Community Economic Development Thesis Projects
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The mission of the Community Economic Development program is to build better practices and policies that serve low-income and marginalized communities around the globe. Community economic development gives people control over their economic futures by developing leadership in the poorest communities and eliminating the apathy that can result from generations of poverty and neglect.
Much of the work in these collections involve first-hand data collection, providing new empirical evidence and unique findings in the field. This research is conducted all over the world, including the United States, Mexico, Uganda, and Tanzania.
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Browsing Community Economic Development Thesis Projects by Author "Arrington, Clark R."
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Item Evaluation of microcredit Solidarity Group Lending : the case of Dar-Es-Salaam Community Bank Limited (DCB)(Southern New Hampshire University, 2005) Mshana, Hudson Alfred; Arrington, Clark R.This study analyzes the social-economic impacts, effectiveness and efficiency of microcredit given to SGL operators living in Dar- es -Salaam region that are offered loans by the DCB Limited. The study provides empirical primary based information on the social-economic impact of microcredit to the economically active poor (EAP) with a range of income generating activities and constraints advanced by the clients with a view to alleviating poverty. This evaluation clearly states the problem by which the study is set to address within the community through the DCB microcredit to its clientele base via the SGL methodology. An overview of study findings, reveal that during the three years of operation, the bank recorded efficiency and effectiveness in microcredit provisions and that the clients continue to register their achievement towards the bank services and keep on increasing. Positive impacts of the microcredit benefits have been appreciated through various ways such clients and their families have benefited along with its trickle down effects recorded from time to time. Significant study findings revealed, interalia, the following: -72% of the clients are satisfied with the services with majority being the middle aged micro entrepreneurs forming about 61%. -About 60% of the clients managed to use part of the credit accruals to fund education for their children. -87% have greatly improved and expanded their business opportunities in various dimensions. -55% have now, through the bank, coming up and inculcated the culture of saving. -The study further revealed that women empowerment is at the forefront as it records about 66% of the women who have all the way been encouraged to join and benefit from the scheme. -Apart from the scheme benefiting the targeted population, the bank also created 70 full time bank positions. However, problems observed from the study that the clients do face include: Complaints on high interest rate, high commitment fee, short weekly, repayment and grace periods, small starting loan and lack of proper education on entrepreneurial skills in business management, markets, legal and regulatory framework, licensing and tax issues. This evaluation study suggests ways through which the presented problems could be averted hence provide more microcredit and consequently have greater outreach and sustainability. Some of the problems advanced would need thorough education to clear most of the clients' doubts and simply keep the beneficiaries on the right track. A close observation revealed that the client, group leaders and even bank officers miss important regular training skills in their areas of operation. Proper education is among the suggested ways to mitigate most of the problems gathered from the study. A comprehensive training manual is strongly herewith recommended for implementation, as this is a key and road map towards the workable solution. The set up of this project paper is contained in Five Chapters. -Chapter one is an introduction giving a historical background of the DCB and the S G L clients along with their profiles, the evaluation assignment and its setting. -A detailed literature review and conceptual framework providing theoretical and empirical reviews are given in Chapter Two. -Chapter Three dwells on research methodology detailing sampling techniques, data type, data collection methods, data coding, data management, data analysis and presentation. -Results presentation, observations, findings, discussions, recommendations and conclusions are provided in Chapter Four. -Lastly, Chapter Five is on implementation of the assignment. (Author abstract)Item Project proposal for constructing a health centre for the Mburahati community at Mburahati ward in Kinondoni municipality(Southern New Hampshire University, 2005) Temba, Rockness Robert; Arrington, Clark R.Mburahati Barafu Community Development designed a project of constructing a health centre with the purpose of providing and accessing health services within their locality. Tanzania, like many countries of the developing world, is faced with the challenge of providing adequate health services to all her people. However, available national resources, especially finance, are insufficient to implement this mammoth task. Consequently, under the Health Sector Reforms, the government is working together with a number of other agencies to help realise this goal. Within the Mburahati Ward there is a large population of 21,608 people that at present time do not have access to health services in their locality. Only one government clinic is located near this area but it does not address all the needs for health services which are the rights of Mburahati Barafu community. In order to access these services the community people have to travel more than 10 km. The roads in this area are not well passable thus during the night it is difficult to find transport to access mother and child health services, as a result many expecting women deliver at home or on the way without being attended by health personnel. The Project Objectives are as follows: i. To construct one health centre for the population of Mburahati Barafu Community in Mburahati Ward by 2008. ii. To reduce the barrier of accessing health services by 85% in 2008. ii. To provide improved health services to Mburahati Barafu Community by 85% in 2008. iii. To provide voluntary counseling and test services in the community by 85%in 2008 iv. To improve the quality of life in Mburahati Barafu Community. (Author abstract)Item Water logging control and sanitation : Magomeni Suna(Southern New Hampshire University, 2005) Materu, Frank Patrick; Arrington, Clark R.The tendency of dropping waste and garbage at Mwananyamala and Msimbazi rivers in Dar es Salaam causes overflow of water to Suna community at Magomeni Mapipa every year during the heavy rainfalls. These floods cause a lot of environmental problems including loss of lives, properties and poor sanitation which bring many diseases like malaria, typhoid and cholera. My research Objective is to identify Suna community needs and assess if the community is ready to participate and contribute for development activities in their locality, and provide opportunities to assess a situation and its resources and devise a means of getting project done. Procedure and methods include selection of respondent as representative as possible for the total population in order to produce a miniature cross-section. The selected respondents constitute what is technically called "Sample" and the selection process is called "Sampling technique". The survey so conducted is known as "Sample survey". Likely outcomes include river training and tree planting along river banks to control the continuous overflowing of water and erosion, to get rid of stagnant waters by cleaning drainage systems, sewage system construction, river excavation and reduction of diseases and other losses that are brought by floods, improvement of people's environment, good health maintenance to Suna community and controlled water logging at Suna community environment. (Author abstract)