Bibliography: leaves 72-78.

The study was carried out in the uMzingwane District, a drought prone area in Zimbabwe’s Matabeleland South Province. Motivated by the protracted food insecurity and requirement for humanitarian food aid, it investigated whether availability of humanitarian assistance in the form of food aid has affected households’ responses and behaviour towards achieving their own food security. The District is characterised by frequent harsh droughts, resulting in high levels of impoverishment and food deficits, making it a prime target and perpetual recipient of food aid. The study therefore sought to understand if the vulnerable group feeding programme in uMzingwane had other negative impacts on beneficiaries. A qualitative method was adopted, using key informant and household interviews, in an effort to gather rich, genuine, descriptive and explanatory information on people’s experiences and realities. The findings concurred with the general theoretical underpinnings of the study, pointing to the significant success of food aid programmes in sustaining poverty, but also revealed an array of other negative impacts. Food aid provides an instant solution to hunger but fails dismally in alleviating poverty. Beneficiaries find themselves waiting on food aid and some even demanding food aid, which has cultivated a culture of dependency and further perpetuated poverty. Furthermore, the beneficiary selection process is fundamentally flawed. It is used as a political tool by local leadership to exclude those not affiliated to the same political inclination. The selection itself follows a rigid application of criteria leading to the exclusion of deserving beneficiaries, creating tension and conflicts. Food aid fell short in alleviating poverty, and it was suggested that it should be paired with other developmental initiatives, which would enhance self-sustainability such as improving the availability of water and environmental rehabilitation, which would enable significant local food production to mitigate food insecurity. Striving towards self-sufficiency, people were seen to engage in several negative coping mechanisms. These included artisanal small-scale mining which was very lucrative, but with devastating effects on the environment. Prostitution, which had been blamed for the escalating numbers of HIV infections also gripped the District. HIV on its own became a big issue, negatively affecting the availability of labour when households have to care for the sick, further affecting households’ ability to produce their own food. However, people also engaged in positive coping mechanism such as cross border trade and small scale selling in an effort to mitigate against food insecurity. / Dissertation (MSocSci)--University of Pretoria, 2020. / Anthropology and Archaeology / MSocSci / Unrestricted

Includes bibliographical references.

In the week leading up to Christmas day, the border between South Africa and Zimbabwe is a very busy place. The road up to the border post, at the Beitbridge bridge over the Limpopo River, is a kilometres long snaking queue of cars, buses and trucks, waiting for hours before they go through the routine customs checks and stamps. Most passengers, who are quite naturally eager to stretch their limbs and escape the heat, abandon their vehicle and driver and walk ahead for the remaining distance to the front of the queue for shade and refreshments. But strangely, this is not a flood of Africans coming into South Africa in search of work or mischief over South Africa's holiday season. Instead, it is the exodus of people heavy with groceries, fashionable accessories and various hardware going in the direction of their home countries. In the queue are mostly Zimbabweans, Zambians, Malawians and some nationals from the Democratic Republic of Congo, on the return leg of a brief shopping trip to South Africa, the land of shops and malls.

There are a number of different factors that are increasing the numbers of children on the streets in Durban. These factors include globalisation, macro-economic policy, poverty, and HIV/AIDS. On arrival, these children are faced with abuse and harassment, yet in this tough environment, children of the street are able to make a home and live as small family units who employ livelihood strategies in order to survive. The present study investigates whether there are alternatives to the institutionalisation of street children and discusses alternative, rights-based approaches. Furthermore, this study seeks to engage with street children and overcome their homeless, minor status and believes that children of the street have valuable knowledge of their own situation, which if unearthed, can be invaluable when planning future interventions. With this in mind a participatory methodology was employed which encouraged the children to speak for themselves. The present study utilised Participatory Rural Appraisal tools as a way of generating information and insight and it also draws on Participatory Action Research in that it involved young field workers. The present study discovered that children of the street are like other children and poor people in general but are often portrayed as deviants on a way-ward path. In spite of this, children of the street are unswerving in their efforts to survive. The presentation of data reveals that children of the street are generally ingenious and resourceful although their efforts are often hampered by dangers and threats inherent to street life. With this in mind, a community based vulnerability assessment was employed to suggest ways of reducing risk. The present study concludes that a supportive policy environment, a change in attitude and practical recommendations are all needed for improved street-based interventions and the livelihood security of street children. / Thesis (M.Dev.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2007.

This thesis complements and extends understanding of the contribution of new approaches to development to the goal of achieving sustainable rural livelihoods. This is achieved by critically evaluating the concepts of agricultural sustainability and rural livelihoods. This study examines the use and management of natural resources by smallholder farmers in central Malawi. Development interventions by PROSCARP, a development project running nationally in Malawi and funded by EU, within the case study area were evaluated. This thesis has focused on land degradation and critically evaluates the new participatory or bottom up development paradigm in light of large-scale project interventions for land husbandry. A multidisciplinary approach, utilising a range of qualitative and quantitative methods provided a sound empirical basis for assessing the complexities of rural poverty and development interventions. This thesis identified a wide range of interlinked rural problems and opportunities. This clearly indicates that a single issue, such as soil conservation, cannot be separated from other aspects of sustainable rural livelihoods. This thesis therefore argues, on the basis of empirical evidence, as well as a critical review of the literature, that agricultural sustainability must encompass all aspects of rural livelihoods. The response of farmers to development interventions is highest for technologies that directly cater to their needs or which are based on local knowledge and technologies. This thesis highlights the need to identify and target appropriate interventions for individual households. Analysis of livelihood strategies also revealed a wide diversity of income sources within the case study area. The potential for increasing agricultural production is limited by landholding size and the potential for farmers to further diversify their income or food sources should be investigated in more detail. The evidence from the literature shows that participatory development processes have achieved successes in small-scale projects. This research concludes that it is also possible incorporate and change the type of participation in a pre-existing large-scale project. The analyses in this thesis suggests that unless interactive participation or self-mobilisation is achieved there is a strong possibility that introduced technologies will not be sustained and the community may not feel the long-term benefits of the project. The main obstacle to achieving interactive participation in a large-scale project is the empowerment of the beneficiaries. Finally, in light of the results of this research a number of recommendations are discussed which include a suggested focus on individual households or marginalized groups within a community, and a clear strategy for passing control of the project to the beneficiaries to ensure long term benefits after project withdrawal.

Convicted female offenders

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.Dev.Studies)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2005.

This thesis examines the plight of street children in Dar es Salaam. Common features that characterize street children worldwide, especially the way they are viewed in the eyes of the public, law enforcement agencies and the authorities, were explored. The main causes of street children phenomenon in Dar es Salaam were examined with specific emphasis on poverty, abuse, urbanization and the effects of HIV/AIDS. The strategies employed by the children in order to cope with their predicament both physically and emotionally were examined. The problems that street children face in terms of their interaction with the public, especially the law enforcement agencies as well as service providers, were also discussed. While government policies advocating the rights of children are in place, there were reports of street children being treated unfairly particularly being denied their right to participate in matters that impact their lives and widespread victimization was also reported in the name of 'cleaning up' the urban areas. / Thesis (M.Dev.Studies)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2006.

This was a study made in an attempt to understand the opportunities and challenges of church sponsored community income-generating activities, in the form of a case study of the Ukwega community dairy project in Iringa, Tanzania. The purpose of this study was: • To explore and understand the reasons why such church-initiated projects fail to raise the income of the rural communities in a sustainable manner; • To understand the opportunities and challenges that the church encounters when initiating, implementing and managing church-sponsored community incomegenerating interventions; and • To make recommendations on how the church could improve project management and ensure the sustainability of community income-generating activities. Here the research aims to suggest better processes of planning that could lead to effective and sustainable church-initiated / sponsored community development projects. A qualitative research method was employed to address the research questions. This included the use of focus group discussions, key informant interviews, questionnaires, direct observation and a documentary review. The following themes were established and discussed: top down approaches to project management, representative planning, vested interest, the lack of financial and business management skills, the lack of working capacity, a donor-driven approach, prioritisation, project abuse, conflicting interest and health and food security as an outcome of sustainable livelihood. The study concludes that the project was successful in Kimala and Ipalamwa. It failed in Ukwega and this was caused by poor project planning and the abuse of power by the congregation leader. Finally, the study identified two areas for further research. These include: • The impacts of faith organisations on the material world. There are a number of research papers done by theologians on the spiritual side, little is researched on the material impacts. • Secondly, there is a need for researching more on the impacts of the church management styles in project planning and implementation. This research could not go in deep due to the reasons given on the introductory part of this section. / Thesis (M.Dev.Studies)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2004.