Every poor country in the world wants to be 'developed'. But what does that mean? Is Ireland a developed country? Is Bangladesh, where I will spend eleven months volunteering with Voluntary Services Overseas, even developing?

A very well known Bangladeshi economist claims that development cannot be defined by simply looking at economic growth, investment levels or employment figures.

Instead, he says, development is about freedom; freedom from fear and from want; from persecution and from hunger. Ultimately Amartya Sen says that until all people enjoy a basic level of all of their human rights, no country can claim it is developed.

Given that many people live in fear of loosing their homes to banks and their jobs to more 'competitive' markets and that politics seems far removed from the lives of the average person, it would perhaps be more accurate to say that Ireland, like every other country in the world, is still developing.

In a league of developing countries, Ireland would still be placed mid-table in the top division, whereas Bangladesh would lie pretty close to the bottom of the lowest division.

But if we look closer we'll see that despite the massive gap between them, globalisation and humanity mean they share many common concerns.
In the months to come, I will be looking at some of the bigger development issues effecting people from Dhaka to Drumshanbo: issues such as human rights, trade and agriculture, climate change, religion, corruption and jobs.

Working with a small Bangladeshi human rights organisation will hopefully provide me with a great insight into what these issues mean on the ground.

Bear in mind that we are talking about a country only twice the size of Ireland but with a population of 155 million where up to 80% of the people earn less than $2 per day; a country which, in 2004, was deemed the most corrupt in the world; which sees it's extremely fertile land constantly wrecked by cyclones and floods and where 90% of the population follow the Islamic Faith.

Ireland too has much to offer in this area: many perceive national and local politics here to be corrupt, recent extreme weather has caused havoc, unemployment could soon reach 14%, religion has long played a prominent and controversial role in Irish society and some would claim we've lost our sense of fun, to the extent that young people now prefer to drink than dance!

Yet developing is above all about progress - the people of Bangladesh have recently experienced peaceful, free and fair elections for the first time since their independence in 1971; their current government appear to be tackling corruption in earnest; micro-credit facilities have enabled many people, especially women, to take control of their own destinies.

Here in Ireland all is not lost! A recent visit to a local primary school convinced me that children here are extremely smart, aware and confident. Despite our problems, the people of Ireland still have the capacity and the will to support the most vulnerable both on our own island and in places like Haiti.

As Europeans we are free to work in any European country; to move to Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the US knowing that we are as smart, experienced, qualified and skilled as anyone else out there.

For the great majority of people who stay in Ireland, they are staying in a country with greatly improved infrastructure; a flawed but stable democracy; a quirky but strong community-spirit and a people with much greater reserves of ingenuity than was required during the years of bribe, build, buy and bust.

So this is where we are, still developing and in a month's time, you might discover just how closely our development is linked to that of countries like Bangladesh.

To follow Michael's adventures in Bangladesh, visit www.timeforbangladesh.blogspot.com
To support Voluntary Services Overseas, who fight poverty by sharing skills and empowering poor people to take control over their own lives, please donate at www.justgiving.co.uk/michael-mcmanus