The study is conducted in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa in Lukhanji Local Municipality. Eastern Cape has a population of 1 676 470. Source: Demarcation Board (www.demarcation.org.za),03 April 2009. The Province is made up of seven district municipalities which includes the following; Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality, Cacadu, Amathole, Chris Hani, Ukhahlamba, OR Tambo, Alfred Ndzo. It is comprised of seven local municipalities which are King Sabata Dalindyebo, Nyandeni, Qaukeni, Mbizana, Mhlontlo, Port St John’s, and Ntabankulu. Eastern Cape, according to Bradshaw Debbie et al (2000;4) has the second highest poverty levels in South Africa (47percent of households below the poverty line, which is based on imputed monthly expenditure of R800 or less) (SSA, 2000b), combined with the highest provincial unemployment rate (55 percent) in the country (SSA, 2003). This province is characterised by inequitable growth and development. As mentioned above, it has a high level of poverty. For this reason, strategies like Income generating projects (IGPs) have been formulated to address the need for improved livelihoods, better skills and self employment opportunities. Income generating project as a concept is a convincing strategy when looked at a distance however there is a need to evaluate the impact of Income generating projects (IGPs) through a scientific study to determine the evidence of speculations that Income generating projects are claimed to improve and sustain livelihoods of our people. In the light of the aforesaid, the researcher has endeavoured and undertaken a study on the evaluation of income generating projects. This was done to determine the extent to which income generating projects (IGPs) as a mechanism to alleviate poverty address this problem of poverty. Due to the broadness of the concept of the problem and the extensive nature of the geographical area of the Eastern Cape, the study was exclusively focused on the agricultural projects of Ilinge and Machibini Project in Lukhanji Local Municipality. For the purpose of this study, a combined method approach was used. In other words, the study applied both quantitative and qualitative research design in an attempt to gain an indepth understanding of the problem investigated. Both questionnaire and interviews were employed during gathering of data of the study and participants were project members, project leader and key informants as contributing builders and mangers of the projects. Findings revealed that there is lack of sustainability on income generating projects as the projects studied lost a high number of project members with a common complaint of lack of income to sustain project members during their membership on the income generating projects (IGPs). Lack of skills is considered to be a crucial contributing factor as one other project complained of total lack of training of project members.

An income generating project signifies an unemployment strategy and an attempt at upliftment of living standards This study tries to explore the impact of agricultural and income generating projects on poverty alleviation in the Uitenhage area .The research topic tries to establish whether these poverty alleviation projectshave impacted sufficiently and contributed to socio-economic development and eradication of poverty . A sample of 15 respondents involved in an income generating project funded by the Department of Social Development was drawn from 1 Tinarha Agricultural Tourism Initiative. A purposive samplingmethod was used for thisstudy. Data was gathered through semi-structured questionnaires. Related literature that focuses on income generating projects for poverty alleviation has been reviewed. Various recommendations based on the findings of the study have also been made. The findings of the study indicate that the income generation project, has not impacted and contributed significantly to the process of eradicating poverty for the project members. It also indicates that project members were not empowered sufficiently with financial management skills needed to equip them to make substantial profits from their small business enterprises. It also emerged that the members were not able to secure markets for their products. This remains a key challenge for attainingsustainability. The research findings indicated clearly that the strategies that were used by the Departments were not effective enough to achieve the desired goals of poverty alleviation.

This study investigates impact made by Household Contractor Project as a Poverty Alleviation initiative on participating Household Contractors in Ukhahlamba in the Eastern Cape Province. Household Contractor Project is an Expanded Public Works Project implemented by the Eastern Cape Provincial Government to achieve the following EPWP principles, namely: Poverty alleviation; Creation of employment opportunities and; Creation of opportunities for skills development. The project (meaning Household Contractor Project) is implemented in the Province's six districts, namely: Alfred Nzo, Amathole, Cacadu, Chris Hani, O.R. Tambo, and Ukhahlamba. The study aims at investigating whether Household Contractor Project in Ukhahlamba district has resulted in poverty alleviation among participating household contractors. The study uses measurable indicators like food security, education for children, health needs and basic household needs to achieve its aim.

The period 1994 to 1999 saw the implementation of fundamental social and political change in South Africa. Social science literature suggests that such fundamental change increases the probability of civil conflict and strife, as some sectors of the population expect significant improvements in their position following the removal of economic and political barriers that previously inhibited their upward mobility. Other sectors are concerned about a possible decrease in their living standards of the erosion of their privileged position. Still others experience increased uncertainty, which in itself is associated with significant social change. It is significant to state that poverty in South Africa is intertwined with a host of social and economic issues. The burden of poverty is exacerbated by limited access to basic services, poor housing, limited employment opportunities and inadequate infrastructure, which are an outcome of the terrible legacies of apartheid. The South African government has set certain targets to reduce poverty by half by 2014, in line with its vision for 2014 and in line with its commitment to the Millennium Development Goals. In an endeavour to realise this commitment, the government has prioritised the improvement of service delivery as one of the indicators of progress. However, although the government has made improvements and attained some of its goals, it still needs to do more. With apartheid no longer in place as the system to blame for every grievance, other rifts may have developed in society and become grounds for mobilisation, Klandermans, B. et al. 2001. Mantsopa Local Municipality is not an exception to these developments and it faces a series of challenges. Despite nineteen years of democracy, poverty is still common in Mantsopa. Unemployment levels are high and many people depend on government old age pensions, seasonal farm work, minor-scale self-employment and part-time jobs for the survival of the entire household. These developments have led to the study of poverty alleviation programmes in selected towns of Thabo Mofutsanyane District Municipality. The researcher investigates these programmes through the analysis of secondary data.

Income support programs constitute an integral component of modern labour markets and represent significant fiscal commitments on the part of governments. This thesis examines two key income support programs in Canada and their impact on labour market outcomes, namely employment insurance (EI) and social assistance (SA). Together expenditures on EI and SA represented approximately 2 per cent of Canadian GDP in 1998-99 and influenced a range of labour market decisions relating to labour force participation, employment and unemployment spells. The analysis in this thesis provides new evidence on the role of the EI and SA programs on labour market outcomes by examining the interface between the programs and labour market behaviour. An analysis of the take-up of SA amongst a sample of SA eligible individuals is also undertaken that provides new evidence on the determinants of participation in the SA program in Canada. The analysis in this thesis uses the 1997 Canadian Out of Employment Panel dataset, a unique dataset that provides detailed information on the use of income support programs and employment patterns, and detailed information on a rich set of personal and household characteristics. The approach adopted in this thesis is to use a generalized probability transition model to examine the nature of the interface between income support programs and their effect on labour market outcomes. This approach allows the implications of changes in either program for use of the other program, and overall labour market outcomes, to be identified. The analysis of the SA take-up decision uses a discrete choice framework that explicitly takes account of the potential endogeneity of benefit levels available to the individual. A number of conclusions can be drawn from the analysis undertaken in this thesis. First, when the generosity of the SA program is reduced, individuals decrease use of both the SA and EI programs. Conversely, reducing the generosity of the EI program results in an increase in the use, albeit relatively small, of the SA program. The results of the analysis of the take-up decision of the SA program point to the key role of benefit levels and previous use of the program as determinants of the likelihood that an individual takes up SA. / Arts, Faculty of / Vancouver School of Economics / Graduate

<p>This research was aimed at assessing the effectiveness and efficiency of community based targeting and self-targeting methods in the selection of beneficiaries in Safety nets programmes in Malawi. These methods have been chosen because they have been largely used for selecting beneficiaries in Safety net programmes. The focus was on assessing the effectiveness and efficiency of these methods where effectiveness refers to the ability of the methodology to reach out to the poorest while efficiency is a measure of the costs that are associated with the identification of these people. In order to objectively assessed the challenges associated with these methods, the study concentrated on Public Works Programmes, which targets relatively high number of people compared to the other programmes and have used both methods for identifying beneficiaries.</p>

Abstract not available

<p>This research was aimed at assessing the effectiveness and efficiency of community based targeting and self-targeting methods in the selection of beneficiaries in Safety nets programmes in Malawi. These methods have been chosen because they have been largely used for selecting beneficiaries in Safety net programmes. The focus was on assessing the effectiveness and efficiency of these methods where effectiveness refers to the ability of the methodology to reach out to the poorest while efficiency is a measure of the costs that are associated with the identification of these people. In order to objectively assessed the challenges associated with these methods, the study concentrated on Public Works Programmes, which targets relatively high number of people compared to the other programmes and have used both methods for identifying beneficiaries.</p>

South Africa is a democratic country since 1994 and transformation brought policies that aimed to address the inequalities and poverty situation countrywide. During apartheid era the existence of social assistance was more focused on minority group. Hence the eroded social inequality cannot be ignored as poverty takes its toll in our communities. It was the previously termed state maintenance grant that was phased out with the introduction of Child support grant (CSG). The purpose of CSG was to reduce child poverty; however a long list of challenges regarding the aims and objectives of the CSG surfaced. This study was about the challenges of child support grant as poverty alleviation strategy in waNobuhle community in Uitenhage. The purpose of the study was also to investigate the value CSG adds in the beneficiaries’ lives in terms of poverty alleviation and what is mostly hindering the CSG from alleviating poverty. The research design for the study could be classified as mixed designs which include qualitative and quantitative approach, taking a form of action research. A sample of 30 participants was drawn from SASSA beneficiaries. The sampling method for the study was purposive, which is a non-probability sampling. Semi structured questionnaires and semi structured interviews were utilized to collect data and the data collected was analysed thematically and descriptive statistics analysis was undertaken as well. Questionnaires to collect data from the thirty (30) CSG beneficiaries’ from KwaNobuhle community and semi structured interviews was undertaken. The most important findings that emerged from the study were that participants appeared to have a clear understanding of the fact that CSG represented a government strategy to support children, fight poverty and uplift the standard of living for the poor. However, majority of the participants were not satisfied with CSG as poverty alleviation strategy, participant’s wants government to increase the amount of CSG and to create employment opportunities. The CSG was pointed as inadequate due to the fact that all family members of the beneficiaries are dependent on the CSG. The conclusion drawn was that CSG paid to KwaNobuhle beneficiaries seemed to be achieving their aims even though the CSG is announced to be inadequate, employment is a necessity and the gap between departments serving the community. The findings of the study are discussed as suggestions to SASSA and the Department of Social development.

Poverty levels in South Africa remain high, and have not been significantly reduced since1994. This is associated with grass root challenges such as asset distribution, inequality, unemployment, high rate of HIV/AIDS, insufficient pro-poor economic growth, corruption, and bad governance. The problems of poverty and non-sustainable livelihoods in South Africa are still very persistent and can be attributed to significant lags in investment in human resource development and in the provision of basic social services, such as education, health and inequality growth and development. In view of the above, the necessity for improved standards of living is viewed as a vital issue in addressing poverty and has triggered the introduction of Integrated Development Planning (IDP) and Local Economic Development (LED) by municipalities. This has triggered the implementation of various projects by private and public sectors amongst which are The Institute for Youth Development in South Africa (IYDSA) and The Golden Stitches Trust, which aim to address poverty at the local level. Even though the effort of the local government to look into the immediate challenges affecting the community of NMBMM the influence of apartheid cannot be undermined. A need for pro-active developmental measures is imperative which will engage the entire citizenry on informing and educating them about steps to achieving a better improved life style. This study discussed the literature regarding poverty, the causes, and most importantly two programs undertaken in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality as a mechanism to alleviate poverty. With a view to actualize optimum desired result in the research, a qualitative and quantitative measure was designed for accurate assertions and verification. Data was collected from members of the projects by making use of questionnaires. It is a clear indication that many people are still very much far from development. They are however overwhelmed by low volume of qualitative education, primary health care and social amenities. The need for the local government to intensify their approach to reduce poverty is crucial. The findings of the study revealed that the Golden Stitches Trust lacks funding and faces shortage of members. However the IYDSA is quite successful but have some issues with the DSD pertaining to its name and as well needs more funds to be able to touch more lives.