Stories about Development from February, 2011
Sudan: Southern Sudan and the challenges of self-rule
Ken analyses the challenges of self-rule in Southern Sudan: “The spotlight is on the political elite in the South. Will they hammer out a power and resource sharing deal or will despotism yet again kill the independence dreams of an African nation? I can’t stop thinking that John Garang’ de...
Guatemala: Living Conditions in La Limonada
“Consider the comforts in your home. Carpet. Furniture. Microwaves. Insulation from the cold and heat. Water that won’t make you and your family sick. Privacy. Now imaging your life without these things. For some it seems impossible. This is how people live every single day in La Limonada,” concludes Kerry...
Senegal: World Social Forum 2011: One Week of Activism in Dakar
Dakar, the capital of the West African nation of Senegal, has been bustling with activists and campaigners from across the globe, gathered under the banner of the World Social Forum to say another world is possible.
Bhutan: Story Of A Sheep Endangered By Construction Boom
Kinley at Kuzu Bhutan Weblog tells a story, which is based on true life events of animals living in and around the expressway in Olakha, Thimphu. This area is experiencing a construction boom.
Slovakia: Deaflympics 2011 Controversy
Slovakia may fail to hold a successful Deaflympics this month, due to problems with funding and unfinished facilities, which were known to exist as far back as last spring - and still remain today. Tibor Blazko reports on the Slovak netizens' frustration with the situation.
Senegal: World Social Forum Dakar 2011
Follow Priority Africa Network blog for regular updates from the World Social Forum taking place in Dakar, Senegal.
Sierra Leone: Youth to Youth Fund accepting applications
Youth to Youth Fund for Sierra Leone is now accepting applications from youth led organizations in Sierra Leone: “The Youth to Youth Fund is a competitive grant scheme for youth employment. It supports innovative, small scale youth employment projects submitted by youth led organizations from Sierra Leone.”
Ukraine: Netizens Criticize Chaotic Construction in the Nation’s Capital
Tetyana Bohdanova reviews online and offline debates and initiatives inspired by the chaotic construction in Kyiv’s historical center.
Honduras: Government Says 2011 is Year of Food Security, Food Prices Say Otherwise
RNS in Honduras Cultures and Politics writes: “There's something ironic about Porfirio Lobo Sosa announcing today that 2011 is the year of food security when food prices are skyrocketing and the government is doing nothing to assure food supplies.”
Africa: Entrepreneurship and development in frontier markets
Mighty African attended a Stanford Africa Forum event called “Entrepreneurship and Development: Doing Business in a Frontier Market”: “I went to the mobile technology panel. An issue was raised, “Why can't people selling crafts, etc in Africa get to participate in e-commerce? This is a case for mobile money.”
Senegal: Shaky start to Dakar WSF 2011
A shaky start to the World Social Forum in Dakar, Senegal: “At the first official day of the Forum, hundreds of participants from around the world were stranded as a result of the absence of a complete programme, inadequate and well-labelled venues, thus driving many event-organisers to either postpone or...
Colombia: Coffee Farmers Face Challenges After Heavy Rains
Locavore del Mundo reports on the challenges coffee farmers are facing in Colombia and what they are doing to overcome them.
Zimbabwe: Try drinking this water!
Marko Phiri posts a picture of Bulawayo water on the morning of 5 February 2011. He says, “Try drinking that!”
Afghanistan: Planning failure puts billions at risk
Nick Fielding reports that, according to an audit by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), $11.4 billion is at risk due to inadequate planning for the construction of nearly 900 Afghanistan National Security Forces (ANSF) facilities.
China: Afraid to go home for the New Year
ChinaHush has translated the lyrics of a popular Internet song, Afraid to go home for the New Year, written by He Puxian a drifter singer from Hubei.
Cote d'Ivoire: Ivorian Charity Hope
Nicole Ndamiba blogs about Ivorian Hope Charity, which focuses its efforts in the rural villages in the western region of Cote d'Ivoire because it was the most devasted region during the initial civil war.
Georgia: Blogger action in support of evicted IDPs
Following the eviction of IDP families from Abkhazia and South Ossetia, bloggers in Tbilisi, Georgia, have joined ranks with protesters demanding an end to their often forcible relocation and demands for proper housing.
Azerbaijan: Life through foreign eyes
With the number of Peace Corps Volunteers (PCV) growing each year in Azerbaijan, blogs reporting on everyday life in the country continue to appear online. AK in Azerbaijan, for example, expresses its fascination with the landscape, dynamics and opportunities of the capital, Baku, while Janet-in-Azerbaijan waxes lyrically about Baku at...
East Timor: Affordable telephony and collateral outcomes
Lemi Soares, from the blog IT Forum [tet], shares a video from Linux Conference Australia 2011, where he presented Dili Village Telco – a pioneer open technology deployment that aims to provide affordable telephony and to promote the creation of sustainable businesses for local people.