ABSTRACT
This study
assessed the activities of self-help groups in communities in South-East
Nigeria. The study adopted the descriptive survey research design. A sample
of 750 respondents were drawn from a
population of 5,536 registered and non-registered self-help groups
including town unions, age grades, and
women associations within the three selected states in South-East Nigeria. The sample was arrived at using multi-stage
sample procedure. The instrument for data collection was a 54-item
researcher-developed questionnaire titled:
“Self-Help Goups Development Activities Assessment Questionnaire
(SGCDAAQ)”. Face validation of the instrument was carried out by three experts:
two from Adult and Continuing Education and one from Educational Measurement
and Evaluation all from College of Education, Michael Okpara University of
Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State. This was to ensure item adequacy,
measurability and relevance of the instrument to the study. The reliability of
the instrument was determined using the test-retest method that yielded an
index of 0.85 on the Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation scale. The instrument
has six clusters with rated on a 4-point scales of Very Great Extent(4), Great
Extent (3), Low Extent (2), and Very Low Extent (1) and items were positively
stated. The data were collected by the researcher with the help of nine (9)
well-briefed research assistants. Out of the 750 copies of the questionnaire
administered, 722 representing 96% of the entire instrument distributed were
returned and used for data analysis. Data collected were analyzed with mean and
standard deviations to answer the six research questions raised for the study
while, ANOVA and t-test statistics were used to test the six hypotheses that
guided the study at 0.05 level of significance. The findings showed among
others that, rural mobilization Self-Help Groups in disease eradication
initiative, security and peace initiative as well as infrastructural
development initiative respectively has contributed to a very great extent in
infrastructural development while rural mobilization by engagement of women
associations in improved agricultural practices and information dissemination
initiative contributed to a great extent in community development of South East
Nigeria, Based on the findings, it was recommended among others that, adult
educators should carry out periodic sensitization of different Self-help Groups
within their areas of jurisdiction in communities to regularly remind them of
their roles and contributions to the general development of their communities.
IBEH, I (2023). Assessment Of Activities Of Self-Help Groups In Community Development In South East Nigeria. Mouau.afribary.org: Retrieved Dec 24, 2024, from https://repository.mouau.edu.ng/work/view/assessment-of-activities-of-self-help-groups-in-community-development-in-south-east-nigeria-7-2
IBEH, IBEH. "Assessment Of Activities Of Self-Help Groups In Community Development In South East Nigeria" Mouau.afribary.org. Mouau.afribary.org, 31 Aug. 2023, https://repository.mouau.edu.ng/work/view/assessment-of-activities-of-self-help-groups-in-community-development-in-south-east-nigeria-7-2. Accessed 24 Dec. 2024.
IBEH, IBEH. "Assessment Of Activities Of Self-Help Groups In Community Development In South East Nigeria". Mouau.afribary.org, Mouau.afribary.org, 31 Aug. 2023. Web. 24 Dec. 2024. < https://repository.mouau.edu.ng/work/view/assessment-of-activities-of-self-help-groups-in-community-development-in-south-east-nigeria-7-2 >.
IBEH, IBEH. "Assessment Of Activities Of Self-Help Groups In Community Development In South East Nigeria" Mouau.afribary.org (2023). Accessed 24 Dec. 2024. https://repository.mouau.edu.ng/work/view/assessment-of-activities-of-self-help-groups-in-community-development-in-south-east-nigeria-7-2