Stories about Development from January, 2008
Uganda: Blogging for architecture
Citizen Uganda writes about a blogger who focuses on architecture in Kampala: “If you have never been to Kampala let me spare you the suspense; it is a poorly planned city and there is little to see in the way of architecture. The good news though is that there is...
Botswana: Patients’ chair at Nata village
Nata village clinic has news chairs: “Before we show you the new chairs that arrived today at Nata Clinic we wanted you to see one of the old ones. To be honest, we wanted to burn this chair but someone will actually use it somewhere else. We don't throw anything...
Ukraine: Euro 2012 To-Do List
Orange Ukraine lists what needs to be done to accommodate the Euro 2012 visitors (from 400,000 to 1 million) in Ukraine: “As of this moment, Kyiv has 4,000 hotel rooms. What is required is all the logistics incl. infrastructure (roads, parking, planes, trains, etc.) and upgrading facilities such as hospitals...
Social Media Outreach: Non-Profits are the Key
We often talk about extending the global conversation to every corner of the world with the available social media tools. Non-profits and NGO's, which have a wider influence on the population of the developing countries, have the capacity to use this technology in an wider scale and create a communication revolution among the people they serve.
Sierra Leone: Six months in Sierra Leone
A Sierra Leonean blogger writes about her experience after moving back to Sierra Leone from USA: “I’ve been in Sierra Leone for 6 months now and I must say…its been hard, frustrating, humbling, and lonely. When I first got here my sense of purpose was strong and comforting. I knew...
Egypt: Secrets on Video
From Egypt, videos which expose secrets and ugly truths. One of them, Hideous, attempts to shock the rich into action by contrasting their carefree lives with the poverty on the streets. Also, To H.E Mrs Suzanne Mubarak, a song and video respectfully dedicated to Egypt´s First Lady, reporting about a story of child abuse, police brutality and misery.
China: The Vagrants behind the Wall
Beijing, the host of 2008 Summer Olympics, is trying to show every bright aspect of its stable and harmonious to the whole world, however, when you are almost convinced by the prosperous night scenes around the Forbidden City, you may never think behind some traditional Chinese-style walls, there is another totally different world.
Cuba: Odds & Ends
The Cuban Triangle posts a comprehensive roundup of stories relevant to Cuba this week.
Philippines: Traffic Comparision
Miscel compares traffic condition in Singapore to the one in Philippines.
Bahrain: Frustration and Change
Frustration is a good catalyst for change, notes Bahraini Mahmood Al Yousif, who takes a closer look at his country's internal politics.
Angola: A social contrast
Orlando Castro [pt] criticizes the contrast implicit in the construction of a 70 floor tower in Luanda, which will be the largest building in Angola and home of luxury houses, hotels, offices and shops. “So this is the way that part of my country's history is written. The other is...
Bahamas: Tipping Point
Larry Smith at Bahama Pundit is convinced the Bahamas has reached a tipping point: “If we are not very careful, we stand to lose not only our quality of life but our very existence as a functioning society.”
Armenia: Secret Surveys
The Armenian Economist argues that various surveys funded and/or conducted by international organizations are very important sources of information which can be monitored and analyzed over time. However, the blog says, there is an urgent need for the full results of such surveys to be made accessible to everyone.
Armenia: Tourism Ads
Unzipped says that for many people, new tourism ads promoting Armenia are the first glimpse they have had of the country. However, the blogger concludes, while the adverts are promising, there is the need for Yerevan, the capital, to become more “tourist-friendly.”
The Balkans: Mismanaged History
Greater Surbiton writes on the vanishing historical sites of the Balkans: “Travellers to the former Yugoslavia are advised to remember, that a beautiful historic building or town centre that you visit may, months later, no longer be there.”
Russia: New Year's in Grozny
LJ user timur-aliev has posted three New Year's snapshots taken in Grozny, the capital of Chechnya, which the United Nations called "the most destroyed city on earth" in 2003. Below is the Chechen blogger's brief account of the festivities - and a couple of clarifications from the comments section.
Azerbaijan: Economic Illumination
Window on Eurasia ponders whether studying images of former Soviet republics at night can't provide an insight into their economic well-being. If it can, the blog says, economic growth in Azerbaijan far outstrips that in neighboring Armenia and Georgia.
China: This week's mass incidents
Still several months to go until the Olympics, yet just the past few days have seen a number of unrelated mass incidents take place around the country, from the large protest at the Tianmen Party headquarters and a taxi driver strike in solidarity following the the recent beating to death...
China: Apartment Slave
Fu Jianfeng writes the story about how he turned into an apartment slave (zh) in my1510: in September 2007, within a month, the value of the apartment has increased two hundred thousand yuans; in October it dropped below the original price and he dare not looking at the housing market...
Azerbaijan: Urban Renewal
Baku Fragments reports that the Bakı Soveti metro station has been demolished and that a more modern looking structure will take its place. However, the blog says that it isn't much in favor of destroying what it admits represents the “nightmarish, bureaucratic mess” of the Soviet era.
Kazakhstan: Fourth Capital
Arseny is reviewing a new project of building another brand new city in Kazakhstan — this time in Aktau, Western Kazakhstan — that is to become a tourist center and business hub for the whole Caspian region.
