Tag Archives: Community

Bridging Economics and Social Practices

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Economics as Professor Muhammad Yunus has implemented it has truly bridged a path between its typical competitive capitalist association and its philanthropic capabilities. It is through this bridging process that he has learned not only the importance of his work but also different ways that others can contribute to this new initiative to solve poverty.
It was through his observations of corrupt loan practices in Dhaka, Bangladesh that he was first inspired to utilize his profession as a form of activism to solving social economic problems. Furthermore, it was through observation that it was learned how to better implement his newly created and more honest practices of providing loans. For example, it was through practice and observation that Prof. Yunus found out that his loaned money would better benefit families, as he states, “Over time we noticed something interesting. The loans that went through the women appeared to have a greater development impact on the family.” [1] This discovery would be then applied to other microcredit programs around the world.
Professor Yunus’ utilization of his loan program serves as a bridge connecting capitalism as it exists today and social business. Accommodating social businesses into capitalism allows for a “solution of many of the problems we see today.” [1] The goal of these social driven businesses are to provide assistance to many of the social and economic needs of citizens in less than favorable situations. Many of these issues deal with malnutrition, safe drinking water for rural areas, and other. In essence there needs to be a balance between the output that capitalism provides and better connecting it with entrepreneurial work. It should not be that one is limited to help society through charities of non-profit organizations because these sometimes limit the amount of work that can be done and are very specific to their utilization while private companies for example can provide more fluctuation in the way money is utilized.
Many government programs across other countries have begun to utilize this bridging method such as the Compartamos program in Mexico. However, many of these programs continue to keep interest high and as a result turn out to be the same form of corrupt money lending strategies that inspired Yunus many years ago. The goal as result needs to be clear and it needs to specify that the objective is to bring people out of poverty and help them develop a good economic standing from where they can increase their chances of socio-economic mobility.
Through these initiatives Prof. Yunus hopes to eliminate desperate practices such as those of organ trade that can really affect the mental and physical health of poor communities in Bangladesh. Of course he understands its way of providing for those in dire need and instead discourages its banishment but rather encourages its regulation. While loaning is effective one must consider the needs of families that receive these loans. Through, once again, observation it was found that most families spend quite a bit on health care and as a result don’t amount to much economic recuperation. As a result many of his economic initiatives are attached to healthcare related ones. As Yunus states,” our vision is to deliver radically affordable, sustainable and world class quality healthcare for all.
If many more professionals dedicated a portion of their fields to create a bridge between their profession and philanthropy and social funding the state of this world would change. Many times we find ourselves enveloped in our own professional world and lose sight of what surrounds us but if we utilize the passion that we have for our profession and find a way to balance it then a new more desirable world can be produced. This of course has to come from our own initiatives because this change has to come from one’s own desires and not from anyone else.

1. Dr Toh Han Chong, Interview with Professor Muhammad Yunus, SMA News, Volume 40 No. 12 December 2008

Helping the other “Half”

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Informal settlements around the world have begun to catch the attention of not only philanthropists but also of design driven professions such as architects, engineers, and artist of all types have found potential in the rejuvenation of these locations. Architecture firms such as Metropolis Projetos Urbanos have added into their design purpose the rejuvenation of spaces deemed lost to informality by the citizens of the city. Artist such as JR have also created projects utilizing the buildings in the favelas of Rio as a canvas to portray the stories held within the boundaries of the neighborhood.
In the past designers have exclusively focused on designing for a very small margin of the world population that can provide money for planned designs. As Cynthia Smith states, “ Professional designers have traditionally focused on the 10 % of the world’s population that can afford their goods and services”.[1] Currently, there seems to be a trend to incorporate newly commercialized forms of technology in order to incorporate sectors of society that in the past have been previously ignored. In part recent advances in technology such as Google earth, YouTube, and the internet in general have allowed individuals from developed countries to observe the way of life of individuals who are not as fortunate as they are. This has gathered the attention of designers who want to place power in their own hands and solve as Smith states, “solve the world’s most critical problems”. [1]
The individuality of each informal settlement as a result of the structural and formal adaptations it has undergone to adjust to the context of its site must be considered when designs are being created. Firms such as Proyecto Arqui5 identified the uniqueness of the La Vega community in Caracas. As a result, the stair design that incorporated water sewage systems throughout the settlement was designed with not only with the sites context in mind but also the needs of the people who inhabit the spaces as well. Other organizations like Surat City have utilized the internet to aid in the development among the poor over the effects of global warming in the community. Creating a solution is important but making sure the solution works with existing factors such as topography, climate, geography, displaced individuals, and famine is crucial because this can actually help the neighborhood evolve beyond its present situation.
Creating solutions for the neighborhood must go along with bridging the divide that exists in many cases with the formal city. Through projects of infrastructure, construction of social, security, medical, and health facilities one can create situations where the informal has been incorporated into the rest of the city and instigated a feeling of self-worth within the inhabitants of these localities. As Jorge Mario Jauregui writes in his article, “The aim is to articulate the divided city and society by providing greater accessibility, investments in infrastructure, new public social facilities, and environmental revitalization, connecting the formal and the informal parts of the city” [2].
To employ these policies a step by step process must be undertaken that truly involves the community in the actions that will take place in the community. Site visits have to be included in order for the architect, artist, designer, etc. to be able to have a better understanding of the surroundings she/he will be designing for. One thing is to assume the problems of the community but another is to actually talk with members or representatives who actually know the issue the community has to deal with on a daily basis. Researching the history of the community where each person comes from and why things are the way they are critical in creating a better future for the communities.
The advancements in technology have created a more connected world that gives the possibility to understand each other’s problems. As a result this has created interest in various fields in regards to helping those in less than ideal living situations. However, as help is brought to these people the different steps must be considered because they lead to solutions that can really go for the root problems not just the superficial ones and in effect have a longer lasting imprint in the lives of those we want to help.

1. Cynthia E. Smith, Designing Inclusive Cities, ( New York : Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, 2011)p. 13- 29
2. Jorge Mario Jauregui, “Articulating The Broken City and Society”, ( Architectural Design , 18 April 2011), p. 58-63

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Crime – Division and Cohesion

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Issues of crime in the global south have been documented to be both high and low in various poor communities. In the case of San Paulo, crime has played a role of division as well as cohesion. The divisive effects of crime, particularly violent crime, has caused a rift to be widened between the informal and the formal cities, leaving the “periphery” communities cut off from the formal, wealth-centered metropolis. This only makes sense, as violent crime increases, those who can afford to leave dangerous areas chose to do so. The result is a worsening crime rate inside the periphery – or so one would think.

The statistics given in “Worlds Set Apart” by Teresa Caldeira indicate that murders per 100,000 people have dramatically dropped in the past 10-15 years, down more than 75% from the year 2000. This is an indicator is progress being made in the poorer communities that must deal with crime and the lack of options to combat it. But what about crime that is not violent? “Crime,” referring to illegal activity in general, can take many forms, and some of which can have beneficial effects.

Caldeira talks about how the existence of violent crime has led to a discussion amongst the inhabitants of San Paulo that has manifested itself in a security-oriented living environment, with enclosures and walls being constructed and spaces becoming more privatized. In the periphery, this has led to a deep and vocalized movement of rap music. The idea of them vs. us and poor vs. rich and good vs. bad has become themes for lyrics that have helped build a culture and cohesive community of people going through the same hardships and dealing with the same issues through the almost spiritual bond of music.

Crime in the form of graffiti has also created a positive effect on the periphery residents. Caldeira notes how some San Paulo graffiti artists have becoming famous and are able to profit from their artwork, even though their trade is technically illegal and can be considered criminal.

An interesting link to this cultural artwork is that of Cairo, Egypt’s young artists that have taken their people’s political protests and emotions and have conveyed them illegally on the public streets of downtown Cairo. As a form of protest that is there until the government can wash it away, the graffiti functions as both a recurring and present-day political speech, while also acting as a reminder of the past injustices the Egyptian people have memorialized as public art. In these ways, “crime” can be seen as serving a purpose in creating communities.

As a political reminder of the Egyptian Revolution of 2011, the people of Cairo have marked and added to this mural that shows the two-faced corruption of their government during that time.