Diploma thesis aims at analysing impacts of microfinance on economimies of particular countries in Central Asia region. Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan were chosen for the analysis. First part of the thesis characterizes socioeconomic development and situation in selected countries. Second part of the thesis analyses specific form of microfinance and governments' attitude to this area of financial sector. The last part of the thesis compares impacts of microfinance on chosen economies with each other. It also deals with comparation of microfinance system in Central Asia and vision of Muhammad Yunus, pioneer of modern microfinance.

Thesis (M. Development and Management)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2006.

Three hundred years of colonialism, and fifty of internal colonialism, had hardwired a duality into the system, whereby two domains coexisted: on one hand, a globally integrated world of production, exchange and consumption, and on the other, a constrained world of informality, poverty and marginalization. The visions and missions for municipalities in South Africa are outlined in the White Paper on Local Government. The White Paper further calls for the review of the existing legislation which impedes Local Economic Development. Municipalities in, the Free State Province are accordingly faced with the mammoth task of delivering basic services to the communities. Poverty alleviation is crucial in realising this objective. This study aims to show the challenge which faces municipalities in the Free State and their mammoth task of delivering basic services to the communities. Poverty alleviation is crucial in realisation is objective. 'Through all researches and studies conducted it has been clear that there are impediments in this developmental mandate of the municipalities. 'These emanate from the capacity of the municipalities and the theoretical foundation of the Local Economic Development (LED) as one of the strategies for development. The internal validity of the problem stated does not depend on whether or not that the Local Economic Development strategies of the national and provincial spheres of government are very good, the critical part that this study deals with is whether the local and district municipalities have linked their strategies with those of national and provincial spheres. The Constitution of South Africa mandates local government to ensure the provision of services to communities in a sustainable manner and to encourage the involvement of communities and communities’ organizations in matters of local government. In line with the constitutional mandate, the white paper on Local Government establishes the basis for a new developmental local government system, one which is committed to working with citizens, groups and communities in meeting the social, economic and material needs of communities in a holistic way. The findings indicate that IDPs (Integrated Development Plans) and LED lack detail on SlYME (Small Medium Macro Economic) development. Formal and Informal business are not captured accurately in the IDPs and LED. The importance of infrastructure not adequately located within the LED strategy. It was also found that most of the municipalities in the Free State do not have LED strategy. Proposals for further study on poverty eradication strategies by the municipalities are made. / Thesis (M. Development and Management)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2006.

Three hundred years of colonialism, and fifty of internal colonialism, had hardwired a duality into the system, whereby two domains coexisted: on one hand, a globally integrated world of production, exchange and consumption, and on the other, a constrained world of informality, poverty and marginalization. The visions and missions for municipalities in South Africa are outlined in the White Paper on Local Government. The White Paper further calls for the review of the existing legislation which impedes Local Economic Development. Municipalities in, the Free State Province are accordingly faced with the mammoth task of delivering basic services to the communities. Poverty alleviation is crucial in realising this objective. This study aims to show the challenge which faces municipalities in the Free State and their mammoth task of delivering basic services to the communities. Poverty alleviation is crucial in realisation is objective. 'Through all researches and studies conducted it has been clear that there are impediments in this developmental mandate of the municipalities. 'These emanate from the capacity of the municipalities and the theoretical foundation of the Local Economic Development (LED) as one of the strategies for development. The internal validity of the problem stated does not depend on whether or not that the Local Economic Development strategies of the national and provincial spheres of government are very good, the critical part that this study deals with is whether the local and district municipalities have linked their strategies with those of national and provincial spheres. The Constitution of South Africa mandates local government to ensure the provision of services to communities in a sustainable manner and to encourage the involvement of communities and communities’ organizations in matters of local government. In line with the constitutional mandate, the white paper on Local Government establishes the basis for a new developmental local government system, one which is committed to working with citizens, groups and communities in meeting the social, economic and material needs of communities in a holistic way. The findings indicate that IDPs (Integrated Development Plans) and LED lack detail on SlYME (Small Medium Macro Economic) development. Formal and Informal business are not captured accurately in the IDPs and LED. The importance of infrastructure not adequately located within the LED strategy. It was also found that most of the municipalities in the Free State do not have LED strategy. Proposals for further study on poverty eradication strategies by the municipalities are made. / Thesis (M. Development and Management)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2006.

The study aimed at getting a grass root opinion on poverty and why Ghana is still poor after 50 years of independence in spite of her richness in natural resources, second largest producer of cocoa in the word and appreciable stable political environment. The opinions of the ordinary people in the Bia district and their observed living conditions was analysed in line with theoretical basis of the study and previous studies to justify the stance that poverty should be considered as an abuse of human rights. It was concluded based on position of informants and previous data available that though many factors have been raised by previous scholars as the cause of poverty, the actions and inactions of both internal and external power-holders is the main source of poverty in Ghana. It was proposed that for poverty to be reduced in a sustainable way there should be strong civil society groups and active citizens through civic education to hold power-holders accountable. Until the actions and inactions of power-holders which have subjected many Ghanaians into intergenerational poverty are seen as human rights abuse, the rights of many Ghanaians would be constantly abused. This will eventually defeat the promotion of human rights culture in Ghana.

Ce mémoire est une étude sur le développement local comme stratégie de lutte contre la pauvreté en Haïti. C'est une étude de cas sur une stratégie qui a été implantée par la WVI dans plusieurs communautés pauvres en Haïti, le Programme de Développement de zone (PDZ). Nous avons cherché à savoir comment le PDZ a permis de mettre en place un projet de développement local de lutte contre la pauvreté dans ces communautés. Plus spécifiquement, nous avons analysé, à l'aide de la perspective de Klein et al. (2011), le type de stratégie de développement local auquel le PDZ correspond et vu comment il implique les communautés visées. En effet, plusieurs dimensions, dont la majorité proposée par Klein et al. ont été analysées : le transfert de la stratégie aux leaders locaux ; le processus de leadership local (individuel, organisationnel et socio-territorial) ; la mobilisation des ressources endogènes et exogène ; l'utilisation créative des programmes publics ; la gestion locale des conflits et apprentissage collectif ; et la construction d'une identité positive et d'un sentiment d'appartenance. Ce mémoire fait ressortir une critique souvent adressée à l'endroit des interventions des ONGI, à savoir que la situation de dépendance qu'elles engendrent compte tenu de l'approche assistentialiste sur laquelle elles sont souvent échafaudées. Particulièrement, l'étude du PDZ, nous renseigne que dans un contexte de grande pauvreté, de cumulation de désavantages (en termes de ressources humaines, économiques, politiques), ou d'obstacles objectifs, le développement par initiatives locales soulève des défis et enjeux majeurs. Les données montrent que la stratégie du PDZ __ bien qu'elle soit parvenue à développer un leadership local ; à favoriser une circulation limité de ressources économiques ; à permettre la construction d'une identité positive chez certaines personnes ; __ ne permet pas une mobilisation locale co-construite qui viendrait maintenir les actions mises de l'avant en faveur des priorités dégagées par les communautés elles-mêmes. Enfin, à travers l'analyse nous avons pu conclure qu'elle correspond à un modèle top-down. / This thesis examines the issues of local government as a strategy to fight against poverty in Haiti. As a study case of a strategy that the World Vision established in many poor rural communities- The Area Development Program-, we want to understand and clarify how the PDZ was able to help in building a local project development for fighting poverty in these communities. More specifically, we analyze, with the help of Klein and al. (2011) perspective, the type of strategy of local development which best describes the PDZ and we determine how these communities get involved in this strategy. Thus, we focus on many aspects that were mainly suggested by Klein and al. : the transfer of the strategy to the local authorities ; the process of local leadership (individual, organizational and socio-territorial) ; the mobilization of endogenous and exogenous resources ; creative use of public programs ; local conflict management and collective learning ; positive identity and community feeling construction. This research highlights criticism leveled against NGOs operations, about the dependency situations that arose as a result of assistance-based approaches of their aid. The PDZ study particularly teaches us that development through local initiatives raises daunting challenges and major issues, in the context of extreme poverty, cumulative disadvantages (in term of human, economic and political resources) or objectives obstacles. The facts show us that the PDZ strategy doesn’t allow a local mobilization that could sustain the initiatives inspired by the community`s self-defined needs, although the PDZ strategy succeeds in developing local leadership, in promoting limited movement of capital and enabling some people to construct a positive identity. Finally, we will conclude that the PDZ strategy refers to a top-down model.