ABSTRACT
In many countries, women have been reported to contribute significantly to national social and economic wellbeing through their activities and their education. An important aspect of empowerment is that of changing unequal relations between men and women. Swazi tradition tends to accord women a position of strength and power at the domestic level. Entrepreneurship development in Africa has been heavily influenced by political, cultural and other considerations, which forced different types of women to pursue income-generating activities for various reasons. During the colonial period, the involvement of Black women in entrepreneurship in east and southern Africa was almost entirely confined to the peasant agricultural sector. The major goal of Small Enterprise Development Company was to promote small-scale businesses in Swaziland through the provision of training, business management, and consultancy services. A key problem which threatens initiatives for women's empowerment is their failure to form and sustain associations which have potential for increasing their ability to compete with other entrepreneurs.
