The Impact of Micro-Finance on the Performance of Small-Scale Enterprises: A Comparison of Sinapi Aba Trust and Maata-N-Tudu Associations in Wa Municipality, Ghana

Literature on the impact of micro-finance institutions (MFIs) on small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) is still fraught with inconsistent results, with some concluding on positive impacts while others reporting negative impacts. This paper therefore sets out to assess the impact that the study-MFIs are making on their SMEs-client in the Wa Municipality. The withand- without approach, coupled with a quasi-longitudinal approach was employed for the study. Data were gathered from the study-MFIs’ documents and questionnaire administration. Simple percentage change was used as a measure of growth of mean sales revenue. Analysis of variance (ANOVA), Spearman’s correlation coefficient (r) and coefficient of determination were also used in the analyses, with various hypotheses tests. It is concluded that the study-MFIs make positive impacts on the mean sales revenues of their client – SMEs, with great differences between those of SAT and MTA clients on the one hand and those of the control group on the other. A slight difference that exists between the two study-MFIs was accounted for by differences in their management approaches. A strong positive correlation exists between average sales revenue on one hand and micro loans, level of education and training on the other.Keywords: Small-scale Enterprises, Micro-Financing, Micro-Credit, Sales Revenue, Impac

Memoirs of a Mother: Life between an Islamic fantasy, Cultural Patriarchy, and the Startling Reality.

Article 490 of the Moroccan Penal Code deems sexual relations outside of marriage illegal and punishable by one month to one-year prison time. But in a society where marriage is often delayed due to financial restrictions, premarital sex is common and pervasive. Though premarital sex is the norm amongst many, if a lady becomes pregnant, the tables turn she is labeled a “whore” or a “street woman”. If a man fathers a child out of wedlock; he can simply deny affiliation and walk out of the picture.The woman is marginalized, and the father of the child does not bear any cultural or legal responsibility for the child. I asked important questions like who are these couples and what are their circumstances, what does society have to say about them, and what does religion say about them? After researching, I have found that these single mothers fit very diverse profiles, but most come from impoverished backgrounds and entered into consensual relationships with their partners. After speaking and observing over thirty individuals on the topic of single mothers, I have concluded that Moroccan society does not have mercy on these women, and they are flung to the outer edges of Moroccan society. Lastly, I looked at what Islam, the inspiration behind Article 490, has to say about sexual relations outside of marriage. I find that Moroccan society lives between three differing worlds: the Islamic mentality, the cultural mentality, and reality. People are able to move between differing worlds and switch their mentalities depending on the situation. But in the end I find that women get the short end of the stick when the final chess piece has been moved into position

Analysis of marine environment protection law in Tanzania

The polluting potential of wastes generated is a function of the volume of effluent discharged, their dilution in the receiving water, and their toxicity to marine life. The coastal pollution in Tanzania is no exception to this defined parameter of polluting potential. Most of the factories along the Tanzanian coast often discharge their wastes without treatment directly into the sea. This coupled with the rapidly growing human population and settlements in the coastal zone further exert pressure on the coastal resources. The current state of the Tanzanian marine pollution therefore, is a matter of concern. The environmental challenges that Tanzania faces exist partly because its Government has not adequately taken into consideration the need for comprehensive environmental law and policy. The present policy lacks an assessment of costs that are imposed on the environment in the form of pollution, depletion of natural resources, destruction of ecological heritage and associated problems with human health. There is thus an inadequate legislative response to marine pollution from both land and sea-based sources. .,, This study analizes the existing marine environment protection laws in Tanzania in the light of the above stated problems related to marine pollution. The main parameters that have been analysed are marine environmental pollution, loss of wildlife habitats, biodiversity and deterioration of aquatic systems; with respect to the role of the Government institutions in achieving a sustainable marine environmental policy. Finally, conclusion and recommendations are made, to prevent, mitigate and minimise threats of marine pollution. A framework for environmental legislation is also proposed, and a legal mechanism suggested to be consistent with the tenets of environmental planning and management

One-dimensional potential for image-potential states on graphene

In the framework of dielectric theory the static non-local self-energy of an electron near an ultra-thin polarizable layer has been calculated and applied to study binding energies of image-states near free-standing graphene. The corresponding series of eigenvalues and eigenfunctions have been obtained by solving numerically the one-dimensional Schr{\"o}dinger equation. Image-potential-state wave functions accumulate most of their probability outside the slab. We find that a Random Phase Approximation (RPA) for the non-local dielectric function yields a superior description for the potential inside the slab, but a simple Fermi-Thomas theory can be used to get a reasonable quasi-analytical approximation to the full RPA result that can be computed very economically. Binding energies of the image-potential states follow a pattern close to the Rydberg series for a perfect metal with the addition of intermediate states due to the added symmetry of the potential. The formalism only requires a minimal set of free parameters; the slab width and the electronic density. The theoretical calculations are compared to experimental results for work function and image-potential states obtained by two-photon photoemission.Comment: 24 pages; 10 figures. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1301.448

Direct resolution of unoccupied states in solids via two photon photoemission

Non-linear effects in photoemission are shown to open a new access to the band structure of unoccupied states in solids, totally different from hitherto used photoemission spectroscopy. Despite its second-order nature, strong resonant transitions occur, obeying exact selection rules of energy, crystal symmetry, and momentum. Ab-initio calculations are used to demonstrate that such structures are present in low-energy laser spectroscopy experimental measurements on Si previously published. Similar resonances are expected in ultraviolet angle-resolved photoemission spectra, as shown in a model calculation on Al.Comment: 12 pages, including 4 figure

Quantum Coherence of Image-Potential States

The quantum dynamics of the two-dimensional image-potential states in front of the Cu(100) surface is measured by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and spectroscopy (STS). The dispersion relation and the momentum resolved phase-relaxation time of the first image-potential state are determined from the quantum interference patterns in the local density of states (LDOS) at step edges. It is demonstrated that the tip-induced Stark shift does not affect the motion of the electrons parallel to the surface.Comment: Submitted to Phys. Rev. Lett., 4 pages, 4 figures; corrected typos, minor change

Scanning tunneling microscopy and kinetic Monte Carlo investigation of Cesium superlattices on Ag(111)

Cesium adsorption structures on Ag(111) were characterized in a low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy experiment. At low coverages, atomic resolution of individual Cs atoms is occasionally suppressed in regions of an otherwise hexagonally ordered adsorbate film on terraces. Close to step edges Cs atoms appear as elongated protrusions along the step edge direction. At higher coverages, Cs superstructures with atomically resolved hexagonal lattices are observed. Kinetic Monte Carlo simulations model the observed adsorbate structures on a qualitative level.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figure

Nonadiabatic dynamics of electron scattering from adsorbates in surface bands

We present a comparative study of nonadiabatic dynamics of electron scattering in quasi-two-dimensional surface band which is induced by the long-range component of the interactions with a random array of adsorbates. Using three complementary model descriptions of intraband spatiotemporal propagation of quasiparticles that go beyond the single-adsorbate scattering approach we are able to identify distinct subsequent regimes of evolution of an electron following its promotion into an unoccupied band state: (i) early quadratic or ballistic decay of the initial-state survival probability within the Heisenberg uncertainty window, (ii) preasymptotic exponential decay governed by the self-consistent Fermi golden rule scattering rate, and (iii) asymptotic decay described by a combined inverse power-law and logarithmic behavior. The developed models are applied to discuss the dynamics of intraband adsorbate-induced scattering of hot electrons excited into the n=1 image-potential band on Cu(100) surface during the first stage of a two-photon photoemission process. Estimates of crossovers between the distinct evolution regimes enable assessments of the lifespan of a standard quasiparticle behavior and thereby of the range of applicability of the widely used Fermi golden rule and optical Bloch equations approach for description of adsorbate-induced quasiparticle decay and dephasing in ultrafast experiments

Challenges of the Targeting Approach to Social Protection: An assessment of the Ghana Livelihood Empowerment against Poverty Programme in the Wa Municipality of Ghana

Global debates on social protection have raised concerns about the appropriateness of the targeting approach for better inclusion. This study contributes to these  debates by exploring the specific challenges associated with the targeting  mechanism adopted by the Ghana Livelihood Empowerment against Poverty (LEAP) programme within the Upper West Regional programme district of Wa Municipality of Ghana. Qualitative data on beneficiaries’ perceptions and experiences with the  LEAP programme were collected through in-depth interviews with 30 LEAP  beneficiaries and key informant interviews with three LEAP implementers. The  findings reveal widespread perceptions of inclusion errors associated with the  targeting approach adopted by LEAP. These perceived inclusion errors are as a  result of lack of transparency in the handling of procedures, political interference in  the selection process and poor data on household’s poverty statuses. Unintended  consequences of the approach include poverty-labeling, stigmatization and envy of beneficiaries leading to hatred and conflicts which are capable of destroying social  cohesion in rural beneficiary communities. A sense of beneficiary powerlessness to  question the ‘ills’ in the operations of programme is also a challenge inherent in the  targeting approach. To ensure effective targeting, there is the need for education to  be provided on the purpose, selection process and benefits of the programme,  particularly, at the community level. There is also the need to strengthen the  monitoring of the selection process. It is important that civil society organizations provide complementary interventions to empower beneficiaries to demand for their entitlements from the programme.Keywords: Social Protection, Cash Transfers, Targeting Approach, Challenges, Livelihood Empowerment against Poverty, Ghan