To strengthen societies and address the increased risks generated by climate change, development projects within disaster risk reduction [DRR] and climate change adaptation [CCA] must ensure the sustainability of capacity development. However, sustainability is currently flawed in such projects, which could relate to the inadequate achievement of empowerment of targeted beneficiaries. Some scholars suggest that vertical collaboration – the collaboration between stakeholders and beneficiaries – is decisive in determining the achievement of community empowerment during implementation. Still, the role of vertical collaboration and the dynamics of this relationship remains unexplored. By comparing a development initiative within climate-smart agriculture [CSA] implemented in two different communities in Eswatini, this thesis aims to evaluate the achievement of vertical collaboration and explore the relationship between vertical collaboration and empowerment. The results show that the achievement of vertical collaboration does covariate with the presence of empowerment and that certain factors are more influential in determining outcomes than others. These factors include the presence of opportunities for all participants to get involved; active, accessible, and participatory communication; bidirectional learning; and providing beneficiaries with voice and decision-making power. The findings support the theoretical argument, demonstrating that vertical collaboration plays a role in determining empowerment, and highlight the importance of considering it as a critical aspect when implementing CSA projects. However, the sustainability of capacity developments could not be identified in either community, suggesting that alternative factors might be essential for long-term outcomes. Further research is required to understand interconnections among identified factors and how they can be leveraged for the success and sustainability of capacity development within this field.

High-value, lootable natural resources drive, finance and sustain armed conflicts around the world. At the same time, these resources are crucial for livelihoods through artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) in the very same contexts. Yet, little is known regarding how these resources should be managed in the wake of conflict to contribute to peacebuilding and prevent conflict recurrence. Drawing on the environmental peacebuilding and informal economies literature, this study argues that ASM formalization improves the quality and sustainability of livelihoods by empowering ASM communities. Using the method of structured focused comparison, the hypothesis is tested on two mining municipalities in Antioquia, Colombia. Data was gathered through interviews and secondary sources. The main finding is that while ASM formalization under certain conditions can contributeto sustainable livelihoods, this is only partly through community empowerment. Furthermore, the practice remains inaccessible to most artisanal and small-scale miners and can make them dependent on the goodwill of large-scale multinational mining companies. Thereby it ends up marginalizing many of the people it is meant to benefit.

The past decades witnessed that neither the private sector nor the government could provide an adequate socio-economic safety net for the poorest of the poor in the Third World. The community-based self-help approaches were hence widely used as alternative means to help the poor and marginalised to cope with livelihood shocks. This study examined the extent to which indigenous iddirs (local neighbourhood associations) and the externally-funded self-help groups (SHGs) could transform social capital into entrepreneurship thereby enhancing sustainable livelihoods. The study was conducted in three Southern Nation and Nationalities and People’s Region (SNNPR) rural districts, namely, Shebedeno, Wonago and Humbo. Mixed (quantitative and qualitative) methods were used to collect field data. Accordingly, closed and openended questionnaires and interview schedules were developed in English and then translated into Amharic (the national language). Instruments were field tested for validity and thereafter adjusted. A total of 220 (166 male and 54 female) people participated in the study. Data were entered into an Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) database, and analysed by using basic descriptive statistics. Qualitative data were transcribed and analysed using Microsoft Office tools. The findings indicate that the SHGs’ members were relatively better educated than the rest of the population and some of them used this opportunity to pursue employment in government and the private sector. With regard to poverty status, iddirs members were poorer than those of SHGs (15.5% of the iddirs members reported that they are destitute compared to others in the community, as opposed to 3.3% of SHGs members). The study reveals that the livelihoods of some members of iddirs and SHG (particularly the latter) improved as a result of their involvement in these institutions although, at this point, the impact is insignificant. With regard to socio-economic decision making, more SHG members were involved in participatory decision making. However, iddirs leaders were still the dominant decision makers. The SHG level of participatory decision making could be the result of capacity building efforts by the promoting organisation, particularly, the Ethiopian Kale Heywet Church (EKHC). The study also shows that some of the iddirs and SHGs members were involved in informal rural entrepreneurial activities. However, their involvement did not indicate the utilisation of micro loan taken from the iddirs and SHGs for business purposes (97% of the iddirs and SHGs respondents utilised microcredit loans for consumption and other related purposes). On the other hand, the empirical evidence reveals that the amount of loan that iddirs and SHGs respondents received was very small. The general practice is giving small loans particularly to SHG members with repayments expected to begin as quickly and frequently as possible. Transforming social capital into entrepreneurship requires a cooperative approach, i.e. the involvement of development actors so as to enhance communities’ endeavour to achieve their livelihood objectives. Despite the wide prevalence of social capital in Ethiopia, this study indicates that its effective utilisation in community empowerment and sustainable livelihoods remains a challenge. Social capital is found to have a limited role in social entrepreneurship development and promotion not because it does not have potential, but because of the limited role of promoting organisations. The study shows lack of strong linkage between iddirs and promoting organisation (NGOs and Government). The study thus underlines the need for improving network and links with iddirs and SHGs and promoting organisations so as to create an enabling environment for sustainable livelihoods in the three rural districts under scrutiny. / Development Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Development Studies)

自1994年開始推動的「社區總體營造」，可謂台灣近十年來最具朝野共識的政策方案之ㄧ。研究者在長達十餘年的實際參與執行過程中，觀察到有兩項未曾間斷且持續操作的社區營造重點工作，其一為社造人才的培育，其二為社區環境空間的改造。而這兩項工作其實就是社區總體營造在台灣推動這十年來，亟欲達成的階段性目標，也對於往後社區營造的永續發展有著關鍵性的影響。 本研究嘗試從參與主體互動關係的角度切入，探討在「社區培力」的觀點下，在民眾參與社區環境空間改造時，所產生的政府、非政府組織與社區民眾，三個參與主體所扮演的角色、定位、功能與任務，以及各參與主體在人才培育的工作中，如何在學習成長的過程中，運用培力的方式以達成有效益的成果累積。 研究者採用行動研究的方法，以苗栗縣為研究場域，並透過對於社區營造、社區培力、民眾參與、社區環境改造與國內外多個案例等的課題分析歸納，並結合苗栗縣推動社區總體營造與社區規畫師等計畫的執行過程中，探究各參與主題的互動關係變化，進而影響其各自的角色、定位、功能與任務的網絡結構，以及有效的社區培力機制。 在經過2001-2005五年間的行動研究歷程，研究者發現三個參與主體間的關係應是由最初的「上下互賴關係」，轉變為「水平互動關係」，方有可能達成「三角互補關係」的理想社區總體營造網絡結構。而在不同的階段中，三參與主體的也應動態的變換不同的角色與相對應的功能與任務，以因時、因地制宜的推動社造工作。尤其非政府組織除了必須具備有「中介、潤滑與形塑」的功能外，還要能「提升社區民眾公共參與層級」的能力。因為，民眾對於公共事務的決策能力並非由其他主體移轉而來，而是在有效的學習成長過程中，創發出來的。而透過本研究引入「契約學習」的學習方式，更確認有效的學習過程應提供「提問式的教育環境」，教學者與學習者在一定的知識基礎上，於動態的互動過程中調整所扮演的角色，進而將所習得的知識內化為生活的一部份，再透過行為外顯呈現。 本研究在苗栗縣的特定情境脈絡下，探討民眾參與社區環境改造此類與生活密切關聯，但又需要專業知識與技能的社區營造面向，如何藉由參與主體間的關係轉變與互動過程，以及學習成長的社區培力機制的運作，應可提供相關研究人員參考，並作為政府、非政府組織與社區民眾彼此互動的依據，進而共同攜手打造社區願景。 關鍵詞：社區總體營造、民眾參與、社區培力、契約學習、社區規畫師、行動研究 / Community building can be seen as one of the most common understanding policies in Taiwan since 1994. Author of this research has been participating in the practical operation for over ten years, and observing two key points. One is talent cultivation; the other one is community space transformation. These two achievements are de facto the staged goals of Taiwan community building through these years. Most importantly, they have potentially influenced the sustainable development of community building. With the angle of interaction of participants, this research tries to discuss that under the view of community empowerment, government, NGOs and community residents become the three main participants when the public takes part in the community space transformation. The roles, position, function and mission of the three participants will be examined here. Besides, for talents cultivation, how do they exert empowerment to accumulate the efficient achievement in the learning process? Action research method is used in this research. MiaoLi County is the research area. Through analyzing the subjects of community building, community empowerment, public participation, community space transformation and overseas cases, and combining the executing process of the community building and community planner plans promoted by MiaoLi County, this research is to study the interacting changes of the above subjects. Furthermore, these subjects are to influence their own roles, position, function, mission network and effective community empowerment mechanism. After five-year action research from 2001 to 2005, this research found that the relation of the above three main participants has changed from “Top-Bottom Dependent Relationship” into “Balanced interaction Relationship”, and been finally moving to “Triangle Inter-complementary Relationship ”, an ideal net structure of community building. In the different stages, the three main participants should also shift different roles, related function and mission to promote community building timely and properly. Especially, except intermediary, lubricating and molding, NGOs should have the capability to promote the level of the public community participation. For the public’s decision ability toward public affairs is not transferred from other objects, but created from the effective learning process. This research introduced “contract learning” to confirm that an adequate learning process should provide an “asking- question education environment ”. Based on certain knowledge basis, teachers and learners have to adjust their roles during interacting, internalize the new knowledge into part of their lives, and behave properly. Under some special situations in Miao-li County, this research talks about the close relation between daily life, professional knowledge and skill of community building while the public participates community environment building. It also examines how these main participants transfer their relation and interacting process, and how to learn the operation of a growing community empowerment mechanism. These related findings and conclusions could provide some positive reference for other researchers. More importantly, it is hoped that government, NGOs and communities to cooperate to accomplish a concrete community vision in accordance with this research in the future. Key words：community building, public participation, community empowerment, contract learning, community planner, action research

Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-08T16:55:47Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Mauro.pdf: 4382168 bytes, checksum: 178b54f5f3aa59808554feec5dee6fd1 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-08-27 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This work investigated and analyzed the Sao Bonifacio s territorial branding s developing process and effects, which are part of an embrionary process of Sustainable Territorial Development that took place in between the years 2005 and 2008. The research reviewed the main macro-typologies of development, design and branding. The study was motivated by an experimental approach which articulated the theories of Complexity and also of Sociospatial Formation. The objective was to distinguish what is currently more appropriate to achieve the community empowerment of a micro territory formed by small family farms with a strong cultural identity inherited from "German" immigrants from Westphalia. This experience has thus involved elements which can be considered new to the study field of Design, such as this territorial branding and a kit of territorial products and services. This way, these elements were used as strategic instruments of social mobilization to involve the community in this process of development guided by the Solidarity Economy and also to provide more and better visibility to the town of Sao Bonifacio. All of this indicated an alternative way for the rural micro-territories to react against the negative effects of the market capitalist economy by making use of the solidarity and cooperation to build a special kind of social capital and to take on a new course of planning and management of their own development / Este trabalho investigou e analisou o processo de construção e os efeitos da Marca Territorial de São Bonifácio, os quais integram um processo embrionário de Desenvolvimento Territorial Sustentável transcorrido entre 2005 e 2008. Animado com uma abordagem experimental que articulou as Teorias da Complexidade e da Formação Socioespacial, este trabalho reviu as principais Macro-Tipologias do Desenvolvimento, do Design e das Marcas, objetivando caracterizar o que é mais adequado no momento para o empoderamento comunitário de um micro-território de agricultores familiares com forte identidade cultural herdada de imigrantes alemães da Westfália. Trata-se de uma experiência que envolveu elementos inéditos no campo do Design, tal como esta Marca Territorial e uma Cesta de Bens e Serviços Territoriais. Nesse sentido, estes elementos foram utilizados como instrumentos estratégicos de mobilização social para envolver a comunidade neste processo de desenvolvimento pautado pela Economia Solidária e dar mais e melhor visibilidade a São Bonifácio. Tudo isso indicou um caminho alternativo para os micro-territórios rurais reagirem aos efeitos negativos da economia capitalista de mercado valendo-se da solidariedade e cooperação para construir um tipo especial de capital social e assumir um novo rumo em termos de planejamento e gestão para o seu desenvolvimento

Magister Commercii - MCom / The purpose of this research study is to explore the variables that contribute to improving the process of recruiting and retaining rural doctors within the South African context. The aim is to explore rural doctors’ perceptions of the role which the rural community can and ought to play in respect of the latter process. A basic recognition is that the emphasis on the Mainstream Approach (which elevates health workforce planning and management as well as market-related interventions and solutions) cannot exclusively achieve the desired result of effective and efficient recruitment and retention of rural doctors. The ‘active’ role which communities can and ought to play in the recruitment/ retention process, is an overlooked and neglected aspect within the South African research and healthcare service-delivery context. Even though the notion of collaborative management and governance of human resources within the health sector is generally mandated from a policy and legislative perspective, the practical manifestation and implementation thereof remain limited or at best piece-meal. An alternative governance model with reference to the humanresources- in-health system outlines the Partnership Approach advocating the need for the establishment of practical working relationships, amongst an identified range of multiple-stakeholders. This study examines the notions of ‘passive’ vis-à-vis ‘active’ community participation equated to the Utilitarian and Community Empowerment/ Development Perspectives continuum. The study introduces the ‘Principle of Balancing Model’ as well as the notion of a ‘hybrid perspective’ as key underpinnings of an efficacious rural-doctor recruitment and retention process.

The past decades witnessed that neither the private sector nor the government could provide an adequate socio-economic safety net for the poorest of the poor in the Third World. The community-based self-help approaches were hence widely used as alternative means to help the poor and marginalised to cope with livelihood shocks. This study examined the extent to which indigenous iddirs (local neighbourhood associations) and the externally-funded self-help groups (SHGs) could transform social capital into entrepreneurship thereby enhancing sustainable livelihoods. The study was conducted in three Southern Nation and Nationalities and People’s Region (SNNPR) rural districts, namely, Shebedeno, Wonago and Humbo. Mixed (quantitative and qualitative) methods were used to collect field data. Accordingly, closed and openended questionnaires and interview schedules were developed in English and then translated into Amharic (the national language). Instruments were field tested for validity and thereafter adjusted. A total of 220 (166 male and 54 female) people participated in the study. Data were entered into an Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) database, and analysed by using basic descriptive statistics. Qualitative data were transcribed and analysed using Microsoft Office tools. The findings indicate that the SHGs’ members were relatively better educated than the rest of the population and some of them used this opportunity to pursue employment in government and the private sector. With regard to poverty status, iddirs members were poorer than those of SHGs (15.5% of the iddirs members reported that they are destitute compared to others in the community, as opposed to 3.3% of SHGs members). The study reveals that the livelihoods of some members of iddirs and SHG (particularly the latter) improved as a result of their involvement in these institutions although, at this point, the impact is insignificant. With regard to socio-economic decision making, more SHG members were involved in participatory decision making. However, iddirs leaders were still the dominant decision makers. The SHG level of participatory decision making could be the result of capacity building efforts by the promoting organisation, particularly, the Ethiopian Kale Heywet Church (EKHC). The study also shows that some of the iddirs and SHGs members were involved in informal rural entrepreneurial activities. However, their involvement did not indicate the utilisation of micro loan taken from the iddirs and SHGs for business purposes (97% of the iddirs and SHGs respondents utilised microcredit loans for consumption and other related purposes). On the other hand, the empirical evidence reveals that the amount of loan that iddirs and SHGs respondents received was very small. The general practice is giving small loans particularly to SHG members with repayments expected to begin as quickly and frequently as possible. Transforming social capital into entrepreneurship requires a cooperative approach, i.e. the involvement of development actors so as to enhance communities’ endeavour to achieve their livelihood objectives. Despite the wide prevalence of social capital in Ethiopia, this study indicates that its effective utilisation in community empowerment and sustainable livelihoods remains a challenge. Social capital is found to have a limited role in social entrepreneurship development and promotion not because it does not have potential, but because of the limited role of promoting organisations. The study shows lack of strong linkage between iddirs and promoting organisation (NGOs and Government). The study thus underlines the need for improving network and links with iddirs and SHGs and promoting organisations so as to create an enabling environment for sustainable livelihoods in the three rural districts under scrutiny. / Development Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Development Studies)

As the church focuses on people’s spiritual development, there is growing realisation that the church should be holistic in its approach and participate in resolving urban poverty issues through the implementation of community development projects. This study looks at the way in which traditional theories of community development concentrated on stimulating economic growth and ignored the social aspects involved. It suggests that despite the massive injection of donor funds to some communities, the situation of the poor has deteriorated over the years and sustainability of projects has been minimal. The study finds that projects implemented by the Church of the Nazarene in Orlando East, while improving the lives of the community, are not in line with community development principles and the sustainable livelihoods approach primarily because the community was not involved in the assessment of needs or designing of interventions, and the community members were only the implementers. The evaluation of these projects through this study suggests an alternative developmental paradigm that has been used with success in other similar circumstances – the sustainable livelihood approach (SLA). The SLA contends that urban communities should become planners, initiators and executors of community development interventions so that transformation can occur. The study recommends that urban communities such as that in Orlando East have to change their behaviour and attitudes, be willing to accept change, and take ownership of their own projects. The facilitators, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and government have to be willing to unlearn their traditional ways, to listen, and to accept that they are not the only experts in community development as they attempt to embrace indigenous knowledge systems. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)

As the church focuses on people’s spiritual development, there is growing realisation that the church should be holistic in its approach and participate in resolving urban poverty issues through the implementation of community development projects. This study looks at the way in which traditional theories of community development concentrated on stimulating economic growth and ignored the social aspects involved. It suggests that despite the massive injection of donor funds to some communities, the situation of the poor has deteriorated over the years and sustainability of projects has been minimal. The study finds that projects implemented by the Church of the Nazarene in Orlando East, while improving the lives of the community, are not in line with community development principles and the sustainable livelihoods approach primarily because the community was not involved in the assessment of needs or designing of interventions, and the community members were only the implementers. The evaluation of these projects through this study suggests an alternative developmental paradigm that has been used with success in other similar circumstances – the sustainable livelihood approach (SLA). The SLA contends that urban communities should become planners, initiators and executors of community development interventions so that transformation can occur. The study recommends that urban communities such as that in Orlando East have to change their behaviour and attitudes, be willing to accept change, and take ownership of their own projects. The facilitators, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and government have to be willing to unlearn their traditional ways, to listen, and to accept that they are not the only experts in community development as they attempt to embrace indigenous knowledge systems. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)