What's your take on development-related issues? Are you...

[Frances Tay McHugh]

...a conscientious shopper who cares about his/her carbon footprint?

Think that charity = aid = development?

That development aid is a waste of resources. For example, how do you square UK taxpayers' funds being spent on development in far-flung places like Pakistan with UK arms sales to this country; which is heavily in debt with the World Bank?
See: The Sunday Herald, 2006 article arms sales (http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4156/is_20060730/ai_n16649513),
See: BBC, 2002 article arms sales
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2110081.stm
See: DFID, 2007 press release - development aid
http://www.dfid.gov.uk/news/files/pressreleases/birmingham-talking.asp
See: World Bank Stats, 2006 - country profile
http://devdata.worldbank.org/external/CPProfile.asp?PTYPE=CP&CC...

Do you think "development" is a dirty word? Or absolutely essential because we can't beggar our neighbours; we are one global village, our fates intrinsically tied together?

I am currently a grad student on the University of Reading MA Social Development and Sustainable Livelihoods programme. I have started a blog (http://restoredignity.blogspot.com/) for those who wish to share their comments and thoughts; just to spark debate, hear the views of others, to have my finger on the pulse of current issues that matter. I also wish to - at some point in the future - test my hypotheses - that the human individual needs to be at the centre of development theory and practice in order for the program to be sustainable and self-generating/perpetuating.

If you'd like to share a new topic, please let me know, and I will post it as a new thread. You can email me from the blog: http://restoredignity.blogspot.com/

Thanks for reading this. I hope you will spend a few minutes to share your views: http://restoredignity.blogspot.com/Thanks for participating and being heard!

PS. I picked the country Pakistan above as an example for no particular reason other than it was the first country to come to mind, which I felt would illustrate the UK government's contradictory policies operating simultaneously in one country.

[colinong]

Thanks Frances for your posting - will look into it.

Hey, can you give M4S an update about life in England :) How are studies...

[Frances Tay McHugh]

Hiya, yes, I have posted a blog on M4S about what it feels like to pursue further studies midstream career - what do you think, rather than in forum thread, that better right?

Fran

[Dr. Marlena Corcoran]

Frances, you are asking for an outpouring of frustration and even rage. You are right to mention the hypocrisy of the donor nations; but how about the corruption of the recipient nations?

So what do I, personally do? I support Kiva . Free Rice genuinely helps my students--and me!--improve our vocabularies even as we rack up rice grains.

My most personal action is--well, you may think this is ridiculous, but--whenever I travel on business, especially to a poorer city, I leave money for the hotel chambermaid. Think about it: every one of these women is working at a low-paying job (nights, weekends and holidays) because she doesn't have advanced skills, and she probably has a family. This money goes directly into the hands of women and children.

Let me say that again: this money goes directly into the hands of women and children.

Well, Frances, you asked for personal replies . . .