WOMEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND THE SOCIO – ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE BAMENDA GRASSLAND; 1990 – 2009

ABSTRACT : Entrepreneurship has been the main booster for economic growth as well as a driving forcebehind the rapid expansion of the social sector in most countries in the world. Women entrepreneurship in theBamenda Grassland has been making a significant impact in the socio-economic sector of the Economy. Theobjective of this study was to investigate the domains of engagements of Women Social entrepreneurs andanalyze the contributions they made towards the Socio – economic development of the Bamenda Grassland. Awide range of primary and secondary sources were exploited using qualitative and quantitative researchmethods. Primary data was collected on four different Women Social entrepreneurial Organizations. Thesecondary data was collected from library search, documentations from different organizations, and the internet.Their domains of interventions included; environmental protection and sustainable forest exploitation, health,agro-pastoral production, social services through sensitization campaigns, advocacy, trainings and women’sempowerment programs. The findings revealed that the engagements of these women social entrepreneurs madegreat strides contributing towards the socio – economic development of the Bamenda Grassland. They wereinstrumental in creating job opportunities, innovations, inducing economic growth, solving environmentalproblems, promoting women’s empowerment, providing forums for women suffering from social vices linked toGender Based Violence to speak out.

KEYWORDS:Bamenda Grassland, Entrepreneurship,Socio-Economic Development, Women.