Magister Economicae - MEcon (Social Development)

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https://hdl.handle.net/10566/12958

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Browsing by Subject "Capabilities"

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    Exploring perceptions and experiences of students’ food insecurity in residences at the University of the Western Cape (UWC)
    (University of the Western Cape, 2023) Sigodi, Unati; Devereux, Stephen
    There have been ongoing debates about the state of food insecurity in institutions of higher learning in South Africa but with minimal sustainable solutions found. This thesis used Sen’s Capability Approach in exploring perceptions and experiences of students’ food insecurity in residences of the University of the Western Cape. This study employed a mixed-method sequential explanatory research design through a self-administered questionnaire, with 108 participants selected using a random stratified sampling method across the senior residence community. The data were analysed using SPSS for descriptive statistics, and thematic analysis, to better understand the barriers challenging students’ in achieving their capabilities and functionings. The study used Sen’s capability approach to identify conversion factors as well as strategies that are employed by students in residences to mitigate challenges that have a negative impact on availability, accessibility, utilisation, and stability of food. The findings of the study showed strengthened ties in terms of financial support for some students when running out of food. They indicated that food insecurity is not well perceived by students in residences and that should be a significant concern for the higher education and training especially for student development. The findings provided significant insight on students’ experiences through the Capability Approach on what is lacking in providing social protection to residence students. In addition, the findings have also provided an insight on intervention strategies that could assist students to improve their social and environmental conditions in addressing food insecurity in UWC residences. The findings have also shown that students’ food insecurity has not improved, as most students have not utilized the knowledge and awareness of the importance of good nutrition to improve their capabilities and functionings.
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    Social protection policy in promoting human development outcomes: the cash transfer programme for orphans and vulnerable children in Kiambu, Kenya
    (University of the Western Cape, 2014) Marangu, Joyce Njeri; Conradie, Ina
    Cash transfers, integral in social protection, have increasingly been viewed as a viable measure of promoting human development outcomes in low and middle income countries in the face of persistent poverty exacerbated by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Sub-Saharan Africa has been the worst hit by the HIV/AIDS pandemic with almost two thirds of the world’s HIV/AIDS patients living in the region. By 2005, 12 million children were orphaned by the disease while 2 million more below 15 years of age were estimated to be infected (UNICEF, 2005:2). To address the plight of orphans and vulnerable children in Kenya the government together with various international development agencies launched the Cash Transfer Programme for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (CT-OVC) in 2004 to provide for the basic needs of OVC and promote their human development. With the capability approach as its theoretical framework, this research seeks to determine the value attached by recipients of the CT-OVC to capabilities in the four broad dimensions of social life, health, education and play. It also seeks to gauge the extent of attainment of functionings in the four dimensions, and the association between participation in the programme and one’s functionings in the key dimensions. The research is conducted through a quasi-experimental design which compares recipients of the cash transfer to non-recipients and mixed methods are used to collect and analyse data. Results show that OVC consider capabilities in the dimensions of social life, education, health and play to be of high value in their lives. Children in the recipient group appear to have attained functionings in the four dimensions to a higher degree than their counterparts in the comparison group. There is also an association between participation in the CT-OVC programme and attainment of functionings in all four dimensions. Perceptions from participants explore further opportunities created or expanded through the CT-OVC as well as participants’ suggestions on the programme