Factors Affecting the Household Saving Participations on ‘Equb’: A Study on the Three Major Towns of Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

Equb is a form of traditional cooperative or traditional self-help group in Ethiopia. Equb is a financial form of traditional cooperative formed voluntarily. It is a rotating saving and credit type association whose members make regular contributions to a revolving loan fund. This research study is aimed at examining factors affecting household participation on Equb, conducted on three major towns of Wolaita Zone i.e. Sodo, Boditi and Areka towns. The sample size is determined by using Taro Yemane’s simplified formula from the total household of 61499, sample size of 283. A causal cross sectional survey was conducted among all the household participants. The primary data was collected through structured questionnaire and selected by using systematic random sampling among households dwelling in Areka, Boditi and Sodo town. The data was analyzed by using STATA and both descriptive and inferential statistics were used. The multiple linear regression model was employed with household participation in Equb as the dependent variable. Th findings of the study shown that factors such as income, economic, social and psychological is significantly affecting the saving habit of urban households. In this case it is recommended that financial institutions, government and other stakeholders should support and work on awareness creation for those sectors.

Keywords: Equb, Household, Participants, Savings, traditional cooperatives

DOI: 10.7176/JPID/48-01