Micro-credit unions, how they work and how they are empowering women in Glasgow to start their own small businesses.

Small change for a better world

What does it mean to be poor, or an immigrant? What form should Aid take? This album begins to explore the complex issues of international development in a globalised world, starting with a look at schemes which attempt to alleviate poverty. Small business owners are empowered by micro-financing in Glasgow, while in Argentina a disastrous economic collapse has led to people taking matters into their own hands by creating an alternative social exchange currency. Migrant communities, such as Greek Cypriots and Ethiopians in London, and Sierra Leoneans in Liverpool, have a chance to reveal the issues they’ve faced; while in the audio tracks we hear from experts who are working to expand the contribution that African migrants abroad can make to Africa’s development. Finally, a Chinese "beer pioneer" and China trade experts discuss China’s membership of the World Trade Organisation. To complete the album, Dr Helen Yanacopulos of The Open University's Development Policy and Practice unit explains the choice of some of the case studies, and unpicks some of the issues that emerge. This material is taken from The Open University course TU871 Development: context and practice.