Assessing the socio-economic impact of PIH/IMB-supported cooperative on the cooperative members

The study evaluated the socio-economic impact of the Partners In Health (PIH) /Inshuti Mu Buzima (IMB)-
supported cooperative on the members living in the Butaro sector in Rwanda. A pre-and post-intervention study
was conducted to assess the change in member’s income, the total amount of savings, the number of livestock owned
(cows, sheep, goats), the ability to afford food, the ability to pay healthcare insurance for self and family, the ability
to pay school fees for children, the ability to pay rent, house, and land ownership. A questionnaire was administered
to a total of 150 participants. The study indicated a significant improvement in monthly income and the total amount
of saving after joining the cooperative. The change in income of the cooperative members translated to a significant
improvement in members’ ability to afford food, pay insurance for themselves and their families, the ability to pay
school fees for children, and house and sheep ownership after joining the PIH/IMB-supported cooperative. The
study found that by improving members' income and savings, the cooperative successfully raised the socioeconomic
standing of its members. However, a proportion of members’ economic status remained unchanged and a small
percentage reported deterioration. Further studies to investigate this is needed. Moreover, studies to include nonmembers
as a comparison group can fully evaluate the socio-economic effects of the PIH/IMB-supported
cooperative.