Since most states in the developing world do not have enough resources to assume all of their responsibilities regarding the provision of basic human needs and equitable socio-economic development, community and individual self-organisation is an inevitable approach towards improved welfare. And so, each individual, at a very personal level has a unique role to play for the betterment of his or her own welfare.Moreover, the realisation of improved welfare also requires individual personal involvement in the development process, as well as government’s effort to balance and direct the economy in a way that economic growth can go hand in hand with improvement of social conditions at the household level.

KEY CONCEPTS

Development broadly perceived means “a multi-dimensional process involving the reorganisation and reorientation of entire economic and social systems. It involves radical changes in institutional, social and administrative structures as well as in popular attitudes and sometimes even customs and beliefs” (Michael P. Todaro. Economics for Developing World, 1992). Development, therefore, ought to improve people’s quality of life. For example, development should mean that more people have access to better housing, education, improved transport, health care and improved nutrition.

Development encompasses economic growth, improved social conditions and the re-shaping of our customs, attitudes and beliefs. Economic growth is traditionally defined in terms of Gross National Product (GNP). GNP refers to the total output of goods and services produced by citizens of a particular nation over a specific period, normally one year, using resources obtained within the country and abroad. It is also called Total National Product or Aggregate Output.  So, by economic growth is meant an “increase from one period to the next in real GNP per capital, which is real GNP, divided by the country’s population” (Ruffin, Roy Principles of Economics. Illinois, 1938).

With this understanding, improved quality of life is not an automatic product of economic growth as some analysts contend. This is because the aggregate output may increase which often leads to growth of real GNP per capita while the actual quality of life at individual level has not really improved. Human development is primarily the development of people, not merely development of structures. Human development is always people-centered. For example, the fruits of harnessing mineral resources, tourism or road improvement should be evaluated in terms of relative improvement of the living standards of the individuals involved (the stakeholders and shareholders). Therefore, the end product of development must be the improvement of individuals’ and community’s quality of life.

GOVERNMENT’S ROLE

It is evident that for improved welfare, the government needs to constitute and implement accurate policies that will promote equitable and effective access to the key social services like education, health care, transport, improved housing, nutrition and food security. In this case, the government needs to play an empowerment role, which is to enable people to actively participate in production and welfare improvement. For example, the government can achieve this by providing adequate civic education, which is a linchpin for promotion of democracy in a society. Furthermore, the government needs to create a favorable environment for investment and production through maintenance of peace and security, development of infrastructures, guarantee of external loans and careful provision of tax incentives.

I observe that for many years several governments, especially in Africa, pay inadequate attention to individuals’ participation in the development process. For example, several governments have been trying to build hospitals and schools “for the people” instead of building hospitals and schools “with the people”. Regrettably, this is a mistake that will continue costing most of our governments for some more years to come until a real change of attitude is attained. In my opinion, projects like hospitals and schools that aim at uplifting the living standards of the people should always be a shared initiative between the government and the people.

Working with the people rather than for the people creates a sense of ownership since the approach allows people’s participation in terms of material, ideas and/or labour. Lack of ownership may give room to abuse (mishandling and embezzlement) of such projects by the public.

            There is no way any government will bring authentic and sustainable development to its people if it is not working hand in hand with the people at every stage from planning stage to completion. In this respect, I think that in addition to the ongoing efforts by many governments of putting empowering policies right, most African governments need to focus more on working with the people as opposed to the current trend of trying to work for the people.

INDIVIDUAL’S ROLE

In my view, development is a duty for both the government and the individuals. And so, individuals and their governments are necessary partners in the development process. This is because in order to achieve improved welfare, there are some activities/duties that must be carried out by the individuals themselves while others must be carried out by the government. For improved welfare, individuals need to take advantage of the opportunities provided to them by their government and the donor agencies through various formal and informal policies.

However, many times as individuals we fall into the trap of blaming the government for not playing its role as it should while overlooking basic individual roles. For example, the excuse for the abject poverty among populations in many African countries has always been that the government has not yet put the right policies in place to enable individuals to take appropriate action in the social-economic sphere. Even so, objectively speaking, I think one need to seize the opportunities of the already existing favorable policies in place while advocating for better socio-economic environment. For instance, in countries like Zambia and Tanzania it would be prudent to make the best use of the free primary education and the Anti-Retroviral drugs (ARVs) despite the indirect limitations involved while advocating for a more refined system. The same can be said for several poverty eradication projects elsewhere.

It is through individuals’ involvement in poverty reduction activities that one can find the conditions fitting for breaking his or her vicious circle of poverty. In my opinion, such involvement requires individual’s willingness before seeking government support. For example, individuals may try to do the following in order to put themselves in a better chance to improvement of their welfare.

ATTITUDE CHANGE

First, most people may need to consider a serious change of attitude in order to realize improved welfare. Change of attitude underscores the above definition of development. For example, many people need to change their attitude toward the use of government properties. It is unfortunate that sometimes some civil servants are not prudent enough on the way they use things like government vehicles, machines and houses.

Often some people prefer to use government vehicles rather than their own for doing “personal odd jobs”. Others indulge in careless driving of government vehicles. Some even go to the extent of taking spares from these cars and replacing them with old spares from their personal cars. The government may put in place favorable policies in place but if people have wrong attitudes towards the role of government in the development process it will be difficult to realise the fruits of such policies.

MISPLACED PRIORITIES

Another aspect of attitude change is lack of self-criticism in terms of self-expenditure pattern of additional or extra income. How do most people spend their salary increments, bonuses and other allowances? Some misuse their income in excessive drinking, financing unnecessary parties and buying luxurious assets.

I think the purpose of income increment is to improve the quality of life and promote productivity. The government, or a company, may attempt to increase the income of their employees in an attempt to improve their welfare but it is the duty of the individualhimself or herself to appropriately channel the additional income in order to improve his or her welfare. Likewise, one needs to criticize himself or herself on the exaggerated proportion of total income he or she spends on non-productive activities like unnecessary phone calls, extravagant and/or unnecessary spending on burial and wedding rituals, cosmetics, and traveling.

Similarly, farming communities also need to challenge themselves for they are not exempt of poor spending. For instance, in most villages most of the traditional ceremonies are held during or immediately after harvest. This is the time when many farmers have some money to meet the costs associated with such ceremonies. I do not wish to enter into the discussion of the validity of such ceremonies.

For now, let us just focus on whether the amount of money they spend on such feasts is justifiable in relation to their total income and whether those ceremonies are the priority. The crucial question is how such ceremonies contribute to the well-being of these people for the remaining part of the year. Are they not one of the key causes of food insecurity? Can the key hosts of these ceremonies be judged right if they keep on blaming the government “for all the sufferings” they undergo including food shortage and inability to cover costs of primary education and basic health care?

Rightly, to some extent the government needs to come in to help the farming community to meet basic food requirements and also have a fair access to social services. But most of the subsistent farmers need to adjust some of their spending habits in order to draw maximum benefits from their annual harvests.

RIGHT PRIORITIES FIRST

In my view, a correct identification of spending preferences coupled with a balanced long term planning is key for improved welfare. No matter how much money one has, or how good the government policies are, individual planning and correct identification of spending preferences remain crucial determinants for a successful and improved welfare.

Family size greatly influences the propensity for future investment. Due to scarcity of resources, prospects for sustainable development may not really exist in a “jumbo” family. In my view, in order to alleviate the problem of large and unsustainable family, we need to pay attention to both the size of the family and the quality of life of each of the family members. I think it is not enough just to have a limited number of children, but to have a number of children where one can assure a dignified nourishment, education, health care, housing and clothing.

The government may provide family planning educational and facility, but it is the duty of individuals themselves to decide to put them into practice. As much as we emphasize the need for the government to put priorities right, there is need to change some of our attitudes and also set our priorities right in the way we spend our income and the way we plan our families.

COMMITMENT

Secondly, for improved welfare and equitable development both the individuals and the government have to take assiduousness in work as a very significant aspect in bringing human development. For instance, increased technological advances and financial assistance may fail to attain the desired results if individuals are not self-motivated to work. Moreover, a deeper sense of work goes hand in hand with enthusiasm for job creation.

Both the government and individuals are responsible partners for job creation. Without enough jobs the fight against poverty will be to no avail. However, the big question is how best we are using the few job opportunities available. To evaluate how one is committed to work, it may be helpful to start by analyzing the number of hours one spends working effectively per day. For farmers it may be worth reflecting whether they have any proper plan on the way to spend their time after harvest, and for office workers how well they spend their time at work and after office hours, during weekends and holidays.

            The government may need to help farmers by providing means for irrigation farming as a possible way of making the best use of post-harvest season, but I think individuals need to take initiatives by pooling their resources and then presenting their plan to the government and donor agencies “not” for initial capital, but in addition to what they already have no matter how little it might be. Besides, in order to succeed in any kind of work there is need to identify and avoid all kinds of “time wasters”. For example, one needs to find out whether he or she always plan his or her work ahead of time to avoid loitering and spending too much time over a small activity. Likewise, there is need to be conscious about the amount of time we spent over the phone or lunch and tea breaks.

To talk of development and improved welfare without discipline at work is a contradiction. I think if we all take seriously our primary responsibilities in the economy by working efficiently and innovatively, the economies of our countries can be driven forward. Active participation at work and sincere cooperation with the government from the grassroots’ level is the best alternative for job creation and welfare improvement -- a tool for “Making Poverty History”.

EDUCATION AS “KEY”

Third, for sustainable welfare of today’s households and for the upcoming generations, it is significant for individuals to invest in education as well as other forms of human resource. This is because continuous education is an obvious requirement for alleviation of individual’s extreme poverty and a key for realisation of improved welfare.

Good education will enable individuals to give proper response to life challenges. Investment in education by individual households, government and donor agencies, is an effective strategy for reducing poverty that is persistently flourishing among the population. In particular, investment in an appropriate education has an immense potential of increasing labor productivity in developing countries, and contributing to poverty reduction. An appropriate education both substitutes and complements the scarcely existing physical capital, and it has a great potential for determining poverty levels especially in Africa.

I notice that the effects of low levels of education for parents are stronger especially among women. For example, there is still a mentality among some African tribes that educating a girl-child is educating someone else’s wife, but educating a boy child is educating a family member who can be relied on for the future wellbeing of the family. This wrong and degrading philosophy is common among people without basic education and parents who are not willing to open up and re-shape their traditional approach to life.

ADULT LITERACY

I think basic adult education uplifts the potential for children’s enrollment and performance in school irrespective of their gender. Children whose parents have completed at least secondary education are more likely to pursue their studies even up to tertiary level partly because the parents already know the importance of education. Normally, well-informed parents are more attentive to the importance of education and they are in a better position to keep an eye on the performance their children. But if the parents are not well informed how can they perform this important task? I therefore contend that the educational level of parents in the family is one of the most significant aspects of development and improved welfare of today’s households and for future generations.

I also observe that there is a strong correlation between a mother’s education and the health and nutritional status of her children. For instance, most literate mothers are aware of the importance of taking their children to clinics for vaccination and they have a better understanding of an appropriate diet for their babies, themselves and their families. What is more, they are capable of adopting a genuine family planning measure that will allow adequate time span and resource development for supporting a baby before having another one.  Such expectations cannot be legitimately expected from illiterate mothers.

INDIVIDUAL’S CREATIVITY

            How could individuals acquire appropriate education for living? On the one hand, I think this question requires individual response because each individual need to be self-motivated in order to realize his or her personal well-being, no one can do it for him or her.

In order to experience an improved welfare one has to identify very clearly what one wants to achieve in life and how to achieve it before seeking material help from any one else.

Equally, the well-wishers’ efforts to help the poor will bear sustainable fruits if individual recipients are prepared and self-motivated in actualizing such helping hands.

Moreover, daily and sustained individual search for truth in all spheres of life is an entry point toward a practical education for life. Daily critical reading, participation in various discussions, observation and analysis of current socio-economic affairs, and relentless reflection and formulation of appropriate response to every day experiences are some of the crucial educational items for improved individual well-being.

PARTNERS IN DEVELOPMENT

In this reflection, I have affirmed that although there has been an emphasis on the role of the government in the development process, both the government and the individual are necessary partners. On the side of the government, I affirmed that in addition to the ongoing efforts of instituting empowering policies, most African governments need to change their attitude and work more with the people rather than work for the people.

That means getting people at all levels involved fully in their own development struggles. An improved welfare, among other things, needs individual’s change of attitudes and discipline in the use of income, putting proper emphasis on education, developing a deeper sense of work and supporting the government, e.g., paying tax and unveiling corruption incidences.  Without such support to the government there is no reason for one to expect better roads, better education and health facilities.

I also advance that it is biased to look at the government as a cause of all social-economic mess in society.  With such an attitude, real development and improved household well-being will certainly become a mere chimera. The government has the duty to institute proper policies, for instance, giving priority and investing in girls and women education especially in rural areas and/or subsidizing the costs of accessing health and education services. For improved living standards, individuals can cooperate with the government in transforming such policies into reality.

I think we do not really need a government to come and tell us that we need to start a small garden or open a small project like a poultry, a small scale diary and piggery farming in order to supplement our little monthly incomes or annual harvests, how to spend salary increments or other allowances. These are individual obligations. It is appropriate to emphasize that the key for an improvement of the individual’s welfare is not a matter of money as many may like to think, but rather the individual’s self organization and creativity in the face of scarce resources.

Corbinian Kyara, S.J.

Arrupe College
Harare