary voices from the margin: African educators on African and American education 197-211.

Faulu, (2017). Faulu Information Retrieved from http://www.FauluKenya.com.

Gibson, F. (2010). Gibson, F. (2010). Article 13 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities—a right to legal aid? Australian Journal of Human Rights, 15(2), 123-142.

Gill, M. (2010). Rethinking sexual abuse, questions of consent, and intellectual disability. Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 7(3), 201-213.

Gombe, J. (2015). Impact of Microfinance on the formal financial sector. Unpublished MBA Project, University of Nairobi. Government of Kenya (2018), Kenya vision 2030. The National Economic and Social Council of Kenya. Nairobi: Ascent Limited.

Green C. J., Kirkpatrick C.H., & Murinde, V. (2015). Finance and Development: Surveys of Theory, Evidence and Policy.

Haque, M. O. (2017). Preliminary evaluation of economic development and its effect on income distribution in Bangladesh. International Journal of Economic Development, 9(1/2), 32-58. Helms, B. (2016). Access for all. Washington, D.C.: CGAP.

Haque, S. (2017). Micro-credit and the reduction of poverty in Bangladesh. Journal of Contemporary Asia, 34(1), 21-32.

Henning, E., Van Rensburg, W., & Smit, B. (2004). Finding your way in qualitative research Pretoria,van schaik.

Huff, D. (2020). Expanding universal design applications within residential homes to maximize person-environment fit for children with intellectual disabilities as they age in place.

Hulme, D. & Mosley P, (2016). Finance against Poverty. Routledge: London. Vol 1 and 2.

ILO, D. P. (2019). Disability and poverty reduction strategies how to ensure that access of persons with disabilities to decent and productive work is part of the PRSP process. Geneva: ILO. International Conference, Staying Poor: Chronic Poverty and Development Policy.

Ismael, J. (2015). Towards the unification of critical success factors for ERP implementation. Paper presented at the 10th Annual BIT Conference, Manchester

Johnson, S., & Rogaly, B. (2018). Microfinance and poverty reduction, Oxfam development guidelines. Oxford: Oxfam. Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (2018). Kenya National Survey for Persons with Disabilities. Nairobi: National Coordinating Agency for Population and Development.

Kalambouka, A., Farrell, P., Dyson, A., & Kaplan, I. (2007). The impact of placing pupils with special educational needs in mainstream schools on the achievement of their peers. Educational research, 49(4), 365-382.

Kanter, A. (2009). The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its implications for the rights of elderly people under international law. Georgia State University Law Review, 25(3), 527.

Karlan, D., Savonitto, B., Thuysbaert, B., & Udry, C. (2017). Impact of Savings Groups on the Lives of the Poor. Ghana, Malawi and Uganda: Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.

Kiiru, J. (2017) Impact of Microfinance on rural Poor Households’ Income and Vulnerability to Poverty: A Case Study of Makueni District. Unpublished PhD dissertation, Bonn University, Faulty of Agriculture.

Kisanji, J. (2019). Special education in Africa. . In Special needs education. Routledge. 158172.

Klimoski, R., & Donahue, L. (2013). & Donahue, L. M. (2013). Person Perception in Organizations: An Overview of the Field. . How People Evaluate Others in Organizations, 31-70.

Konrad, A. (2019). Human Rights, Disability and Development in Kenya. Nairobi: Konrad Stiftung.

Ksoll, C., Lilleor, H. B., Lønborg, J. H., & Rasmussen, O. D. (2016). Impact of Village Savings and Loan Associations: Evidence from a cluster randomized trial. Journal of Development Economics, 120, 70-85.

Ledgerwood, J. (2019) Microfinance handbook. An Institutional & financial Perspective, Sustainable Banking with the poor. Washington DC, World Bank.

Lewis, C. (2015). Microfinance from the point of view of women with disabilities: lessons from Zambia and Zimbabwe. Gender and Development, 12, 28-39.

Lewis, C., & Sygall, S. (2017) Loud, proud and passionate; including women with disabilities in international development programs. Washington: Mobility International USA.

Lwanga-Ntale, C. (2003). Chronic Poverty & Disability in Uganda. Manchester, UK:

Lynch, P. (2016). Early childhood development (ECD) and children with disabilities.

Mainstreaming Disability in the Development Agenda, Mid-American Model United Nations Conference Report No. ECOSOC/2009/3.

Manzi, P. (2016). Exclusionary and inclusionary dynamics: narratives of girls with disabilities in a mainstream rural primary school (Doctoral dissertation).

Masakure O. S. & Henson, (2019). Performance of Micro Enterprises in Ghana: A Resource based Review. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, Vol. 16 (3).

Mersland, R. & Eggen, O. (2017). You Cannot Save Alone Financial and Social Mobilization in Savings and Credit Groups. Oslo, Norway: NORAD.

Mersland, R. (2015). Microcredit for Self-employed Disabled Persons in Developing Countries. Oslo, Norway: Atlas Alliance.

MIUSA (2018). Loud, Proud and Prosperous. Washington: Mobility International USA. Montgomery, R. (2016). Disciplining or protecting the poor: Avoiding the social costs of peer pressure in micro-credit schemes. Journal of International Development, 8(2): 289- 305.

MoFPED. (2008). Disability and poverty in Uganda: Progress and challenges in PEAP implementation 1997-2007. Kampala: Government of Uganda.

Mosley, P. & Hulme, D. (2018). Micro Enterprise Finance: Is there a conflict between Growth and Poverty Alleviation? World Development 26(5).

Mosley, P. (2019). Microfinance and Poverty Bolivia Case Study draft, University of Reading; England.

Mugenda, O. M. & Mugenda, A. G. (2015). Research Methods: quantitative and qualitative approaches. Nairobi: Acts Press.

Mugori, M.W. (2016). Effects of Access to Microfinance of Small Medium Sized Enterprises owned by Youth in Nairobi. Unpublished MBA. Retrieved from University of Nairobi Library.

Munyi, C. (2012). Past and present perceptions towards disability: A historical perspective. Disability studies quarterly, 32(2).

Musinguzi, K.L. (2018). Can Uganda adopt the Village Savings and Loans Associations? New Vision; July, 10^th, 2015.

Musyoki, J (2019). Income Generating Project. APDK, Coast.

Nalugya-Sserunjogi, J., Rukundo, G., Ovuga, E., Kiwuwa, S., Musisi, s., & Nakimuli-Mpungu, E. (2016). Prevalence and factors associated with depression symptoms among school going adolescents in Central Uganda. . Child and adolescent psychiatry and me, 10(1), 1-8.

Ndeezi, A. (2004). The disability movement in Uganda: Progress and challenges with constitutional legal provisions on disability. Kampala, Uganda: NUDIPU.

Ntegamahe, L., & Omona, K. (. (2021). Exploring Challenges Faced By Physically Disabled

Nuwagaba, E. L., Nakabugo, M., Tumukunde, M., Ngirabakunzi, E., Hartley, S., & Wade, A. (2012). Accessibility to micro-finance services by people with disabilities in Bushenyi District, Uganda. Disability and Society 27(2), 175-190.

Okwaput, S. (2018). An analysis of pre-service teacher education for inclusion of children with hearing impairment. Ijds:. Indonesian journal of disability studies,, 5(1), 46-54.

Oyaro, L. (2015). Africa at crossroads: The United Nations Convention on the rights of Persons with Disabilities. . Am. U. Int’l L. Rev., 30, 347.

Pagotto, L., & Hebl, M. (2011). Implicit attitudes and discrimination against people with physical disabilities. In Disability and aging discrimination, 157-183.

Rule, P., & John, V. (2011). Your guide to case study research. Pretoria: Van Schaik Publishers. Simons, H. (2009).

Case study research in practice. London: Sage Publications Ltd. Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 7(3), 201-213.

Tarozzi, A, Desai, J, Johnson, K. (2015). The impacts of microcredit: Evidence from Ethiopia. American Economic Journal of Applied Economics.

Thomas, G. (2010). Doing case study: Abduction not induction, phrases not theory. Qualitative Inquiry 16, 575-582.

(2017). Mainstreaming Disability in the Development Agenda, UN Commission for Social Development, F.-S. S. New York: Economic and Social Council. .

UNDP (2018) Millennium Development Goals http://undp.org/mdg/basics.html.

UNDP. (2010, December 7). What are the Millennium Development Goals? Retrieved from UNDP: http://www.undp.org/mdg/basics.shtml

UNESCO Institute of Education & Pearson Education South Africa.

United Nations (2016). Building Inclusive Financial Sectors for Development. New York, United Nations.

United Nations (2017). Mainstreaming disability in the development agenda. UN Commission for Social Development, F.-S. S. (Ed.) Economic and Social Council. New York, United Nations.

United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2016). New York, United Nations.

WHO. (2010). Community based rehabilitation guidelines: Livelihood component. Geneva: World Health Organization.

Women in Utilizing Antennal Services in Kabale Municipality. Kabale: Uganda Martyrs University.

APPENDIX I: TOOLS FOR DATA COLLECTION

Appendix A: Individual interview guide Persons with disabilities and those without disabilities.

Dear respondent,

I am Bakaizimba Edigald a student perusing master’s in special needs education of Kyambogo University. Conducting a study on perception towards investment practices of persons with disabilities in informal microfinance groups in Ibanda district, Uganda.

You are among the selected respondents for this study. Your cooperation and information given will be highly appreciated and treated with utmost confidentiality.

Thanks for your cooperation.

(a)BIO DATA

Do you invest, save and borrow from informal microfinance groups in your area? (Probe: whether is a group member?) If yes, you continue with the interview.

Are you staying with your parents or you have your own premises? (Probe: marital status, individual responsibility)

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

Do you have children? (Probe: marital status, number of children, level of responsibility etc.)

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

How long have you been in this business groups? (Probe: business experience, source of livelihood)

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

What is your level of education? (Probe: knowledge and skills for business, can he keep his

Business records, etc.)

How do you access your business premises? (Probe: business location, accessibility challenge etc.)

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

What kind of services do you get from informal microfinance groups? (Probe: what influenced Persons with disabilities to join credit groups, credit level, any special treatment, etc.?)

(a)Perception of Persons with Disabilities

What is your perception regarding investment, saving and borrowing from informal microfinance groups? (Probe: positive or negative perception, how much would he like to save etc.?)

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

How do ordinary informal microfinance group members help you during investment, saving and borrowing activities? (Probe: whether the group, leaders and members have a negative/positive perception, towards fellow Persons with disabilities group members, any added privilege, how the borrowed money has helped, any plan for business expansion etc.)

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

(a) Perception of informal microfinance groups members towards inclusion of Persons with disabilities

As a group member / leader, should Persons with disabilities be included in the same informal microfinance groups with other ordinary members? Yes or no. give reasons for your answer. (Probe: inclusion or not, disability perception, challenges etc.)

…………………………………………………………………………………………

(b) Knowledge and Skills acquisition while investment in resources

How do you acquire knowledge and skills you use while investing resources obtained from informal microfinance groups? (Probe: any training, its benefits, any source of business knowledge, how would they want to be trained etc.)

Anything you can tell me concerning your investment, saving and borrowing from informal microfinance groups. (Probing for any information which could be important for the study)

………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

Appendix B: Focus Group Discussion Guide for Persons with disabilities

Questions and categories:

Dear respondent,

I am Bakaizimba Edigald a student perusing master’s in special needs education of Kyambogo University, conducting a study on perception towards investment practices of persons with disabilities in informal microfinance groups in Ibanda district, Uganda.

You are among the selected respondents for this study. Your cooperation and information given will be highly appreciated and treated with utmost confidentiality.

Thanks for your cooperation.

(a) Perception of PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES towards Investment, Saving and Borrowing from informal microfinance groups

As Persons with disabilities how do, how you see investment, saving and borrowing in informal microfinance groups

(Probe: positive or negative perception) ……………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

(b) Perception of Persons with disabilities towards informal microfinance groups Members

Would you like to continue investing, saving and borrowing from informal financial groups?

(Probe: the positive or negative perception towards their group members)

………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………

(c) Knowledge and skills while using informal microfinance groups resources

How do you acquire the knowledge and skills used in investing informal microfinance groups’ resources? (Probe: trainings, experience fellow Persons with disabilities etc.)

(d) Anything you feel you want to communicate to me concerning the perception of inclusion of Persons with disabilities in informal micro finance groups. (Probe: any information that could be relevant yet left out.).

CONSENT DOCUMENT FOR INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP INTERVIEW PARTICIPANTS

Title of the study.

Exploring perceptions towards investment practices of persons with Disabilities in informal microfinance groups in Ibanda District.

Student researcher

Bakaizimba Edigald

Institution – Kyambogo University

Introduction

Am Bakaizimba Edigald, a master student at Kyambogo University in the department of special needs? The purpose of this study is to explore perceptions towards investment practices of persons with disabilities in informal microfinance groups in Ibanda district.

You qualify to participate in this study because you are a key stakeholder in the informal microfinance groups and I believe you have knowledge about these groups.

Purpose:

The study purpose is to explore the perceptions of persons with disabilities regarding investment, savings and borrowing from informal microfinance groups in Ibanda district and examine how persons with disabilities acquire the knowledge and skills they use while investing resources obtained from informal microfinance groups.

Confidentiality.

For confidentiality purpose, person identity will not be revealed to anyone. Codes and numbers will be used instead of personal names to identity the study participants. Information obtained will only be accessible by the researcher in soft copies Data will be stored in a password locked computer and hard copy files will be kept under lock. The researcher will only access confidential information about participants.

Statement of consent.

I——————————————————————————has agreed to participate in this study willingly. I have understood that my decision to participate in this study will not affect me in any way. In the use of this information, my identity will be concealed. I have been informed about this research study and a copy of this form will be provided to me.

Name of participant ————————————-signature ——————–Date————–

Name of interviewer————————————-signature——————-Date————–

Witnessed by;

Name ————————————-signature ————————Date————–

THANK YOU

APPENDIX II: IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

This research project implementation was within a period of 10 months starting from March 2022 to December 2022. The activities were as per the following table below.

SN	ACTIVITY	TIMELINE 2022
		Mar	Apr	Ma y	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep t	Oct	Nov	Dec
	Literature review	X	x	x	X	X	X	X	X	x	x
	Pre-testing data collection instruments		x
	Build rapport with selected VSLAs/ROSCAs and obtaining informed consent		x	x
	Data collection			x	X
	Data analysis			x	X	X	X
	Report writing				X	X	X	X
	Writing articles (journal & newspaper)						X	X	x	x	x

APPENDIX III: BUDGET

	Activity	Amount
1.	Purchase of data and airtime on my phone	20000shs


2.	Printing and photocopying of data collection instruments	50000shs

3.	Stationery	Flash disks, notebooks, pens, CDs	200,00shs
4.	Transcribing interviews and FGDs	9 interviews and 4 FGDs	50000shs
5.	Communication	Airtime for 4 researchers @ 100,000	400,000shs
6.	Pretesting instruments	Transport	100.000shs
7.	Refreshments for participants for pretest	Refreshments for 4 participants @ 10,000/-	40,000shs
8.	Pre study visits to build rapport with respondents and authorities (1 day’s travel to, and another day for, 1-day fieldwork)	Transport to districts & back	100000shs
8.		Transport within each district 60,000/= 3 days x 4 districts = 60,000x 3×4	720,000/=