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)

The need for an Anthropocentric Development Evaluation stems from the inability of development theory and praxis, which has informed the past Development Decades, to ameliorate abject poverty experienced by most people throughout the world. Emanating from a hermeneutical-interpretist epistemology the fundamental argument of an Anthropocentric Development Evaluation is that people and the crucial aspects of their humanity should be the central focus in development and evaluation processes. Thus, taking the people-centred approach to development as its starting point, an Anthropocentric Development Evaluation draws attention to the marginalised, particularly the poor, the rural poor, resource-poor primary producers, women and their households. An Anthropocentric Development Evaluation also argues for an actor-orientation to Development Evaluation to emphasise the situational, yet individual behaviour, of people. Alongside such an approach, lies the significance of culture and people's knowledge for development, as well as the limitations, risks, uncertainties and vulnerabilities people face as a consequence of their humanity. These may influence the extent to which they participate in spontaneous or imposed development initiatives. An Anthropocentric Development Evaluation then comparatively assesses three sets of similar, yet different, methodologies using people and aspects of their humanity described above as the focus for that assessment. The methodologies assessed include Action Research, Social Impact Assessment and the Complementary Rural Development Field Tools. The purpose of doing so is to obtain a suitable medium through which to test the focus of an Anthropocentric Development Evaluation in a development setting. The testing of an Anthropocentric Development Evaluation in a development setting is done first by providing an Anthropocentric Development Evaluation of aspects of life of people living in the community of Nyanyadu in KwaZulu-Natal. Social Impact Assessments using the focus of an Anthropocentric Development Evaluation are then made of two development initiatives in respect of the people of Nyanyadu. These two initiatives are a nutrition and social development programme and the national land reforms. The purpose of all these evaluations is to examine the extent to which people and their humanity are seen to be crucial in development processes. / Development Administration / D.Litt. et Phil. (Development Administration)

The need for an Anthropocentric Development Evaluation stems from the inability of development theory and praxis, which has informed the past Development Decades, to ameliorate abject poverty experienced by most people throughout the world. Emanating from a hermeneutical-interpretist epistemology the fundamental argument of an Anthropocentric Development Evaluation is that people and the crucial aspects of their humanity should be the central focus in development and evaluation processes. Thus, taking the people-centred approach to development as its starting point, an Anthropocentric Development Evaluation draws attention to the marginalised, particularly the poor, the rural poor, resource-poor primary producers, women and their households. An Anthropocentric Development Evaluation also argues for an actor-orientation to Development Evaluation to emphasise the situational, yet individual behaviour, of people. Alongside such an approach, lies the significance of culture and people's knowledge for development, as well as the limitations, risks, uncertainties and vulnerabilities people face as a consequence of their humanity. These may influence the extent to which they participate in spontaneous or imposed development initiatives. An Anthropocentric Development Evaluation then comparatively assesses three sets of similar, yet different, methodologies using people and aspects of their humanity described above as the focus for that assessment. The methodologies assessed include Action Research, Social Impact Assessment and the Complementary Rural Development Field Tools. The purpose of doing so is to obtain a suitable medium through which to test the focus of an Anthropocentric Development Evaluation in a development setting. The testing of an Anthropocentric Development Evaluation in a development setting is done first by providing an Anthropocentric Development Evaluation of aspects of life of people living in the community of Nyanyadu in KwaZulu-Natal. Social Impact Assessments using the focus of an Anthropocentric Development Evaluation are then made of two development initiatives in respect of the people of Nyanyadu. These two initiatives are a nutrition and social development programme and the national land reforms. The purpose of all these evaluations is to examine the extent to which people and their humanity are seen to be crucial in development processes. / Development Administration / D.Litt. et Phil. (Development Administration)