This study concerns the effects of public school redistricting on communities in Atlanta. It is based upon interviews with people in two neighborhoods which are part of the Atlanta Public Schools (APS) system directly affected by redistricting. All schools slated to close are located in low-income, minority areas and serve similar populations. Of the ten schools selected for closing, three were saved during the final APS board meeting in April 2012, and will remain open. I spoke with people who reside in a neighborhood where a local school is slated to close, as well as those in an area where a school was saved from closing. I asked informants why they felt their schools were identified for closure and how they responded to the threat of closing. I learned that both communities organized to save their schools but with different results based on available forms of social and cultural capital.

In an effort to deconcentrate poverty, Atlanta is attempting to become the first city in the U.S. to completely eliminate public housing by relocating ≈ 10,000 residents. Research has shown that the health status of public housing residents is worse than any other population. Evidence also suggests that there is an inverse relationship between neighborhood availability of healthy, affordable foods and diet intake. The aim of this study was to compare the price, availability, and quality of food items in the public housing residents’ communities, before and after relocation. Using Nutrition Environment Measures Survey (NEMS), a total of 42 food store audits were conducted in pre- and post-relocation neighborhoods. The prices in post-relocation middle chain grocery stores were significantly cheaper for total frozen dinners (p = 0.042), baked goods (p = 0.017), and potato chips (p = 0.035). There were no significant differences in produce quality. However, fruits (p <0>.001), vegetables (p < 0.001), lower fat milk (p < 0.001), whole milk (p =0.041), ground beef (p < 0 .001), reduced-fat hot dogs (p = 0.015), regular hot dogs (p < 0.001), frozen dinners (p < 0.001), low-fat baked goods (p < 0.001), whole-wheat bread (p <0 .001) and 100% juice (p < 0.001) were more available in middle chain grocery stores than convenience stores. These results suggest that public housing residents have relocated to a food environment that is similar to their previous environment. Relocation of public housing residence did not have a significant effect on their access to food.

Bangladesh is known for two things: poverty and floods. It is a delta country burdened with draining large amounts of water from surrounding countries and a heavy monsoon season that have caused numerous severe floods with large scale destruction throughout the country. Rapid urbanization and migration have put an immense pressure on the urban centres. Dhaka, the capital city and the largest urban centre of the country, is struggling to provide adequate housing and basic services for the urban poor who are forced to find accommodation in the flood-prone slums and squatter settlements of the city. The alarming rate of population growth further aggravates the problem of environmental degradation which in turn causes more severe floods. As one of the most vulnerable countries for climate change, Bangladesh must work towards providing flood-resilient, safe and affordable housing for all its citizens. My response was the LIFT (Low Income Flood-proof Technology) House: an affordable, flood-resilient housing solution for the low income families of Dhaka. The LIFT house consists of two amphibious structures that are capable of adapting to rising water levels. The amphibious structures float up on buoyant foundations during floods, and return to ground level when water recedes. It is a sustainable, environmentally friendly house that provides all basic services to its residents without connection to the city service systems, through the use of indigenous materials and local skills. This thesis documents the research, design, and construction of the LIFT house with funding provided by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC). The LIFT house was completed on January 2010 in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and has become a symbol for the city’s desire to provide sustainable, low-cost accommodations that are protected from floods.

Title: The challenge of marketing water filters in Uganda   Purpose: The purpose of this research is to assess why sales of the water filter (CrystalPur) is stagnant. The authors will investigate the viability of the approach used to market CrystalPur with help of the marketing mix after which necessary adjustments best fitted for the Ugandan market will be suggested.   Method: This research takes a qualitative approach. Data collection method used was both interviews and documentation. Telephone interviews were conducted with the management of ATU, schools and health centers that have received the filter as a donation. The secondary data used were articles, related studies and books. Since it is a research based on a qualitative approach, the theories and the findings is synthesized to make implication regarding the study.   Conclusions: The investigation has shown that the target customers are not buying the filter because they doubt its functionality of providing safe water which has thus hindered its acceptance rate. Boiling water is the accepted method which thus makes filtering disadvantaged. Also the filters performance does not meet the expectation of the respondents due its fragility and slow flow rate. The price of the filter was shown to be very expensive and unaffordable by the target group. The channels used to create awareness are not effective due to the low literacy rate affecting the level of understanding. Lastly, the underdeveloped distribution channels have not enabled easy accessibility of the product.

<p>This study examined the effect of the Kindergarten Home Visit Project, a novel universal intervention program designed to enhance the transition to kindergarten for children and families by providing teachers with the training and support they need to conduct a home visit for each of their students at the beginning of the school year. Forty-four kindergarten teachers from 19 schools and 928 children and their families participated in the project. Teachers were blocked within schools and randomly assigned to intervention or control conditions. Intervention teachers successfully completed home visits for 98% of their students. After controlling for child and teacher demographic factors, multilevel modeling with children nested within classrooms and schools revealed that random assignment to receive a home visit had a significant positive impact on classroom work habits by students and teacher-child relationship warmth at the end of kindergarten. Assignment to home visiting was also associated with positive child outcomes for girls, specifically including: higher academic achievement, academic motivation, work habits, social skills, and better conduct. Impact on boys was non-significant. The effect of home visiting on child outcomes was mediated by an intervening effect on academic motivation for girls during the fall. Positive effects of assignment to intervention were also demonstrated for children from non-English speaking homes. These children demonstrated higher academic motivation and better work habits. In addition, both non-English speaking parents and their teachers reported reduced adverse effects of language barriers on home-school collaboration. The intervention was also found to have a positive effect on teacher attitudes and beliefs. Teachers who conducted home visits reported an increased understanding of the diverse needs and cultural differences of families, a greater willingness to reach out to parents, and a more positive connection to students and their families. These findings suggest that home visiting is beneficial to teachers, students and families and should be continued and expanded as a kindergarten transition practice in the schools.</p> / Dissertation

The following thesis addresses the need for low income housing in Jamaica with the purpose of evaluating the existing circumstances that influence the growth or decline of the low income housing industry. The focus is on identifying solutions that fuel growth. Research on the current state of low income housing in Jamaica and the programs that have been established to aid in the development of such housing, was carried out in the United States and in Jamaica. Questionnaires were developed and sent to individuals within the construction industry, targeting those who participate on low income housing projects. The results were collected, analyzed, described, and were used to extrapolate the research results. From this conclusions were drawn and recommendations made. Although Jamaica is considered a developing nation, in some advancement the island operates on a first world level. However, challenged by economic development, providing low income housing is limited by the resources available and the effectiveness of the programs implemented. This research attempts to create an overview of Jamaicas low income housing industry.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2008. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 194-209).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 2009. / Title from title page screen (viewed on Mar. 8, 2009). Thesis advisor: Katherine Kavanagh. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Umeå : Univ., 2008. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, 2003. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.