The focus of this dissertation is on exploring the needs of and services provided to orphaned and vulnerable children (OVCs) in Richmond, KwaZulu-Natal. This research is based on the findings from in-depth face-to-face interviews, and the focus group discussion conducted with key informants and primary caregivers of OVCs, respectively. The findings underline that although the needs of OVCs are similar to those of all other children, OVCs face unique challenges. It further shows that the government of South Africa has been responsive in developing relevant legislation, policies, and programmes that attempt to address the needs of OVCs. The findings also revealed that the services provided are coordinated, to a limited extent, through the Flagship Project led by the office of the Premier and. that coordination and integration of activities rendered by various stakeholders is crucial to a positive impact, and in increasing the accessibility of these services. / Social Work / M. A. (Social Behaviour Studies in HIV/AIDS)

This study investigates some of the issues affecting participation of the poor in two development projects in Inkosikazi communal lands in Zimbabwe. Recent trends in participatory development are reviewed and discussed in the study. Some definitions of the concept of participation are explored, including its historical background, importance and challenges. Fieldwork was undertaken in Inkosikazi communal lands in July 2004. Two projects were randomly sampled, and in one of them involving goat-rearing, some of the participants were classified as being very poor, while in the other, a heifer loan-scheme project, none of the participants could be classified as very poor. The possible reasons for these variations are explored in the study. The conclusion of the thesis is that the study succeeds in examining certain key issues affecting participation of the poor in Inkosikazi communal lands in Zimbabwe and recommendations thereof are made. / 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)

This study investigates some of the issues affecting participation of the poor in two development projects in Inkosikazi communal lands in Zimbabwe. Recent trends in participatory development are reviewed and discussed in the study. Some definitions of the concept of participation are explored, including its historical background, importance and challenges. Fieldwork was undertaken in Inkosikazi communal lands in July 2004. Two projects were randomly sampled, and in one of them involving goat-rearing, some of the participants were classified as being very poor, while in the other, a heifer loan-scheme project, none of the participants could be classified as very poor. The possible reasons for these variations are explored in the study. The conclusion of the thesis is that the study succeeds in examining certain key issues affecting participation of the poor in Inkosikazi communal lands in Zimbabwe and recommendations thereof are made. / 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)

Tesis por compendio / [EN] Energy services are crucial for eradicating poverty, improving human welfare and raising living standards. Thus, providing appropriate and reliable modern energy and sanitation services using secure and environmentally sound technologies, in conformity with socioeconomic needs and cultural values, is essential in the race for sustainable development. Autonomous systems based on the use of renewable energies (RE) have proven suitable for providing affordable, reliable, safe, and high-quality energy and sanitation services to isolated communities. Taking this into consideration, the objectives of this thesis are to investigate the contributions of the Human and Sustainable Development (HSD) approach to the analysis of RE projects in isolated rural areas in developing countries and understand how these projects to provide access to energy in impoverished rural areas should be developed according to the paradigm of HSD. Regarding the first objective, it is considered that, generally, these types of technology projects are designed, implemented and evaluated following strategies consistent with utilitarian approaches, focused on the generation of new resources. However, to analyze the impact of these projects on the lives of the people, in this thesis we use an approach that allows us to extend the analysis on several key dimensions of development that should be considered in the process of these projects. In particular, we have used the HSD approach, which considers that technological projects in rural areas should not only be aimed at increasing levels of access to affordable, reliable, secure and high quality energy, as well as improving the quality of the environment, including the immediate environment in homes, but also at strengthening the autonomy and empowerment of people, expanding their opportunities and freedoms. This approach has been used in six projects to provide access to energy in Andean communities in Peru, carried out by the NGO Practical Action, which consider only RE and community management models. To analyse these projects against the precepts of HSD approach, a special methodology has been designed, incorporating tools to collect data related to the context and individual conversion factors affecting people's capabilities, with particular emphasis on the gender component. Regarding the second objective, based on the results of the analyses, recommendations have been made to overcome barriers and difficulties identified for such projects to truly be catalysts of HSD. Additionally, a management model has been designed to handle any number of different technologies, considering the lessons learned from this research, which has been implemented in a project that includes 6 types of technologies simultaneously, and whose sustainability has proven satisfactory. / [ES] La energía es crucial para erradicar la pobreza, mejorar el bienestar y aumentar los estándares de vida de las personas. En este sentido, para lograr procesos de desarrollo es esencial dotar a la población de modernos servicios básicos energéticos, adecuados y fiables, utilizando tecnologías seguras y ecológicamente racionales, de conformidad con las necesidades socioeconómicas y los valores culturales. Para ello, los sistemas autónomos basados en el uso de las energías renovables (EERR) han demostrado ser adecuados para proporcionar servicios de energía y saneamiento en comunidades rurales aisladas. Tomando esto en consideración, los objetivos de esta tesis son investigar los aportes del enfoque de Desarrollo Humano Sostenible (DHS) al análisis de proyectos de EERR en zonas rurales aisladas de países en vías de desarrollo y entender cómo se deben desarrollar proyectos de EERR para el acceso a la energía en zonas rurales empobrecidas de acuerdo con el paradigma de DHS. En relación al primer objetivo, cabe considerar que, generalmente, este tipo de proyectos tecnológicos se han diseñado, implementado y evaluado siguiendo estrategias acordes con enfoques de cariz utilitarista, centrados en la generación de nuevos recursos. En cambio, para analizar el impacto de este tipo de proyectos en la vida de la personas, en esta tesis se promueve el uso de un enfoque que nos permita ampliar el análisis sobre varias dimensiones clave del desarrollo que deben ser consideradas en el proceso de estos proyectos. En particular, se ha utilizado el enfoque de DHS, según el cual los proyectos tecnológicos en las zonas rurales no sólo deben estar dirigidos a aumentar los niveles de acceso a una energía asequible, fiable, segura y de alta calidad, y a mejorar la calidad del medio ambiente, incluido el entorno inmediato en los hogares, sino también a fortalecer la autonomía y el empoderamiento de las personas, ampliando sus oportunidades y libertades. Este enfoque ha sido empleado en seis estudios de proyectos de acceso a la energía en comunidades rurales andinas del Perú, llevados a cabo por la ONG Practical Action, los cuales cuentan íntegramente con EERR y modelos de gestión comunitarios. Para realizar el análisis de estos proyectos en base a los preceptos del DHS se ha diseñado una metodología ad hoc, incorporando herramientas para obtener datos relativos al contexto y a los factores de conversión individual que afectan a las capacidades de las personas, haciendo especial hincapié a la componente de género. En relación al segundo objetivo, en base a los resultados de los análisis realizados, se han presentado una serie de recomendaciones con las que se pueden superar las barreras y dificultades identificadas para que este tipo de proyectos sean verdaderamente catalizadores del DHS. Además, se ha diseñado un modelo de gestión capaz de gestionar cualquier número de tecnologías distintas, considerando los aprendizajes adquiridos en las investigaciones anteriores, el cual ha sido puesto en práctica en un proyecto que incorpora 6 tipos de tecnologías simultáneamente, y cuya sostenibilidad ha demostrado ser satisfactoria. / [CA] L'energia és crucial per a eradicar la pobresa, millorar el benestar i augmentar els estàndards de vida de les persones. En aquest sentit, dotar la població de moderns serveis bàsics energètics, adequats i fiables, utilitzant tecnologies segures i ecològicament racionals, de conformitat amb les necessitats socioeconòmiques i els valors culturals, és essencial per aconseguir processos de desenvolupament. Per a això, els sistemes autònoms basats en l'ús de les energies renovables (EERR) han demostrat ser adequats per proporcionar serveis d'energia i sanejament en comunitats rurals aïllades. Prenent això en consideració, els objectius d'aquesta tesi són investigar les aportacions de l'enfocament de Desenvolupament Humà Sostenible (DHS) a l'anàlisi de projectes d'EERR en zones rurals aïllades de països en vies de desenvolupament i entendre com s'han de desenvolupar projectes d'EERR per a l'accés a l'energia en zones rurals empobrides d'acord amb el paradigma de DHS. En relació al primer objectiu, cal considerar que, generalment, aquest tipus de projectes tecnològics s'han dissenyat, implementat i avaluat seguint estratègies acords amb enfocaments de caire utilitarista, centrats en la generació de nous recursos. En canvi, per analitzar l'impacte d'aquest tipus de projectes en la vida de les persones, en aquesta tesi es promou l'ús d'un enfocament que ens permeta ampliar l'anàlisi sobre diverses dimensions clau del desenvolupament que han de ser considerades en el procés d'aquests projectes. En particular, s'ha utilitzat l'enfocament de DHS, segons el qual els projectes tecnològics a les zones rurals no només han d'estar dirigits a augmentar els nivells d'accés a una energia assequible, fiable, segura i d'alta qualitat, i a millorar la qualitat del medi ambient, inclòs l'entorn immediat a les llars, sinó també a enfortir l'autonomia i l'empoderament de les persones, ampliant les seves oportunitats i llibertats. Aquest enfocament ha estat emprat en sis estudis de projectes d'accés a l'energia en comunitats rurals andines del Perú, portats a terme per l'ONG Practical Action, els quals compten íntegrament amb EERR i models de gestió comunitaris. Per realitzar l'anàlisi d'aquests projectes en base als preceptes del DHS s'ha dissenyat una metodologia ad hoc, incorporant eines per obtenir dades relatives al context i als factors de conversió individual que afecten les capacitats de les persones, fent especial èmfasi a la component de gènere. En relació al segon objectiu, en base als resultats de les anàlisis realitzades, s'han presentat un seguit de recomanacions amb les que es poden superar les barreres i dificultats identificades perquè aquest tipus de projectes siguen veritablement catalitzadors del DHS. A més, s'ha dissenyat un model de gestió capaç de gestionar qualsevol nombre de tecnologies diferents, considerant els aprenentatges adquirits en les investigacions anteriors, el qual ha estat posat en pràctica en un projecte que incorpora 6 tipus de tecnologies simultàniament, i la sostenibilitat del qual ha demostrat ser satisfactòria. / Lillo Rodrigo, P. (2016). Acceso a la energía para el Desarrollo Humano Sostenible. Análisis de proyectos con Energías Renovables y modelos de gestión comunitarios en zonas rurales [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/68479 / TESIS / Premios Extraordinarios de tesis doctorales / Compendio