Global south development magazine October 2012

GLOBAL SOUTH
#1 1 , Oct 201 2, A development quarterly
Development Magazine
ISSN: 1 799-0769, www.silcreation.org

Initiatives and People Inspiring Action and Promoting
Sustainable Development from Around the World

Letter to the editor
Global Editorial Team Microfinance needs institutions and even
Global South Development Magazine is a quarterly magazine an overhaul individuals involved in
published by Silver Lining Creation, Finland. The magazine covers a I read your 'investigative' microfinance activities.
wide range of developmental issues primarily of the developing world feature about microfinance in In so
and is an initiative of freelance writers and development activists from Bangladesh, and based on my many
different parts of the world. own experience with discussions I
Microfinance, I can say that always ask:
Editor-in-Chief you made a good diagnosis of Microfinanc
Manoj Kr Bhusal so many complexities attached e is really
manoj.bhusal@silcreation.org to it. for whom ?
In my opinion, microfinance And that
Assistant Editor
should be carried out in a instantly
Ioulia Fenton makes me
holistic manner, but that seems like an 'odd' charater in
Editorial Assistants very hard because it requires otherwise a smooth story.
Carolynn Look almost a complete overhauling Ramon M., Rangpur,
Dinesh Poudel of the system. There are Bangladesh
Suraj Chand idealogical issues of
Regional Editors
Women of the democracy in the region.
I am not very pessimistic,
Lingson Adam (East Africa) evolution !
but it will take a significant
Khalid Hussain (South Asia) Your latest issue was a good amount of time and effort to
Noah Marwil (Latin America) read. But I would have called it properly establish women's
Catriona Knapman (The Middle East) 'women of the evolution' rights in the region and mere
Edvin Arnby Machata (West Africa) instead of 'women of the legal provisions and seasonal
revolution' as women 'revolutions' won't be enought
Special Correspondents empowerment in the Middle for that.
Mary Namusoke (Women’s issues in Africa) East has a long and
Roxanne Irani (Global environmental issues) Fatima M, Cairo Egypt
Sandeep Srivastava (Climate change)
evolutionary history.
Aliza Amlani (Global Health) The Arab Spring was not
Deanna Morris (Livelihood & Global Economic Affairs) fought for
Aparna S Patankar (Global Education) women's rights
Kate Kardol (Development Aid & Conflict States) per se, but just to
Hriday Sarma (South-to-South Development Cooperation) bring down
Irene Nyambura Mwangi (Development & Democracy in Africa) reckless dictators.
Debora Di Dio (Food Soverignty and Rural Livelihoods) The movement
wasn't caused by
Country Correspondents Twitter or
Victoria Lucy Peel Yates (Argentina) Facebook either.
Tithe Farhana (Bangladesh) Neither it was
Dr. Lykke E. Andersen (Bolivia) particularly aimed
Marita Haug (Brazil) at consolidating
James Belgrave (Burundi)
Gareth Mace (Cambodia) Focus more on citizen NGO/INGO workers, but in my
Meerim Shakirova (Central Asia) opinion, GSDM should
Fady Salah (Egypt) journalism
Emily Cavan Lynch (DR Congo) I have been reading Global promote citizen journalism and
Dr.P.V.Ravichandiran (India) South Development Magazine encourage the locals toas far as write
Alphonce Gari (Kenya)
Jaya Jung Mahat(Nepal) for a while now and I love it. about themselves, and
I have understood, the
Samuel Adikpe (Nigeria) However, like many other magazine is all about that.
Ricardo Morel (Peru) development publications, Even in the developing
Mohamud Hassan (Somalia) GSDM faces the danger of world, selecting unbiased,
Moses C Masami (Tanzania) parachute journalism. independent
Kimbowa Richard (Uganda) There reporters is a
Jasen Mphepo (Zimbabwe) seem to be
quite a few daunting task
local, citizen as many
journalists people do have
Published By writing about their own
Silver Lining Creation ry-Finland their own personal
interests and
Email: globalsouth@silcreatioin.org issues, but hidden
info@silcreation.org many of agendas, but I
http://www.silcreation.org GSDM think in any
ISSN 1799-0769 reporters case they can
Subscribe the magazine for free at seem to be
western do a better job
www.silcreation.org
www.gsdmagazine.org NGO workers working in the to reporting theirwhen it comes
local
developing world, and at times communities, problems they
the reporting seems very face and the solutions they have
shallow. found.
Nothing against the Sujata C. New Delhi, India

Global South Development Magazine, Founded in 2010
October 201 2 ISSUE 1 0 WWW.SILCREATION.ORG

Initiatives and People Inspiring Action and Promoting Sustainable
Development from Around the World- Page 11

4 Introduction: Unsung Heroes and Inspiration for Change
5 South in the Frame: Photos from Mali and Afghanistan
6 News Analysis: Global South
7 Photo Essay: Life in Post-War Nicaragua
27 Country Profile: The Republic of Singapore
29 Tips from the Field: Improving Education Means Investing in Educators
31 Gender & Development: Can Family Work as a Human Rights Defender in the
Developing World?
32 China: Graffiti on the Great Wall: the Hidden Street Art Culture of Beijing
34 Food Security & Nutrition: Rural Women in Bangladesh: the Key to Food Security &
Nutrition
37 Women Entrepreneurship: Helena Lutege: A Female Entrepreneur Transforming the
Lives ofThousands in Tanzania
38 Refugees: The World's Largest Refugee Camp- What is the Future for Dadaab?
40 Latin America: Honduras: Violence, Repression and Impunity Capital of the World
42 Development in the News

Introduction GSDM Inspiration Issue

By PAULA FYNBOH
GSDM guest contributor

While watching the U.S. Presidential Senator on a Citizen’s Lobby Day I was
debates last week, a friend of mine asked working on several years ago. The
me an interesting question: “If you woman was so nervous to have a
became the First Lady, what would be conversation with her elected official that
your platform?” Beyond thinking about she was visibly shaking. I tried to re-
the issues I care most about, I found assure her that she didn’t need to have all
myself day-dreaming about what it the answers; she just needed to tell her
"It’s easy to feel would be like to have the power to story. Her personal story was more
influence an entire country, focus their compelling that any pie graph I had
paralyzed by all the collective will and really make a dent in stuffed away in my brief case.
world’s problems and improving the lives of people around the
world. While this is a noble goal, it’s
As we began the meeting, the
volunteer advocate (I’ll call her Kris)
think that there is no also a seductive trap. Very often we feel forgot all her talking points, but
way we, as everyday like we need to either know everything proceeded to pull out her family photo
individuals, can begin to about an issue or be in a recognized high- album and showed the Senator the people
profile position to enact change. in her life that lost their lives to cancer.
make an impact" However, real people everywhere are A brother. A nephew. A mom. A best
proving this wrong. friend.
I think about the anger, apathy and The bill that we were advocating for
confusion that Ioulia Fenton mentions eventually passed. The piece of
"This month, as we hear feeling after reading countless legislation and all the elected officials
about overwhelming environmental and economic books in
her “Be the Change You Want to See”
and influential advocacy groups that
supported it were hailed in the press, but
social problems, let’s book challenge article this month. It’s there was no mention of Kris, a regular,
challenge ourselves to easy to feel paralyzed by all the world’s every-day person who did what she could
not feel paralyzed by our problems and think that there is no way in 15 minutes of her time to make the
we, as everyday individuals, can begin to world a better place, simply by telling
seemingly lack of power make an impact. This is a very real her story. No fancy degree, title or facts
to affect these feeling and I hear it on a regular basis
from the every-day citizens I work with
and figures necessary.
This month, as we hear about
conditions or believe on civil society campaigns across the overwhelming social problems, let’s
that we can’t affect globe. We tend to feel that if we can’t do challenge ourselves to not feel paralyzed
change without an it all or know all the answers, then it’s by our seemingly lack of power to affect
not worth trying. these conditions or believe that we can’t
esteemed title or This is the danger that we as NGOs affect change without an esteemed title or
credentials. Let’s not and civil society organizations create
when we lift up and celebrate only the
credentials. Let’s not forget that everyday
people matter.
forget that everyday best of the best of us. People like Nget After all, if the rural women in
people matter" Thy from the Cambodian Center for the Bangladesh, featured in Debora Di Dio’s
Protection of Children's Rights in Gareth article this month are transforming food
Mace’s article and Helena Lutege, the security and nutrition for their entire
female entrepreneur from Tanzinia in community by fetching water for their
Mary Namusoke’s piece certainly families, planting crops and caring for
deserve our attention and recognition, but children aren’t waiting to become First
so do the many nameless and faceless Lady to fulfill their platform, there’s no
among us, like the person who simply reason I need to wait either.
asked Chinese Graffiti Artist, Zhang
Dali, “Who are you?” and sparked a Paula Fynboh is an independent
nation-wide dialogue in Carolynn Look’s contractor and consultant who
article: Graffiti on the Great Wall: The specializes in capacity building, story
Hidden Street Art Culture of Beijing. telling, civic engagement and
I remember bringing a woman with grassroots participation. She can be
me to the U.S. Capitol to meet with her reached at paula.fynboh@gmail.com.
Global South Development Magazine Oct 201 2 4

Global South In the Frame

Malian refugees in Damba camp / Eight years old Abubakrim, lies down on the ground inside the health center in Damba refugee camp with his mother
Fadmata checking on him. Photo: UNHCR/H Caux

Wheat fields in Salang, Parwan Province, Afghanistan. In Afghanistan 12 to 15 percent of land is arable. Approximately 1.5 million hectares
consists of rain-fed land and farmers depend on rains for agricultural production. UN Multimedia/Fardin Waezi.


News Analysis Global South

PAKISTAN: Quality
education still a long way off
SEVARÉ, 8 October 2012 (IRIN) - Children as
young as 14 are joining military training camps run
by militias in southern Mali preparing to fight
Islamist groups in the north. At the same time,
Islamist groups in the north are recruiting children
as young as 11 to man checkpoints, gather
intelligence, search
vehicles and patrol
the streets in Gao,
Timbuktu and Kidal,
according to aid
agencies and human
rights groups.
Fatoumata Tall, a 16-
year-old from Ségou
in south-central Mali,
had never held a rifle
before coming to a
militia training camp
in Sevaré, in central Mali about 45km from the
Islamist-held north.
After six months of rigorous training mainly
from former soldiers in the Malian army, she is
ready for battle, saying she cannot accept the
occupation, or the Islamists imposing Sharia in her
- 2015 Education MDG in jeopardy country.
“I am determined to fight... Our goal is to
- 30% of population gets less than 2 years of education liberate the north. Whatever the price, we can’t
abandon our people,” she told IRIN.
- Policy hinders progress" In Sevaré alone, hundreds of youths and
children, many of them 14 or under, are living and
training in run-down barracks or school-buildings.
ISLAMABAD, 9 October 2012 (IRIN) - As evening attend school, according to a 2011 report by the They spend hours each day learning how to use a
approaches in the centre of Pakistan’s capital Pakistan Education Task Force (PETF), a body gun, simulating hand-to-hand combat, and
Islamabad, children gather at a small playground, which includes senior education officials and exercising.
chatting and laughing. It is a scene played out in independent experts. Calling themselves the FLN, or the Liberation
countless parks across the country, but the children The UN Education, Scientific and Cultural Front of the North, most are proud to be here and
are not here to play after school - they are here to Organization (UNESCO) said in 2010 that 30 many have come without their parents’ knowledge
attend one. percent of Pakistan’s population lives in a state of or approval. “It’s my country and I’m doing
For three hours every evening, free classes run “extreme educational poverty” - receiving less than whatever it takes to defend it,” said Fatoumata
here for anyone who wants to attend, with the idea two years of education. Tall, explaining that her parents would force her to
being that some of the many children who live on “We could clearly see that an emergency was leave immediately if they knew where she was.
Islamabad’s streets, or work in its markets and unfolding. Fifty percent of children of primary One camp holds 1,000 youths, another 400,
houses, might benefit. school age were not attending school or not according to militia trainer Col Ibrahima Outtara,
Mohammad Ayub, who runs the unofficial completing it,” said Shahnaz Wazir Ali, social sector though IRIN was unable to verify these figures.
school, began teaching children whose parents adviser to the prime minister and PETF co-chair, The militia are short on arms and have to
could not afford to send them to school in 1988. adding: “We can no longer treat the education sector borrow guns from the Malian army for weapons-
Despite the fact that state-run primary schools do with a business-as-usual approach.” training, said leaders at FLN camp just outside of
not charge fees and many provide free textbooks, PETF reckons the economic cost to Pakistan of Mopti. The government promised food, equipment
other expenses (such as stationery, uniforms and not educating its people effectively translates into and funding but it never materialized, so trainers
transportation) mean that for many poor families, hundreds of millions of dollars in lost productivity. rely on handouts from the local population to get
schools are unaffordable. by.
“It became quite popular and many parents who None of the youths IRIN spoke to had eaten
couldn’t afford a meal - forget education - would A success story more than one meal of rice per day.
send their children to my little school in the Many of those who have finished Ayub’s informal One of the drivers behind a military coup that
evenings,” Ayub said. school in Islamabad have gone on to complete high ousted President Amadou Toumani Touré in March
The school, which relies on volunteers and school and college, and today have jobs they could was the long-term neglect and marginalization of
donations, is one of dozens of informal institutions never have dreamed of. Ayub estimates that 20 the Malian army, which needed more manpower,
in the capital which are helping to educate children. percent of the students finish grade 10, with around weaponry and better training to take on Islamists in
Pakistan has made limited progress in improving 10 percent going on to complete degrees at colleges. the north. In what Reuters described as a
the quality and reach of its education system, and Many, like Yasmin Nawaz, a 30-year-old mother of “spectacular own goal” the political havoc in the
millions of children are missing out on schooling three who graduated from the school in 1994, south was a contributing factor to Tuareg rebels
altogether in what the governments of Pakistan and became teachers themselves. and Islamist groups taking control in the north.
the UK have termed an “education emergency”. “I finished middle school, grade 8. My parents Tall hopes to join the army when she
Despite making education a fundamental couldn’t afford to send me to high school, but “graduates” but Mohammad Maiga, a former
constitutional right in 2010, Pakistan has no chance Master Ayub said I must,” Nawaz said. “He paid for soldier who directs one of the camps, said he
of fulfilling its Millennium Development Goal of my textbooks and my exam registration fee, and in knows recruits will not be accepted as they are
achieving universal education by 2015. return, I taught here at the school. I then taught under-age.
Over seven million primary-aged children do not elsewhere as well.” Mali is a party to the Convention of the Rights
Despite the clear return on this investment and of the Child and its Optional Protocol, barring
recruitment of children under 18.

News Analysis Global South
Pakistan’s pledge to spend at least 4 percent of its “After I study here, I understand my lessons
GDP on education, that figure has been decreasing. really well. I don’t forget and do well in tests,”
Education spending today stands at less than 1.5 Samuel said.
percent of Pakistan’s GDP, according PETF.
“The government recognized this problem early Lack of resources not the only problem
on. We’ve been working hard, on our own and with Meanwhile, Ayub says: “Do I think the
our major partners, especially the British education system in Pakistan has let the children of
government, to improve the situation,” Ali said. this country down? Sure… But the reason for that
“Much more needs to be done but the government is not lack of resources. If resources were an issue,
has taken some significant decisions and where did they get money for all these school
implemented them too.” buildings where teachers don’t teach… There’s just MBABANE, September 2012- The practice of men
These efforts include investments in teacher no will to improve the situation.” marrying underage girls - which has been an
training, infrastructure and providing textbooks to Experts agree that just throwing money at the accepted social norm for centuries but has been
students, but it is not merely a matter of getting problem will not solve it, and that policy and linked in recent years to the spread of HIV - was
children into school. The quality of their education governance are issues that have to be dealt with at recently declared illegal in Swaziland.
also needs to be addressed, analysts say. the same time to achieve any lasting results. Known in SiSwati as ‘kwendizisa’, the marriage
“One of the solutions you hear to the problems “Money is one of the main issues, but there is a of an adult man to an underage girl was considered
in Pakistan’s education sector is for the private problem with how policies are made. And they are a legal “grey area” prior to the promulgation of the
sector to step up and fill the gap,” Abbas Rashid, constantly changed, not using the research that has Children’s Protection and Welfare Act of 2012.
executive director of the independent Society for been carried out on the sector,” said Fareeha Zafar, According to the 2005 Swaziland constitution,
the Advancement of Education, told IRIN. an independent education expert. some customary practices are allowed unless they
“Around 30 percent of students are attending conflict with constitutional clauses.
private schools, but what kind of education are “Swazi men marrying girls once the girls enter
they getting?” Accountability puberty is not a customary law. It is not mandatory.
“There is the issue of governance, there are no It is tolerated because it has always been done. But
Poor quality accountability mechanisms. For example, even if times are changing, and Swaziland has the highest
Private schools, analysts say, are preferred by you do have sufficient teachers - which we don’t - HIV prevalence rate in the world. This practice has
parents over government schools, despite the if they are not in school, it is not possible to added to the spread of HIV. It is a great victory for
higher fees, but the quality of education at these achieve anything.” public health and for the rights of girl children that
schools is often only marginally better. “The issue Achievement in(LearningSchools) project and
The LEAPS
Pakistan
and Educational this outmoded practice must now end,” AIDS
is: better does not necessarily mean adequate,” said PETF estimate that teachers in government activist Sandra Kunene told PlusNews.
Rashid. Married adolescents are at greater risk of HIV
According to the 2011 Annual State of schools, despite being paid more than their private infection because many of them are in polygamous
Education Report (ASER) compiled by the South sector counterparts and having time. Government unions, face sexual violence or are unable to
are not present one-fifth of the
greater job security,
Asian Forum for Education Development, 45 negotiate safe sex. The girls also tend to have little
percent of grade 5 students in public schools can schoolaction to protect themselves.connections and contact with their peers, restricted social mobility,
union
teachers often use political
only read a grade 2-level story in Urdu. The low levels of education and limited access to media
number is only slightly better in private schools - not“Even if a senior officer attending teacher that is and health messages.
performing or not even
reports a
school, it is
57 percent. very difficult to take action because they will
That parents are concerned about quality is involve the unions or go to an MNA [member of
reflected by the fact that many of the students at the National Assembly],” said Zafar.
Mohammed Ayub’s school attend government “Even if you get that [teacher accountability],
schools in the morning. Seven-year-old Rimsha
Samuel goes to a government primary school in the the all of this needs to be of textbooks,not an issue.
quality of education, is
morning, and after lunch, heads to Ayub’s school Sospent on education, butconsidered, just what
is how.” (IRIN)
for further classes.

BANGKOK, October 2012- Food losses in edible wasted food to people; turning it into
Asia due to disasters or poor storage, packing energy and agriculture inputs; and
and delivery are set to worsen, and developing new technology to separate food KATHMANDU,September 2012
governments are ill-prepared to stem the waste from other rubbish. Policymakers need Government oversight is preventing local
wastage, according experts recently to take a “total supply chain approach” or communities from reaping economic benefits
convened by the Centre for Non-Traditional else risk breaking Southeast Asia’s fragile from forests they have spent decades re-
Security Studies in Singapore. food system, said the experts. generating, activists say.
Possible solutions include redistributing “It is likely that the region wastes Communities “cannot make [the] best use
approximately 33 percent of their available resources because of the
of food, but accurate restrictions imposed and a complicated
estimates are not available process of getting approval for harvesting of
due to a dearth of any timber and non-timber forest products,”
quantitative information.” Ganga Ram Dahal of the Rights and
Increasing urbanization Resources Initiative (RRI), a global coalition
means food will tend to promoting forest land tenure reform, told
travel farther, something IRIN.
that could exacerbate the The challenge is“safeguarding the rights”
food waste problem. of communities, Bharat Pokharel, forester
Governments need to better and deputy country programme director in
fund the tracking of food Nepal for the Swiss development agency
waste (especially fish, Helvetas, explained at a recent regional
vegetables and rice), they workshop on forestland tenure held in the
said. capital, Kathmandu.Today, community
forestry covers 1.6 million hectares, or a
quarter of all forestland in Nepal.

Photo Essay Aftermath of a war

Nicaragua is the second poorest By DIEGO CUPOLO
country in the western hemisphere. The Text & Photos
governing political party, Frente
Sandinista de Liberación Nacional
(FSLN), was brought to power after
overthrowing longtime dictator
Anastasio Somoza in the 1979
revolution.
In the 1980s, the FSLN began
implementing social programs aimed
at reducing illiteracy and hunger, but
was soon forced to divert scant
resources to fight Contra Wars against
U.S.-armed militias, which were
notably composed with Somoza’s
former guardsmen.
Today, the nation is still recovering
from decades of violence and many
residents, known as “Nicas”, lack basic
food items as they watch local crops
get shipped overseas. The following is
a compilation of thoughts and
conversations from the rural areas in
the northern Nicaragua one month
before the 2011 elections.

Corina's story help farmers.
We spent four days in a tunnel once. But we weren’t allowed to do that.
During the war, the Sandinistas used Señor Reagan started the Contra War after
underground tunnels to get from one house Somoza fell. He armed Somoza’s former
to another. It was a good way to trick military men, trained them in Honduras, and
Somoza’s men and escape. there were always battles near the border.
At one point they were bombing Esteli. It was a very hard time. "Now we’re back in
The military was all over the city. Soldiers The U.S. put an embargo on us, just like power. We have
would radio each other before bombing raids the one in Cuba, and they didn’t stop it until Daniel. He’s not so
and say “take cover, we’re going to drop the FSLN lost power in 1990.
candy.” Now we’re back in power. We have Daniel. great, but we don’t
Twenty of us had to stay in a small tunnel
for four days during a period of very heavy
He’s not so great, but we don’t have a better
choice. He’s the least evil of our choices.
have a better choice.
bombing. I was the only one that would go Who else am I going to vote for? The Reds? He’s the least evil of
out in the street to see what was happening. I’m Sandinista. our choices. Who else
How did we eat? We didn’t eat, it’s that It’s been hard ever since the revolution, am I going to vote
simple. We had one bucket for piss and that sure. We’re in a transitional faze. I guess it’s
was it. normal. for? The Reds?"
The war was terrible, but it felt good to But the worst part, the absolute worst
fight for something we believed in. I was a part about everything I’ve experienced in
nurse through most of the revolution. We my life is how the U.S. always gets involved
went out in the mountains and gave aid to in our lives. They never leave us alone. They
guerrillas in their camps. After the war I was want to control the world and here, in poor
a teacher in Esteli. We won the war and our little Central America, they really show it.
main goals were to educate the poor and It’s like we’re their children.


El Viejito
“He’s waiting to die,” she said.
“He’s lived more than a hundred years and he
lost his vision three months ago.”
“He worked hard all his life. He was a tough
man, but now he just stays in his room all day
because he doesn’t want anyone to see him so
old and so blind.”
“He says he doesn’t like being with people
anymore because he can’t see them. It makes
him uncomfortable.”
“He’s funny, though. Last night he was yelling
for me to make him coffee. It was four in
morning. He can’t see so he doesn’t know what
time it is anymore. Night and day are the same
for him.”
“You know, he met Sandino in person when he
was a teenager. After that, he went on to do a
lot of work for the FSLN.”
“Is he dead yet?” A voice asked from the
kitchen.
“No, I checked on him this morning, but maybe
he’s dead now.”

Javier stay in power. Not many people will speak badly help from Chavez lately, but he’s the same. Chavez
No, I’m not voting in the elections. about them. It’s dangerous to speak against them. yells and screams about U.S. imperialism, but in
I already know who’s going to win. They don’t kill you or torture you like Somoza, but the end, he sells most ofVenezuela’s oil to the U.S.
Daniel. they’ll ruin your life. It’s the same story in every Latin American
There’s no real opposition and the FSLN has all You know, they have offices in every town country. We seem to copy each other, dictators and
the money. It’s corruption. where they give you a special document saying all.
Let me give you an example. We have special you’re a Sandinista. If you’re against any of their Me, I just want to make a little money and
officers that count the votes in every election. policies they take this document away from you support my family.
Normally, each party has their own officer, but all and this is important because most places require it It’s hard living here on the farm. We loose a lot
of the officers are now part of the FSLN. Basically, when they hire you. of money and we don’t even have enough people
we have people counting votes for the parties Daniel is looking more like a dictator every to work the land anymore. Everyone’s moving to
they’re running against. year. the cities thinking they’ll have better lives, but they
People know our government is corrupt, but It’s a shame really. The FSLN started with good just find more problems. You have to buy
they don’t do anything about it. They think intentions: help the poor, vaccinations, health everything in the city and most of it’s pure
changing our politics means another war so they services, education in rural areas. Now things garbage.
don’t complain much. With the revolution not so changed. We’re not getting anywhere. I don’t know what to do, really. I feel stuck.
far in the past, most people just want peace. Daniel always criticizes the U.S. in his speeches, Maybe something will change later, but for now
The FSLN knows this and it’s part of how they but then he signs trade deals with them when he we have Daniel and Daniel promises everything
gets back to his office. We’ve been getting more anddeliverslittle.
"People know our
government is corrupt,
but they don’t do
anything about it.
They think changing
our politics means
another war so they
don’t complain much.
With the revolution
not so far in the past,
most people just want
peace"



Doña Maria We couldn’t come back home until
the late 80s. Fifteen years after we
The war was horrible. We never had ran away. When we arrived the FSLN
enough to eat. had stolen parts of my father’s land
It was worse for the children though. and gave it to other people. It was
They suffered the most. Children and part of their anti-poverty campaign.
old people. Anyone who couldn’t run But we were lucky. We got to keep
fast enough.
This was my family’s land, but we
most of our land. Other people came "The war was horrible. We
had to move to Managua during the
back and found new families living in
their houses. I knew a woman, the never had enough to eat.
war. It was too dangerous here near
the border. There were troops
FSLN took her house and she had to It was worse for the children
everywhere. They passed by every
move to Canada as a refugee. She had
three children up there and stayed though. They suffered the
day. They’d take people away and we
wouldn’t see them again.
there. I guess she’s doing well. most. Children and old
What happened to them? They killed
Us, we have to stay here. This land
is what we have. It’s not good land people. Anyone who couldn’t
them of course. They killed my
mother.
and not much can grow in it, but it’s
ours. We grow coffee. That’s what we
run fast enough"
That’s what they did. It was worse do.
during the Contra War. They came to At least we have peace now. That’s
poor villages on purpose. They knew all I want.
no one would notice. No one was Do you want something to eat?
watching. They did what they wanted I get worried when you don’t eat.
to us.

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Global South Development Magazine Oct 201 2 1 0

Cover Story Development Inspirations 201 2

Initiatives and People Inspiring Action and Promoting
Sustainable Development from Around the World



By IOULIA FENTON
GSDM Assistant Editor

I tend to get pretty depressed after reading
many economic, international development and
Doctrine—a carefully researched and
documented behind-the-closed-doors story of
is a revelation of
practical action that
"through
environmental books—factual, fiction or how American “free-market” policies have individuals and serendipity more
otherwise. If you do not know what I mean, I come to dominate the world through communities—inclu than plan, I began
highly recommend reading Daniel Quinn’s exploitation of disaster-shocked peoples and ding children and to slowly see
1992 novel Ishmael. Set up as a conversation countries—had a similar, sinking effect. I youths—are making
between a teacher and student, where the simply felt powerless to be able to affect a in their fight for a things differently.
former happens to be a hyper-intelligent,
talking Guerrilla, the book slowly takes the
change when so many of the world’s
inequalities and injustices seemed to be
better world.
My most recent
Living and
reader through environmental philosophy purposely orchestrated by a powerful few that foray into Fred working in
reasons for how we have managed to get are unreachable to so many of us. Magdoff’s and John different
ourselves into the present day environmental
mess. Upon turning over the last page I felt
And there are many more book examples
like that—all with one thing in common: I felt
Bellamy Foster’s
2011 What Every
countries like
empty and angry at everyone, especially worse than before and immobilised after Environmentalist Bolivia, Thailand,
myself. Being on vacation in El Salvador and reading them: I had no idea where to start. Needs to Know Nicaragua and
staying in an air-conditioned hotel room with Then, through serendipity more than plan, I About Capitalism Guatemala, for
an outdoor pool, which already felt pretty began to slowly see things differently. Living also surprised me as,
uncomfortable, all of a sudden felt like a and working in different countries like Bolivia, after a long example, I saw
ridiculous extravagance that was killing the Thailand, Nicaragua and Guatemala, for description of how many hardships,
planet. I immediately understood why one example, I saw many hardships, but also many things have gone
reviewer had said: “From now on I will divide small victories that ordinary people were wrong, the book but also many
the books I have read into two categories -- the winning by improving their lives and the lives ends with a long small victories
ones I read before Ishmael and those read
after.”
of others. The sheer passions and determination
that Edwin showed—a gentle giant of a man,
chapter on what
activists, academics, that ordinary
The simple lack of available information or an artist and a teacher who found a dream job policy makers and people were
transparency around the use and effects of
chemicals in every product that surrounds our
working for an educational NGO in
Guatemala—was simply inspiring. He worked
normal people
should and can
winning by
lives—as well as more blatant and grievous long hours and weekends, through harsh demand to help improving their
releases of chemicals into the environment by weather,illness and personal trauma, not change things lives and the lives
army weapons testing and other
industries—exposed by Yale Professor John
because he has to got to work, but because he
wants to help his indigenous Maya community.
around.
As I began to get
of others"
Wargo in his 2011 book Green Intelligence left My recent involvement with Worldwatch more and more
me feeling paralysed. The massive private Institute’s Nourishing the Planet project was inspired, the words
efforts to shut the public out and the inadequate also enlightening. Recognising that the current of
policies and regulations in place to hold global systems are not sustainable and are, in Ghandi—recounted to me by a close
businesses responsible for polluting the fact, destroying people and the planet, it friend—really helped put things in perspective.
environment and human beings to the point of highlights individuals, initiatives and “Be the change you want to see,” he said when,
disease and death was devastating—I just had organizations that are striving to make a in turn, quoting his own grandfather. So I have
no idea what I could do. difference. The projects are often small, started decided to make a pledge to no longer be
The 2004 Confessions of an Economic Hit on someone’s spare time, with little funding inactive or feel paralysed because the size of
Man was one of only two books that ever made but a ton of commitment, enthusiasm and the problem seems too big for me to make a
me literally weep upon finishing it. I remember heart. Yet, they are making huge differences in difference. We can all make small changes and,
the moment vividly as I shrank deep into my people’s lives and in improving the as part of the GSDM inspiration issue, I pledge
long-haul flight airplane seat and quietly environment. to do everything I can—within the time that I
sobbed on my route to do fieldwork in I also began reading books and works with can spare and within the confines of the
Guatemala. The book is a personal life history the objective of looking not only for problems, changes that I can realistically make—to make
exposé by John Hopkins that claims that he, but good, practical suggestions on how to solve sure that my life reflects my ideals as much as
and many people like him, were used to them. For this issue I reviewed Ecoliterate: possible. I will carry a thermos flask to make
convince the political and financial leadership How Educators Are Cultivating Emotional, sure I never buy a bottle of water or take my
of underdeveloped countries (often using false Social and Ecological Intelligence, written by coffee to go in a throwaway paper cup. I will
projections) to accept enormous development Daniel Goleman, Lisa Bennet and Zenobia carry a reusable shopping bag to make sure I
loans from institutions like the World Bank and Barlow of the Center for Ecoliteracy. It tells never use a plastic one. I will not buy clothes
USAID that saddled them with an impossible eight stories that start by outlining problems of unless I absolutely need them and I know that
debt and perpetual under-development—while injustice, corruption and pollution that pertain they are sourced and made responsibly. And,
the developing countries had to pay back loans to such things as the awfully destructive locally, I will work to improve my community
with interest to U.S.-dominated institutions, mountaintop mining; poverty and unfairness in and be a greater advocate for sustainability,
they were contractually obligated to use U.S. distribution of resources and quality of social justice and the future of humanity. Join
firms for the projects that were the purposes of education in schools; and environmental and us, feel inspired and feel empowered to make a
the loans to begin with, thus making sure that social destruction of oil drilling in indigenous change. After all, as the zen saying goes:
internal development would not, in fact, occur. people’s traditional home environments. Yet, “Happiness if when what you think, say and do
Naomi Klein’s 2008 The Shock the bad news only sets the scene and the book are in harmony.”


By IOULIA FENTON & ADAM NELSON

The world’s global food and additional people, while one billion of
agriculture system is not working. On their neighbors in the South face "Although the
the one end, the Green Revolution has
converted much farmland into
crippling problems of severe under-
nutrition. The problem is complicated situation may seem
industrial agricultural production that by the fact that—as a result of an dire, there is
uses man-made chemical pesticides
and fertilizers instead of methods that
industrial food business system geared
towards longer shelf-life and bigger
something that
are more harmonious with nature. This sales and due to poor policy and everyone can do to
has led to the loss of biodiversity as
tillage and use of pesticides have killed
individual decisions—much of the
food that does reach both rich and poor
make a difference.
off or deterred other plant and animal consumers is highly processed and Fortunately,
species. It has also helped fuel climate
change as more and more forests are
loaded with salt, sugars, and fats,
while lacking even the basic nutrients.
individuals,
cut down for conversion to agriculture, This has led to widespread obesity communities, and
while chemical pollution has furthered throughout advanced and developing organizations around
air, water, and land pollution. It has
also led to the sprouting of a multi
nations and more deaths are now
attributed to related non-communicable the world are taking
billion dollar a year genetically diseases—heart attacks, type 2 action—big and
modified crops industry with plants
engineered in genetics labs to be
diabetes, osteoporosis, and the
like—worldwide than to any other small—to address
compatible only with certain cause. different challenges
companies’ chemical agricultural
inputs. Far from delivering the
Although the situation may seem
dire, there is something that everyone
along the food and
promised gains in yields and greater can do to make a difference. agriculture chain. As
incomes for developing country
farmers, it has led to pesticide
Fortunately, individuals, communities,
and organizations around the world are
part of the inspiration
dependency and spiraling cycles of taking action—big and small—to issue, we bring you 12
debt and death as smallholders fail to
keep up (see GSDM April 2012 issue
address different challenges along the
food and agriculture chain. As part of
tales of such nuggets
on Farmer Suicides in India for more the inspiration issue, we bring you 12 of positivity that prove
details). tales of such nuggets of positivity that that the scale of the
On the other end of the system,
every year the world produces enough
prove that the scale of the problem
need not cause depression, paralysis, problem need not
food to adequately feed and nurture and inaction. Rather, that taking on cause depression,
every human being on the planet. Yet,
already huge disparities in access keep
smaller, focused chunks of the issue
can lead to impressive results and real paralysis, and
growing as advanced nations waste impact on the health and lives of inaction"
enough food to feed three billion others.

funding from the
Johannesburg Development
Agency (JDA) to create the
first garden on a building
rooftop donated by the
city’s Affordable Housing Tlhago Cooperative’s Rooftop Harvest (Photo Credit: Tshediso
Company (Afcho). The
organization’s goal is to languages and so far, through
tackle climate change (CC) by outreach and educational activities, it
educating youth and community has transferred urban gardening
Tlhago means nature in Afrikaans. members about its causes and skills to more than 100 people from
And it is nature that the Tlhago effects. It also teaches them how local communities. Since its
Primary Agricultural Cooperative urban gardening can be part of the conception in July 2010, the
has brought to the roof-scape of solution to environmental problems, cooperative’s six organizers have
Johannesburg, South Africa. The while minimizing unemployment, planted two rooftop gardens at the
project was started in 2010 by poverty, and malnutrition. heart of the metropolis and they
Tshediso Phahlane and his The cooperative does much of its dream of one day greening the entire
enthusiastic team-mates by securing teaching in the communities’ own metropolis.

Sustaination, organic baby
PepsiCo U.K. is working towards a truly sustainable business model thanks to the or individual problems, but, in fact,
work ofForum for the Future (Photo Credit: Forum for the Future)
food producer Ella’s represent significant risk factors as
Forum for the Future—a global Kitchen, and Fair Trade-focused far as profitability and viability of
independent non-profit that seeks Cafédirect—to help them see the PepsiCo itself.
system-wide solutions to global world differently. The There is a big difference between
challenges—believes that, by PepsiCo Global Scenarios and being a little greener and being truly
fundamentally changing their Strategy 2030 project, for example, sustainable, and the ultimate vision
operating models, businesses can be included interviews with more than of the Forum is to help companies
the key to future sustainability. They 100 experts from within and outside become the latter. For example, one
work with major and smaller the industry and a series of of the Forum’s pioneer partners
industry players—like PepsiCo, workshops to engage key people Kingfisher—a non-food retailer that
Target, Unilever, supermarket chains across the business. It illustrated to sells things like lawnmowers and
Marks and Spencer and Tesco, and leaders that things like obesity and paint—has developed a vision of
smaller, dynamic enterprises like the climate change are not merely public becoming a net-positive company in
farmer’s networking platform
sources of healthy food options.
Chicago’s West side. The bus has
Their vehicle of choice? A converted
been converted with multiple vertical
city bus operating as a mobile
rows of fruit, vegetable, and greens-
greengrocer’s. filled greengrocer baskets on the
inside (over 40 different
products in total) and
painted in crimson-red
with ripe bananas, carrots,
Sheelah Muhammad is the co- and watermelons on the
founder of Fresh Moves—a project outside. The produce
working for food justice in offered is as seasonal and
Chicago’s poorest areas. The local as possible—the
organization employs five people project sources goods from
from the communities in which they Chicago’s urban
operate—prioritizing difficult-to- agriculture initiatives, such
employ individuals who struggle to Today, under the slogan “No more Growing Power, andCity Harvest and
as Windy
The Fresh Moves Bus (Photo Credit: Fresh Moves)

find work elsewhere—to bring fresh food deserts. The drought is over!” African-American farmers outside supports
fruit and vegetables to communities Fresh Moves operates a weekly route the city.
that lack greengrocers or other stopping in 12 different locations in

curriculum is implemented in the
Ak’Tenamit boarding school, serving
as an academy and practical training
village. It houses an on-site
restaurant and handicraft shop where
students from hundreds of different
Steve Dudenhoefer is the founder rural communities receive some of
ofAk’Tenamit, an indigenous-run their 3,000 hours of practical training
non-governmental organization in leadership, sustainable tourism,
(NGO) in Guatemala. They sustainable agriculture, and
recognized early that the country’s community well-being, instead of
education system was de-linked training as accountants or
from the potential job market and secretaries. Students also learn
over the years have developed Ak’Tenamit’s 2010 Graduates (Photo Credit: Ak’Tenamit) about, preserve, and identify with
their own methodology providing their Mayan language and culture,
appropriate vocational training for their communities and generators of something that has been actively
indigenous boys and girls from rural their own wealth. Set in a remote suppressed throughout much of
areas to become future leaders in location on the Rio Dulce, the Guatemalan history.
something about
that. Initially
going out alone,
under the cover of
darkness, he
began to slowly
flat in a large, grey, and secretly
1970s purpose-built, ex- reclaim the darkest of spaces by
council authority block. planting grasses, shrubs, and flowers
Unfortunately, as with on abandoned grim lots.
most cities around the
world, this relative He called it Guerilla Gardening,
affordability comes at a blogged about it, and soon found that
price—the surroundings he was not alone—at the last count
tend to be as grey as the of his followers, there were more
buildings themselves. than 83,000 gardening guerillas
As a frustrated gardener around the globe causing gorgeous
who grew up in the green havoc with nothing but green
Richard Reynolds: Advertiser by Day, Guerrilla Gardener by Night (Photo Credit: Richard Reynolds)

Richard Reynolds lives in a countryside, he decided to do fingers, a handful of seeds, clippers,
relatively cheap, small, inner city and spades.

In the Mukono District of Uganda, child
Developing Innovations in School malnutrition
Cultivation (DISC) has set out to in the village.
educate the next generation in hopes
DISC
Project DISC is helping to improve health and nutrition ofentire communities in Uganda. (Photo Credit: Project DISC)

of continuing Uganda’s agricultural
and culinary traditions. At Kisoga coordinators, Edward Mukiibi and resort, but are starting to see it as a
Secondary School in Kampala Roger Sserunjogi, have also been viable alternative with which to
students are being taught to manage improving young students’ views make money and assist their
a sustainable school garden that towards agriculture. Due to their communities. With recent support
produces fresh fruits and vegetables. work in reversing stereotypes, form Slow Food International, DISC
Food from the garden, served at students no longer see agriculture as has expanded its original program to
lunch, has significantly decreased a burden, punishment, or a last 15 other schools.


the aguadas, filtered for consumption
with connecting silting tanks, they
represent a manageable way to
provide water for agricultural,
drinking, and other needs.
Now Dr. Akpinar Ferrand has
The borders and teamed up with
surrounding regions of ethnographer Dr.
Mexico, Guatemala, and Betty Faust on an
Belize were once home to applied
millions of people who project—reconstru
managed to thrive despite cting an ancient
the area’s poor soils, canal irrigation
climate variability, and system with raised
pronounced wet and dry agricultural fields
seasons. To this day, the to help the
area has never been struggling Mayan
occupied to the same farming
levels, partly because community of
modern technology has not Pich, a village of
been able to practically 2,000 inhabitants
resolve these problems. In in the state of
an attempt to find a Campeche,
Mexico. If
Ancient Mayan sites like Tikal in Guatemala hold technological secrets that could help solve today’s problems. (Photo Credit: Ioulia Fenton)

solution, Dr. Ezgi Akpinar made ponds called aguadas—that successfully reconstructed, this
Ferrand—a Turkish researcher were lined with locally-sourced system would help nourish the
working at Southern Connecticut natural materials such as surrounding land, increase income
State University—started conducting impermeable clay, plaster, and and water security, and be a model
research on a relatively simple stone—as an alternative to more
ancient Mayan system of human- modern agricultural practices. With for other populations living in the
plentiful water reserves collected in area.
Popkin launched the U.S Beverage
Guidance Panel, which successfully
brought the discussion over the
problem of sugary intake to
nutritionists and policy makers in the
U.S and around the world. He has
gone on to contribute significantly to
Following in the footsteps of the Mexican Beverage
advanced nations, much of the Guidance Panel, too,
developing world is which eventually led to
undergoing the nutrition 20 million people on
transition—rapid changes in government-funded food
the types of foods that are programs to switch from
available and consumed that whole milk to 1.5
lead to diets shifting from percent milk and to
traditional plant-based and schools cutting out
home-cooked foods to meat- sugary beverages. To
derived and processed help governments
products. This is accompanied measure the impact of
by an epidemiological the problem, Dr. Popkin
Professor Barry Popkins has been dubbed the “Nutrition Transition King” for his work in food and health research and policy.

transition from infectious to (Photo Credit: UNC)
has conducted National
chronic, non-communicable diseases like theNutrition at theProfessor ofof Health and Nutrition Surveys in
Global
distinguished
University
such as obesity, diabetes, and North Carolina’s School of Public China, the Philippines, while also
and the
cardiovascular disease, which are Health, Dr. Barry Popkin, the United Arab Emirates,
now killing more of the world’s solution lies in changing public advising decision-makers on national
people than anything else. healthy food and drink policies and
One culprit is the growth of the policies to make healthier options programs in South Africa, Spain, and
sugary drinks industry, and for many, more widely available and easily
accessible to the public. In 2006, the United Kingdom.


addres
sing
the
issue
by
Sahel Eco is a non-profit continuing the work of
organization helping to improve the SOS Sahel International
lives of those living in Mali’s desert UK. Members of Sahel
and semi-desert regions. Eco are showing farmers
Desertification due to deforestation that proper tree
represents the biggest threat to management will protect
Malian lifestyle, where 70 per cent soils and provide
of the population lives on less than a economic benefits Sahel Eco is helping farmers re-green dessert soils (Photo Credit: Sahel Eco).

dollar a day and depends heavily on through timber, fuel, forests, Sahel Eco has been building
rainfall to water their fields and animal feed, fruits, herbal medicines, support for and improving local
animals. Working predominately in and even raw material for mats, knowledge of tree management to
the Mopti, Segou, and Koulikoro baskets, and hats. Through dramatically impact the encroaching
regions of Mali, the organization is demonstrating the benefits of agro- desertification in Mali.

urine. Then, a series capacity. This, in return, means
of filtration systems Sakthivel spends less time and effort
separates solid matter, re-working soils hardened by
which is used for
Mr. Sakthivel is turning animal dung into organic fertilizer gold (Photo Credit: The Hindu) chemical fertilizers, while increasing
G. R. Sakthivel, an Indian sugarcane biogas production. his income. The system has the
farmer and a member of Erode’s The remaining nitrate-rich, organic potential to save farmers up to
organic farmers’ federation, has liquid is used as fertilizer and Rs.27,000 (about $500) per acre and
developed an ingenious way to filter dispersed through a drip irrigation promises to work for other crops,
cattle waste to create higher system. The natural fertilizer not too. Already ten sugarcane farmers
sugarcane yields while decreasing only increases yields, but also have adopted the system in the
his labor input. The system first increases the presence of earthworms Sathyamangalam region and others
collects and mixes cattle dung and and the soil’s water-retaining are following suit with great results.

Though generally not consumed by valuable
modern populations, the Maya Nut shade and
has historically been a vital and protection
nutritious staple of the Central from rain
American Maya. Incredibly and
nutritious, it is high in calcium, fiber, erosion all
iron, folate, potassium, antioxidants, year
and can be eaten by both people and around.
livestock. It also provides many Now,
ecosystem services to rainforests and with the
people—it protects watersheds and help of the
biodiversity and the Maya Nut tree is Maya Nut The Maya Nut is transforming people’s livelihoods and benefiting the environment all across Central America. (Photo Credit: Maya Nut Institute)

prepare the nut to produce savory
perfect for reforestation by providing Institute—which teaches rural and sweet foods, drinks, baked
communities over 100 ways to

Global south development magazine October 2012

Global south development magazine October 2012

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