Tropical deforestation threatens both the livelihoods of people that inhabit forests and the environment. The Mezimbite sustainable indigenous forestry project in Mozambique aims to develop livelihoods and use community forest resources in a sustainable manner by harvesting timber and non-timber resources at an environmentally sustainable rate. The project brings together a private company, two communities that own forest resources, workers from other communities, and funding from external sources. Livelihoods are developed by transforming forest resources into a wide range of products such as furniture, doorframes, bracelets and household goods. A value chain analysis of two of the projects most important product categories in terms of revenues, designer bracelets and furniture, reveals that the project captures important economic rents that give it the potential to become economically sustainable. The design and training skills of the project leader and the skills of turners and carpenters (human resource rents), combined with access to high quality hardwoods (natural resource rents) result in quality products of unique design that can be sold in high-end markets in Europe, the US and South Africa. These products can realise high margins because they are competitive with similar products that are less environmentally or socially friendly. The project also has access to marketing agents at reduced cost (marketing rents), while the personal network of the project leader (relational rents) brings in private customers to buy furniture, interior decorators who resell furniture, bracelet retailers, and a marketing agent. The environmental and social character of the project helps to secure the cooperation of the agents, gives the project access to grants from foundations and NGOs (financial rents), and it ensures access to niche markets of environmentally conscious consumers in Europe and the US. Unfortunately, there are no infrastructural rents as the project site is not connected to the electricity grid, and no fixed telephone, fax or email is on site. It is also far away from markets, which leads to long delivery times and high transport cost, especially for furniture. A number of recommendations are made in order to increase sales and strengthen the project's economic sustainability. These recommendation relate to functional, product and process upgrades of the value chain. Firstly, the project should consider bringing its furniture into retail stores to reduce dependency on relational rents, which requires development of a standard furniture collection with a catalogue. This also requires stocking furniture closer to the markets in the US, Europe and South Africa to reduce transportation cost en delivery times. Secondly, the bracelet collection should be reduced to small limited editions that change every twice a year. Thirdly contact with customers, agents and retailers should be improved, for instance by establishing a small office in the nearby city of Beira with email, fax and telephone and of a dedicated sales person. The amount of wood that can be harvested under the sustainable management plan is large enough to deal with an increase of furniture and bracelet production. However, it remains unclear whether the economic benefits are large enough for the community to keep their support for the project. Only a small percentage of the sales revenues of the bracelets and furniture flow towards members of the forest communities and most jobs are created outside the community. I recommend that the project consider employing more people in the Mezimbite Forest Centre from the participating communities. In spite of low employment rates, community members receive fruit trees from the nursery, degraded woodlands are reforested and income is derived from the sales of the other products manufactured in the project. An increase in sales and production would lead to higher benefits and more employment. A recommendation is that further monitoring and evaluation of the project take place to ensure dual goals of economic development and sustainable use of forest resources is achieved. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2006.

South Africa faces crises in both childcare and unemployment. These two areas are central to development and economic growth. South Africa may be the first country in the world to design and implement a public works programme (PWP) in early childhood development (ECD). This study compares selected models of ECD provision - centrebased ECD, integrated-ECD-interventions and programmes that equip caregivers for ECD, in terms of their ability to accomplish three goals: improve childcare, provide employment and help caregivers reconcile paid and unpaid work. The models vary in the programmes they offer, costs and reach as well as their training requirements, institutional arrangements, use of volunteers, sustainability and ability to complement developmental services, and all have a context in which they work best. Quantitative and qualitative data is used to make projections on the potential socio-economic effects of expanding services according to the various models, and in the context of government plans. ECD will not be able to expand successfully until specific challenges have been overcome. With that as a foundation, the proposed expanded public works programme (EPWP) in ECD could be used as a vehicle to train and develop a cadre of practitioners. Serious consideration needs to be given to the quality of job opportunities created as this will directly affect the programme's impact on ECD. In addition, the model chosen for expansion will determine the ability of the programme to support caregivers in reconciling their paid and unpaid work. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2007.

This dissertation aims to problematize the concept (and proposed policy) of "debt sustainability", particularly in relation to those countries classified as "low-income", by attempting to map the logic behind what is presented as neutral, technical fact (i.e., "best practice") and seeing what work this logic does, i.e., what its effects are. Debt sustainability is not a free-floating concept, but one that is operationalized in policy. This means that the outcomes of employing a debt sustainability framework for low-income countries may have tangible consequences; in this way, and most importantly, debt sustainability may also have consequences regarding prospects for debt reliefand for the way countries and organizations make lending and borrowing decisions. The way the International Monetary Fund (IMF) conceptualizes and presents indebtedness, poverty, governance, and (sustainable) "development" dialectically reproduces a discourse around debt that both limits (depoliticizes) and opens possibilities for debt cancellation and fundamental change fundamental change in the IMF's role and function, in the Fund's relations with countries of the global south, and in the budgetary and other constraints those countries face in processes of "indebtedness" and "development". / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2005.

This study addressed a gap in knowledge about the outcomes of in-kind agricultural microcredit projects on the welfare of the poor and ultra-poor smallholders. This research focused on an in-kind agricultural micro-credit project in Marrambajane village (Ch6kwe district, in southern Mozambique). Within the framework of the project, beneficiaries were given in-kind credit (seeds, fertilizer) to grow cash crops (tomatoes, onion, cabbage). To participate in the project farmers joined an Association which was part of a larger Union of Associations. The study measured the changes in material wellbeing of beneficiaries and development of social capital as a result of participation in the project. Material wellbeing was measured through income gene~ation and acquisition of assets through participation in the project. In addition, the sustainability of the intervention was also assessed. The study made use of a case study design adopting both quantitative and qualitative methods. Multiple data collection tools were used to collect data. Participatory methods were used to develop a wellbeing ranking of beneficiary households. A questionnaire was administered with beneficiaries (farmers) as the primary unit of analysis; this was used primarily to measure acquisition of assets and levels of trust in Association and Union. Data on amount of income generated and credit owed was compiled from the project archives. Observation was used to assess condition ofinfrastructure and equipment. The microfinance triangle model was used to evaluate whether the project had achieved poverty outreach, improved the welfare of participants and was financially sustainable. Findings showed that the project led to slight increase of income and household asset value. This increase of income and growth of household asset value was exclusively observed during the period of project implementation (2001-2004), and one year after the end of sponsorship (2005). While participating in the project, households ranked as 'rich' and 'middle' received 1.2 times more credit and 1.6 times more income was generated compared with 'poor' and 'poorest' households. While there is no evidence of a difference in average median number of items bought in each of the wellbeing categories, the monetary value of the items acquired appeared to correlate with household wellbeing categories. The project was successful in building social capital through formation and legalisation of Associations integrated into one fanners Union, the Union of Association Uamechinga. However, high levels of trust between the beneficiaries and project technicians and between the beneficiaries and the Union management team were not achieved. The project collapsed in late 2005. Based on my analysis I argue this occurred because of multiple factors. Firstly, the emphasis on farming tomatoes, a high return but unpredictable cash crop, was problematic. A more effective project design would include production of tomatoes in combination with more reliable crops such as rice and beans. Secondly, the project enforcement of loan repayments was very weak and there was extensive subsidisation of operational and administrative costs. Analysis suggested that the project was distributing income above the real profit generated by the fanners. It is recommended that future projects implement direct or indirect methods to achieve stronger levels of repayment. Thirdly, the project's irrigation system was inadequate. In spite of the fanners recommending a furrow system an unsustainable piped system was implemented. This reflects lack of communication between project technicians and the community during the project design, and partly explains the poor level oftrust between the project staff and fanners. I argue that to ensure sustainability of in-kind micro-credit projects like the Marrambajane case, stronger capacity and infrastructure must be in place before state and donor assistance is withdrawn. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2008.

The dissertation explores the differences in time spent by women and men in different activities in Matsanjeni Swaziland. We classify the activities under the Systems of National Accounts (SNA), as SNA activities, non-SNA activities and non Productive activities. The study used a 24 hours time diary to collect data from a sample of 50 respondents, 25 of whom were women and 25 were men. The results show that on average, women and men spend almost equal time doing SNA activities, with men spending slightly more time than women. On the other hand, the results show that women spend a lot more time on Non SNA activities compared to men. Finally, the results show that men spend more time on Non Productive activities compared to women. / Thesis (M.Dev.Studies)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2005.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2007.

The aim of this study was to explore burial alternatives, cemeteries crisis and perceptions of African urban communities around the issue of cremation as an alternative to burial. The researcher felt that it is important to do this research since there have been so many debates about cremation. The sample used, comprised of males and females from different townships around eThekwini Municipality. The researcher used both qualitative (focus group) and quantitative (self-administered questionnaires) methods. The researcher manually analysed the data that was 0 btained during t he study. The results of the study are presented in the form of quotes together with the discussion of the result by the researcher. The findings show that culture and religion play a very important role in the lives of African people. Although there are other burial alternatives, many African people still see traditional burial as the best way of decomposing the body. At the end of the study the researcher presented the conclusions and recommendations. The findings and recommendations made in the present study are of great help not only to the Department of Cemeteries and Crematoria within the eThekwini Municipality but also to other municipalities in South Africa. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2005.

This study explores the dynamics of employment and poverty in South Africa. Specifically, it is aimed at understanding, over time, the change in household well-being that occurs as a result of the employment types of household members. Secondly, the study explores the relationship between household worker combination and self employment activities, in other words, what are the odds of a household getting better as a result of income accrued from self-employment activities and how is this linked, if at all, to employment of other members of the household. This study will contribute to the debate on poverty and the labour market and that on the relationship between the formal and informal economies. The study relied on secondary data analysis from the KwaZulu-Natal Income Dynamics Survey. Instead of establishing a poverty line, the entire distribution was ranked on the basis of deciles. Decile transitions were then established with respect to household worker combinations and participation in self-employment activities. The analysis of the data revealed a range of worker types. The dominant household worker combinations have workers in regular employment, casual employment, selfemployment, and the unemployed. The number of people following the self-employment route is generally low despite the substantial number of people who remain unemployed. Seemingly, self-employment is not a desirable destination. The period 1993-1998 saw little variation with respect to household worker type. Though the number of regularly employed workers increased during the same period, there were an equally considerable number of unemployed people. The general trend shows few people assuming regular or formal work employment. This trend could not bring about a significant change in total income decile transition and hence a change in household wellbeing. With respect to self-employment, most activities are associated with households with at least a regularly employed member. In a majority of cases, there is a close association between self-employment and workers in the formal economy. The relationship suggests an intra-household transfer of resources to self-employment initiatives or the fact that households participate in self-employment activities in an effort to supplement income from regular employment that is inadequate to meet household needs. There was little variation in household rank order between the two years. It was therefore increasingly difficult for households to experience a change in income, at least, as expressed by their decile transitions. Households with regularly employed members had a greater chance of improving their decile transition. Income from labour earnings therefore played a substantial role in determining the change in household welfare. Though households engaged in a range of self-employment activities, income from these activities had little impact with respect to decile transitions. Income from selfemployment is therefore inadequate to bring about a meaningful change in total household income. In conclusion, the study notes that household welfare and its improvement is dependant upon the employment types of its members. It therefore calls into question the expectation that the unemployed and those in unstable employment should subsist on their own. Secondly, there is a close linkage between the informal economy (i.e. selfemployment) and the formal economy. In light of the links between the two economies, the analysis of the informal economy as a separate entity needs revision. / Thesis (M.Dev. Studies)-University of Natal, Durban, 2004.

This dissertation examines issues related to KwaZulu-Natal's "unbanked" and poor populations and details efforts by Ithala Limited, a government-backed development finance institution (DFI) acting as a subsidiary of the more broad-based Ithala Development Finance Corporation, to make financial products and services available to these constituencies. Specifically, it is suggested that while Ithala Limited has been largely successful in providing savings accounts, home loans and business support finance to many of KwaZulu-Natal's "unbanked" and poor citizens, the organization is now facing political and commercial pressures which call into question its future as a "pro-poor" "banking" institution. In particular, this study identifies Ithala Limited as being unable to gain formal licensing as a banking agency as the result of anxieties felt by state institutions like the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) over the potential impact that Ithala Limited's sub-prime lending activities may have on macroeconomic stability. As a result of these worries, the SARB (along with the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government) is pressuring Ithala Limited to scale-back the extent of its "banking" mandate. A second pressure is identified by this study as emanating from South Africa's commercial banks, whose initial reluctance to serve impoverished populations appears to be fading as more cost-effective ways are found to extend banking products and services to the poor. For Ithala Limited, an advent of commercial sector interest in serving the "unbanked" and the poor raises key pressures revolving around the extent to which the firm, as a parastatal body, should seek to compete with the private sector when it comes to assisting these populations. This study poses two central questions: 1) how should Ithala Limited respond to these pressures? and 2) regardless of how it responds, how should the organization shape its corporate priorities to ensure that it remains an effective "development tool" in the future? This dissertation then argues that while the pressures facing Ithala Limited from both political and commercial forces are not without justification, the organization continues to possess a number of unique qualities that rationalize its continued presence in serving the low-income and "unbanked" markets in KwaZulu-Natal. As such, it is the position of this dissertation that Ithala Limited should try to resist these pressures as much as possible. At the same time, it will be demonstrated that for Ithala Limited to continue achieving success in assisting these aforementioned constituencies, it must pursue a three-pronged approach to organizational reform that prioritizes some degree of privatization to attract new sources of capital and to ease government fears about the existence of a "state-owned" bank for the poor. Further reforms, this study reveals, are needed in the areas of technological utilization and "homegrown" research capacity, both of which must be expanded and improved upon in order to allow Ithala Limited to reduce its operating costs, introduce a more varied range of products and keep up-to-date with changes in South African banking trends. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2008.

Abortion remains one of the most controversial sexual health topics and yet is a common experience for women around the world. Making sure that women are practicing safe abortions is integral to women’s sexual and reproductive health as well as their sexual rights. South Africa has one of the most progressive and liberal abortion laws in the world, yet women still face major barriers in accessing these services. Introducing medical abortion as another termination of pregnancy option could potentially save women’s lives, while reducing the number of unsafe abortions in South Africa. Medical abortion also contributes to fulfilling women’s sexual and reproductive rights, providing more choices to best suit their needs. In 2001, the South African Medicines Control Council (MCC) approved the use of mifepristone in conjunction with misoprostol for termination of pregnancy. Currently there is no formal national policy that allows for the provision of medical abortion in public health facilities, and the Department of Health is considering introducing it into the public sector. In order for any public health intervention to be successful it must be acceptable to potential clients and the context in which it is being implemented must be assessed. This study first looks at women’s attitudes toward abortion; following Eaton’s model of sexual behavior it examines the personal, proximal, and distal environments that influence reproductive decision-making, specifically regarding abortion. With this background information, the study then aims to assess women’s knowledge of medical abortion and whether or not they find it to be an acceptable method for the South African public health system and South African women. The findings suggest that there is a demand for medical abortion among this sample of women. The majority of women find medical abortion to be an acceptable method, and would choose it if they were ever faced with having to terminate a pregnancy. The overwhelming majority of women felt that medical abortion should be introduced into the public sector and efforts should be made to ensure that this method is affordable, accessible, and available for women in South Africa in order to expand their sexual and reproductive health rights. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2010.