Women have been important partners of men in the development process. They have been actors in primary production and basic commodity exchange especially in areas where agriculture and small-scale enterprises which form the base of the local economy. Besides their contributions in agriculture, women's labour sustains many family enterprises in Iringa Region, up to 80% of the buying and selling basic commodities, especially in the informal sector are performed by women.
Women in the rural areas have also made great efforts in the development process through the formation of self-help and income-generating groups. For women in urban areas very limited agricultural activities exist but they are still expected to play an important role in the development process like their counterparts in rural areas.
With few formal employment opportunities for women, the most promising sector for women's employment is therefore the informal sector in which employment grows at a much more higher rate of 25% than at the formal sector.
The success of those women who venture into the informal sector depends first on the existence of an enabling business environment, and secondly, on the social and economic factors that are critical to the success of self- employed persons, such as age, level of education,training and access to means of production.
YOSREE through its study examined the socio-economic background of women entrepreneurs in Iringa District and how this influenced the success of their business. It therefore focused on answering the question; Is there a relationship between socio-economic background characteristics and the success of enterprises owned by women in the informal sector in Iringa?. Yosree is trying to elevate the informal sector which employs large number of people especially women who bear heavy burden i supporting family livelihood.
It is undeniable truth that, unemployment is an ever- increasing cronic problem for both men and women; However, women are more disadvantaged due to the fact that the majority have a limited formal education which denies them to full participation in the socio-economic structure, thus giving them a marginal position in formal employment. Unlike women in rural areas who are mainly engage in agricultural activities, those in urban areas do not easily access wage employment or means of production; Consequently, women in urban areas enter the labour force through the micro-enterprise sector.
The economic background of an individual determines the kind of enterprise the person settles for. In a study of male and female entrepreneurs in Iringa, It is found that poor women are forced into precarious and remunerative occupations, like petty trade such as dress-making and tailoring,small hotels( Food kiosks ), Salon and boutique, Retail shops (groceries), Second- hand clothes, baskets,bags,sacks, pots, mats and cereals(grains), While poor men end up in metal-work, Carpentry, Second-hand clothes, Retail shops and wood carvings.