Thesis / The objective of this study is to assess the nature of women’s empowerment promoted by the Sudanese Women General Union (SWGU) in Sudan as a strategy for simultaneously addressing both poverty alleviation and women's empowerment using microcredit as a tool in the fight against poverty and women's empowerment at the household level during the period 1999-2005. The SWGU directed its development efforts towards promoting the women's cause officially and unofficially through the whole spectrum of governmental institutions and non-governmental organizations. Therefore, the government support these initiatives of women development processes and assisted in establishing the SWGU in 1990 as a strategic planning and coordination mechanism for poverty alleviation through the lead of the Ministry of Welfare and Social Development and with the cooperation from other ministries, government and non-government organisations at national, state and grassroots levels. The problem of the research reveals that majority of women in Sudan live with low or no income; economically they are dependent on their husbands' income; burdened with their household activities and responsibilities to feed; educate and take care of many children, encounter a core problem which is lack of access to credit and financial services to economically, socially and politically empower themselves and improve their status. The study reviewed the relevant literature, the context of women's poverty in Sudan, Sudan poverty strategies and policies, SWGU's role in strategic planning, coordination and implementation of the microcredit programmes. The achievements of the study on the socioeconomic empowerment of women at the household levels, the constraints and the recommendations were summarised. The researcher carried out this study during the period 2005-2009, to add to the body of the empirical literature of women studies in particular to the SWGU's microcredit projects best ii practices and lessons learned. In addition the study could help in conducting further womenstudies in Sudan and other developing counties. / Development Studies / D.Litt. et Phil. (Development Studies)

The study was prompted by the escalating levels of poverty in Amathole District Municipality of the Eastern Cape Province despite the poverty alleviation programmes that have been established since 1994. The main objective of this study was to identify the underlying factors and challenges that affected agricultural extension organisations in the Amathole District Municipality and explore the role and the prospects of extension organisations as a strategy for development and growth in the district municipality. Data was collected through interviews and with the use of structured questionnaires. The questionnaires were administered to 300 farmers and 20 extension practitioners that had been selected by the systematic random sampling technique in the Amathole District Municipality. After data collection, questionnaires were coded, captured and analysed using MS Excel (2010) and SPSS version 22 (2014). Descriptive statistics were used to summarise the data. Results indicated that although extension officers indicated that they had a positive relationship with the communities they services, farmers indicated that extension policies did not favour them. Conclusions were therefore drawn that agricultural extension organisation was not effective in accelerating development in the Amathole District Municipality. The study, therefore, recommended that further research focusing on the impact of extension services on the economy of South Africa be conducted / Agriculture, Animal Health and Human Ecology / M. Sc. (Agriculture)

The purpose of this research project was to determine an appropriate intervention to assist in bringing transformation to the poverty-stricken community of Langa, Cape Town, South Africa. Intense poverty is a fact of life for almost 3 billion people in the world, a figure which includes approximately 50 per cent of the South African population. The Bible gives clear instruction mandating care for ‘the poor’. Therefore, those claiming to follow the teaching of Scripture must make poverty alleviation a priority. Phambili ngeThemba began as an intervention in the Langa Township community to discover ways to engage with issues around poverty. Research facilitated by Learn to Earn, a non-profit organization offering skills training and job creation, was done to understand if individual and community development was necessary and, if so, how it could be structured as a method to alleviate poverty in the Langa Community. Both quantitative and qualitative research was undertaken. Through random proportionate sampling in a thorough needs analysis of the businesses in and around Langa, the ideal character qualities desired by local business for the workforce were elicited. These were traits that could be developed in unemployed people. Use of basic questionnaires and oral feedback by three selected focus groups comprised of Langa residents enabled evaluation of local human service resources and identification of the felt needs in the community. The Priority Index (P-Index) research technique distinguished between the actual needs of the community and their perceived needs or wants. The results became the training foundation for the Zanokhanyo Training and Resource Centre, providing holistic development for the unemployed to equip them for placement in the workforce. Copyright / Dissertation (MA(Theol))--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Practical Theology / unrestricted

This thesis examines historical and contemporary artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) in Kadoma-Chakari, Zimbabwe in order to identify effective strategies to reduce mercury loss and exposure and to increase miners’ incomes by improving gold recoveries. Cyanidation of mercury-rich tailings and the use of nitric acid to leach mercury from cathode sludge and amalgams are identified as significant pathways for losses of mercury into the environment in Zimbabwe. Indirect evidence suggests that as much as 90% of the mercury contained in amalgamation tailings at mills in Kadoma-Chakari is dissolved during passive vat cyanidation. Mercury traps placed after copper amalgamation plates and centrifuges could reduce the amount of mercury subjected to cyanidation, but mercury can be kept out of cyanidation circuits altogether by replacing whole ore amalgamation with vinyl loop carpets. The optimal cyanide concentration for passive vat leaching is between 0.1 to 0.15%. Better management of nitric acid waste solutions can also significantly reduce mercury losses. The current political and socio-economic crisis significantly limits the effectiveness of ASGM programs in Zimbabwe. Nevertheless, strategies for more effective management of ASGM interventions are suggested by a review of the history of didactic theatre (Theatre for Development) in Africa. Theatre used as an awareness building tool is exemplified by “Nakai”, a drama produced in Kadoma-Chakari to increase knowledge of the hazards of mercury use. Theatre can also be a means to ensure horizontal communication between donors and project beneficiaries if it is used to stimulate discussions that give communities a real voice in development programs. It is proposed that community participation in project design, implementation and evaluation increases the likelihood of project success and sustainability because community-identified problems and solutions are more realistic than those defined by donors, and because community “buy in” and ownership increases pressure on project administrators to deliver the services communities need. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Mining Engineering, Keevil Institute of / Graduate

Thesis (MPA.) -- University of Limpopo, 2017. / The study was undertaken to examine the contribution of child support grant (CSG) towards alleviation of poverty in South Africa. This is necessary because CSG is meant to support children from poor background in order to improve their general wellbeing. The literature review undertaken in this study shows that CSG is contributing towards alleviation of poverty in Masodi village. The literature review further highlights that there are various challenges that disturbs the strategies of the government in delivering world class social assistance to the citizens of South Africa. Another finding are that there are barriers in the utilization of system that are used to pay CSG as it is outdated, and need to be updated. This challenge justifies why there are several corruption cases in the social pension system (SOCPEN). One of the findings of the study is that CSG plays a direct role in the life of beneficiaries in improving socio-economic conditions in their lives; children are able to attend school, improve on nutrition and access health services. The main recommendation of the study is that government should increase the amount of CSG; it should be extended to the age of 21 to enable the children to attend higher learning institutions. In order to assist children to overcome the challenges of poverty, accessing higher education would reduce dependency on the government in the long run, as they will acquire skills that will make them employable. / South African Social Security Agency

Urban and peri-urban agriculture is a strategy that can be adapted by low income households in Orange Farm to meet their food and nutritional requirements. The practice is a basis upon which poor families can enhance their incomes by producing part of their food needs, hence saving money for use on other livelihood obligations. This dissertation discusses the importance of urban and peri-urban agriculture as a method easily available to low income families residing in informal settlements to access food and incomes. Urban agriculture is examined in the context of poverty alleviation. A descriptive and quantitative assessment of the salient variables of the practice in the area is attempted in order to give an insight of the potential role the sector can play in eliminating poverty, enhancing incomes and creating employment. The study shows that participation in urban farming can impact significantly on poverty conditions and improve livelihoods. / MA (Development Studies)

PhDRDV / Institute for Rural Development / See the attached abstract below

MPM / Oliver Tambo Institute of Governance and Policy Studies / See the attached abstract below

MSCAGR / Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness / See the attached abstract below

In 2015, United Nations implemented seventeen Sustainable Development Goals along with 169 sub-targets with the ambition to transform the world through achieving sustainable development and, hence annihilate poverty. In light of the foregoing, both authoritative and non-governmental entities accentuated the significance of ‘financial inclusion’ which, in turn, has developed into an evangelical advocacy reminiscent of the extensive publicity that microfinance received at the end of last century which, in turn, has led to an unprecedented passion among philanthrocapitalists, transnational corporations, and other benefactors to financially and socially assist the impoverished. In order to attain the objectives enforced by the United Nations, it is essential to elevate the people located at the bottom of the social hierarchy by minimizing the wealth and gender inequalities that exist. By providing women with equal access to education, job opportunities, financial resources, and representation in economic and political decision- making processes, both domestic and international prosperity will follow. Upon providing access to microfinancial services, microfinance institutions and similar entities have developed into essential tools for empowering women. Academic evidence has previously illustrated a positive association between the probability of accessing these services and the possession of an adequate understanding of economic knowledge – financial literacy. However, the underlying mechanisms of financial literacy and their possible connections to the access of microfinance are complex processes that often have been neglected in current academia. Hence, the purpose of this study is to determine the significant factors of financial literacy and examine how they interplay with the access to microfinancial activities. Accordingly, the objective of this paper is to answer the following research question. How does financial literacy favor women’s access to microfinancial services in developing countries? In order to obtain a greater insight into the subject matter, this paper utilizes a single-case study of Hand in Hand Eastern Africa’s operations in Kenya. The empirical findings presented in this qualitative study were collected through semi-structured interviews with managers working on both a local and nationwide level. Upon analyzing the findings, the authors found support in the argument that it is essential for an individual to be financially literate in order to obtain microfinancial services such as microcredit, microinsurance, and loans in kind. Although external forces in the form of social capital, social learning, and dynamic capabilities do not impact the access to microfinance directly, the empirical evidence indicated that an indirect influence on financial literacy exists. A myriad of previous academia has gravitated to emphasize the correlation between financial literacy and women empowerment rather than justifying the association through the examination of the underlying mechanisms. Hence, this thesis should provide valuable acumen about the elements of financial literacy and how they influence the microfinancial machinery as well as women’s socio-cultural and economic empowerment.