Is Self Help the best help?

Persistent poverty in Least Developed Countries is a concern which has drawn a number of external efforts, the most recent being the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The paradox has and still is, that while aid has been provided in large quantities, the debt burden and poverty levels in developing countries especially Sub Saharan Africa, seem to be on the increase and the ability of aid to solve this is now highly questioned.This state of affair propelled an investigation on the option of development from within-self help. Using a comparative approach, this book looks at self help and donor funded projects highlighting to which degree sources of funding have an impact on the sustainability of development projects, measured as improved and environmentally friendly livelihoods for local people.Specifically, this book assesses how the difference in formation and management of self help and donor funded projects influences realization of improved and environmentally friendly livelihoods. The book provides principle conclusions to guide scholars and development practitioners in genuine pursuit for sustainable development for Least developed Countries and the rest of the world.