Financial Inclusion and Community Empowerment for Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development in Turkana County, Kenya, East Africa

The academic community has shown a great deal of interest in the relationship between financial inclusion and community empowerment. However, despite efforts to promote financial inclusion in line with SDG goals, not much is known about its accessibility, usability, or affordability, particularly among vulnerable population in marginalized counties in Kenya. The study aimed at evaluating the effects of financial inclusion on community empowerment for inclusive growth and sustainable development, with particular focus on employment, education, access to financial services, products, and poverty alleviation, in Turkana County, Kenya. Phyllis A. Mason and Donald C. Ham brick introduced the community echelon theory of financial inclusion in 1984, which served as the basis for this investigation. According to the theory, the community leaders should serve as a conduit for the excluded members of the community to obtain financial services and capital. In addition, the study’s informants included civil servants, policy specialists, employers from private sectors, community members, livestock and business merchants, and community leaders. The study’s respondents and key informants were selected using the judgmental sampling approach, and snowballing respectively. Moreso, the researcher collected both qualitative and quantitative data using interviews and structured questionnaires with closed-ended questions which were analyzed through content thematic analysis and inferential statistics respectively. Based on the research findings, financial institutions enhanced access to education, employment, financial products and services in Turkana County with support from the local county government and development partners with an aim of alleviating vulnerable population from extreme poverty. However, poverty, peer pressure, poor infrastructures, cultural norms, values, and insecurity were identified as the challenges affecting financial inclusion in Turkana County. Moreover, the regression analysis results showed a significant value of r = 0.845; p