http://www.search4dev.nlOnline library for Dutch development cooperationenwww.kit.nldpcmedewerkers-uba@uva.nldpcmedewerkers-uba@uva.nlFri, 24 May 2013 23:10:52 CEST/d/dprn/graphics/bbhead.gifhttp://www.search4dev.nlhttp://www.search4dev.nl/record/432443http://www.search4dev.nl/record/432443This is the annual report of 2011 for Spanda Foundation. Spanda aims to promote creative solutions and strategic resources to foster individual and collective development and pursue initiatives that may serve the common good, advance human progress and enrich communities towards a more just and peaceful world. The Foundation is committed to reach its aims by creating and implementing projects and initiatives that empower transformation, add social value and serve as catalyst for long-term systemic change. At the heart of this mission is an aspiration to contribute to the achievement of a higher degree of consciousness.Spanda Foundationhttp://www.search4dev.nl/record/429924http://www.search4dev.nl/record/429924After becoming its own nation-state in 1991 for the first time in history, Kazakhstan has been facing major challenges on its path to nation-building. Amidst economic difficulties caused by the shift from communist command economy to a free market system, the country had to unite its multiethnic society with no prior memory of nationhood into a coherent nation. As a result of the extensive Soviet language and identity politics, it was the only republic in the USSR to have the biggest share of its titular Kazakh population speaking Russian to the extent of not knowing their own- Kazakh language. Nonetheless, the country chose nationalism in a form of language revival as means of building a nation whilst developing its economy. The article traces the process of development and its relation to language revival and nationalism in Kazakhstan pointing out the shortcomings of language policy implementation and the future prospects for Kazakh language.D. Ramazanovahttp://www.search4dev.nl/record/429922http://www.search4dev.nl/record/429922In response to the membership in the European Union, post-communist states, societies and economies in Eastern Europe are undergoing unprecedented change and are in a process of re-definition. The European integration process relies in part on programmes initiated by the European Commission, one of which is the European Capital of Culture (ECC). In 2007, Sibiu city in Romania, together with Luxembourg and the Greater Region, was named ECC. The status of ECC was simultaneous with Romania’s accession to the EU. Thus, the events taking place in Sibiu were given great symbolic and political importance in the country. The article looks at how, in the context of Sibiu ECC 2007 programme, heritage is an essential part of different strategies used by local people in Sibiu city and region to promote economic, social, and cultural development and to strengthen and increase the global competitiveness of regions, in this case, Transylvania. There is a renewed concern for revitalizing local traditions, which are seen as necessary in affirming Romanian national identity in the context of European Union. At the same time, traditions strengthen regional identities. The article examines the inauguration of the first ecomuseum in Romania, Sibiu County Ecomuseum (Ecomuzeul Regional Sibiu), an example of how heritage, landscape and identity were linked and gained more importance in the context of the Sibiu ECC 2007 programme that aimed at asserting the potential of heritage for economic development.T.C. Haseganhttp://www.search4dev.nl/record/429899http://www.search4dev.nl/record/429899Human beings, in their quest for economic development and enjoyment of the riches of nature, must come to terms with the reality of resource limitation and the carrying capacities of ecosystems, and must take account of the needs of future generations. This is the message of conversation. Conversation is the management of human use of the biosphere so that it may yield the greatest sustainable benefit to present generations while maintaining its potential to meet the needs and aspirations of future generations. Thus conversation embraces preservation, maintenance, sustainable utilization, restoration and enhancement of the natural environment.M.K. Tolbahttp://www.search4dev.nl/record/429895http://www.search4dev.nl/record/429895This paper investigates the state of trade economy, aid, microfinance and human rights in Sierra LeoneH. Troockhttp://www.search4dev.nl/record/429891http://www.search4dev.nl/record/429891This paper critically examines the link between microfinance, social capital and development in post-war Sierra Leone. It analyzes whether social capital as promoted by MFIs can benefit the political development of Sierra Leone.S. Suttonhttp://www.search4dev.nl/record/368940http://www.search4dev.nl/record/368940In this article, John N. Williams, Associate Professor in Philosophy at the School of Social Sciences, Singapore Management University, discusses the question: “Is it always, never or sometimes, morally justified to experiment on HIVinfected, pregnant women in developing countries (by means of placebo trials) in order to develop a new treatment X which will reduce the rate of mother-to-child HIV transmission more effectively than the existing (‘gold standard’) treatment Y?”J.N. Williamshttp://www.search4dev.nl/record/356439http://www.search4dev.nl/record/356439The nature of MFIs has changed over the years, evolving from an NGO towards a business-centred approach. It has now reached the status of an ’industry’ and it has become part of the financial service system. This is mainly due to the participation of for-profit trusts in the contribution of the MFIs. For-profit trusts disappeared or reduced in size over the years, leaving their members in the position of sharing the growth and returns amongst themselves, and thus introducing a business-oriented approach. This way of dealing with the issue worsens an already unclear situation, leading towards a lack of transparency and ethical concerns. With the emergence of a for-profit orientation, the MFIs were able to lower costs and increase the margins. In India, this brought private equity (PE) actors into play. Then, the consequent growth and gain within the institutions thanks to PE made clear that profit became the goal in itself, and the clients’ needs were put aside. Moreover, MFIs, hoping to make the most of the profit, have being widely spread across specific areas of the country, even in very small geographical zones. Overall, there is a high need for MFIs in India, especially because its government programmes will never be able to address the population as a whole. However, those institutions need to bring the role and needs of the client to the forefront otherwise they will not face a bright future. By adopting a more client-centred approach, both the poor and the overall sector of microfinance institutions could benefit from greater results.M.K. SharmaG.A.N. Wrighthttp://www.search4dev.nl/record/356438http://www.search4dev.nl/record/356438Available evidence suggests that a strong pent-up demand for Islamic microfinance products exist across the Muslim countries. A number of market studies show potentially strong demand in Jordan, Algeria, Yemen, Syria, Indonesia, amongst many other OIC countries. Yet Islamic microfinance instruments are sporadically used, leaving the brunt of alleviating the social problems of the Ummah to charity and welfare traditional organisations. It is suggested that a more structured approach with the use of the modern financial tools, as experienced by the conventional sector with the use of mutual funds, should add credibility to the Islamic finance proposition and help eradicating poverty in the Muslim world.A.G. Brugnonihttp://www.search4dev.nl/record/356437http://www.search4dev.nl/record/356437Microfinance in India has passed and reached three different stages. The first took place in the 1990s, with the SHG-bank linkage model, and the second with MFIs who acted as intermediates between social and financial systems. Finally, most of the MIFs have adopted the Joint Liability Groups (JLGs) methodology to achieve rapid growth. Yet, many of those who follow this new trend are losing sight of the original aim and are shifting their focus to profit rather than clients’ needs. This shift will bring a tectonic effect, creating a third generation of microfinance institutions (3G-MIFs). The main difference from the previous generations lays in their longterm market strategy. 3G-MFIs will operate through a full and long-lasting spectrum of financial needs, and they will try to focus more on the advantages for their clients. Moreover, they will add new services, such as those related to food supply, education and health assistance. Since clients have the right to choose the best institution for their own needs, MFIs will need to adapt themselves to client-needs rather than business-needs, thereby producing a tectonic shift in the market.A. Jayant Natu