11613 research outputs found
Sort by
Rescripting the permanence of Ramkraal: a skills development centre within the historic ruins of the Ramkraal prison for the community of Batho
No full textConservation and adaptive reuse projects help to reactivate long-forgotten places and offer a revived space for the growth of the next generation of South Africans. The question is: How can a community-catalysed skills development centre in-between Batho and the Bloemfontein CBD be sensitively integrated and rescripted within a ruin – the Historic Ramkraal Prison in Bloemfontein – thereby inverting the established power structure by activating learning settings aimed at self-liberation? When confronted with culturally significant and heritage-protected architecture, the usual response is to encompass it in time and turn it into a museum rather than analysing the immediate context and creating a place for growth for communities and people who need it. The proposed design offers a place of self-liberation while both retaining the existing structural fabric and sensitively adjoining new structures to these, in order to rescript established orders and architectural character. The study focuses on adaptive reuse of culturally significant heritage buildings and how the new can creatively respond to the old. After several failed attempts to preserve the Prison complex — all focusing on preserving the historic physical remains of the ensemble — the proposed design offers a community-centred solution where the preservation of heritage resources as historical beacons ultimately depends on the vitality of surrounding communities
Adaptive immune response in COVID-19 patients and innate immune modulation of SARS-CoV-2
No full textThesis (Ph.D.(Medical Virology))--University of the Free State, 2023In December 2019, a cluster of cases of atypical pneumonia were reported in Wuhan, China. All patients had a history of attending a large seafood market. Surveillance and detection methods established during the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV)-1 outbreak contributed towards the identification of the virus as a novel coronavirus (CoV). The virus was later named SARS-CoV-2 and identified as the causative agent of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Despite massive attempts to contain the virus in China, the cases rapidly increased and spread globally, and the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 30 January 2020 and characterized the outbreak as a pandemic on 11 March 2020. Assessing immunoglobulin (Ig)-G and neutralizing antibodies is essential to comprehensively evaluate the efficacy and duration of immunity conferred by natural infection and the COVID-19 vaccines. Effectively determining SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence within a population is important as it helps to improve our understanding of virus circulation dynamics, identify individuals at risk of infection, and the extent of virus exposure in the community. Therefore, this study investigated the duration and kinetics of adaptive immunity, particularly the persistence of IgG and neutralizing antibodies, in patients who recovered from SARS-CoV-2 in the Free State, South Africa.
Commercial assays are expensive, and hence two anti-spike (S) inhouse assays, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunofluorescence assay (IFA), were developed and validated for detection of anti-S IgG. A total of 89 serum samples were collected from COVID-19 PCR-confirmed patients between 2-94 days post-symptom onset to validate the assay. A 100 prepandemic samples were used as a negative control panel to determine the cutoff of the assay. A cutoff value of 30% was considered accurate to differentiate between negative and positive samples using a two-graph receiver operating characteristic (TG-ROC). The assays exhibited a sensitivity of 100% for ELISA and 98.8% for IFA when testing samples collected more than one week after the onset of illness. The positive predictive values (ppv) were 92.1% for ELISA and 91.0% for IFA on PCR-confirmed positive samples. The assays were also compared to a commercially available SAPRHA-approved assay, where the ELISA showed a higher ppv of 95.8 %, while the Roche assay was 89.6 %, and the commercial lateral flow was 93.9 %. The two in-house assays also detected IgG antibodies in samples collected from waves in which new variants were circulating, showing that despite mutations of the SARS-CoV-2 S protein, the assay was still sensitive to detect IgG antibodies in circulating variants. This indicates that these assays could be used for surveillance of the South African population.
To investigate the duration of anti-S IgG and neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, 100 individuals with previously confirmed COVID-19 infection were recruited for the study. The cohort included 64/100 vaccinated and 36/100 unvaccinated individuals. Initial samples were collected between March 2021 and January 2022, with confirmed infection between June 2020 and December 2021. Follow-up samples were collected from 82/100 in 2022 and 62/100 in 2023 of the initial cohort. Samples were tested for anti-S IgG antibodies and neutralizing antibodies against Ancestral strain, Delta, and Omicron variants. A total of 95/100 baseline samples tested positive for anti-S IgG and 79/82 and 53/62 for follow-up samples. A total of 99/100, 78/100, and 72/100 baseline samples tested positive for neutralizing antibodies against the Ancestral strain, Delta, and Omicron variants. A total of 80/82, 63/82, 77/82 in 2022 and 53/62, 50/62, 56/62 in 2023 tested positive for neutralizing antibodies against the Ancestral, Delta, and Omicron variants, respectively. Samples were grouped based on the time (days) the samples were collected post-onset of illness. Results showed that IgG antibodies were significantly higher directly after infection, between 1-180 days, then gradually declined significantly with time. Neutralizing antibody titers against the Ancestral strain and Delta variant were significantly higher early after infection, between 1-180 days, remained relatively stable for an extended period, and then waned gradually before declining significantly. In contrast, although not significant, neutralizing antibodies against the Omicron variant increased with time, but this may be because samples were collected when the Omicron variant was still prevalent. Results also showed that vaccinated individuals had significantly higher antibody titers than unvaccinated, highlighting the importance of continued vaccination. The study shows the longevity of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, as most individuals still had detectable titers at least 24 months post-acute infection, possibly boosted by vaccination or reinfection. The study also shows that the dynamics of antibodies vary among individuals; most individuals display declining antibody titers with time, and a smaller proportion maintain stable antibodies or a fluctuation of antibodies over time.
Traditional medicinal plants have been proposed as promising, cost-effective treatments for SARS-CoV-2, with studies showing the potential to induce protection against different viral infections. The study also investigated the potential of Phela, a traditional medicine prepared from the extracts of four South African plants, and the individual components to modulate the release of cytokines in SARS-CoV-2 Omicron-infected mammalian cells and to investigate the influence of the plant extracts on viral replication. Cells were treated with the plant extracts before or after infection with SARS-CoV-2. Subsequently, cell culture media was collected at 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours post-infection and tested for virus replication and levels of Interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-2Rα, IL-6, IL-10, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and interferon (IFN)-γ cytokines. There was no statistically significant difference in viral load between infected cells treated with plant extracts compared to infected and untreated cells, showing that the plant extracts may have little to no effect on virus replication. Treatment with plant extracts resulted in significantly lower release of IL-1β, IL-2Rα, and TNF-α, with better response post-treatment than pretreatment, showing that the plant extracts may have the potential to manage cytokine storms and be a potential source of treatment for SARS-CoV-2
Educational capabilities and aspirations of informal market women: the case of the "Stop 'N Shop" informal open market in Windhoek, Namibia
No full textDissertation (MDS (Development Studies))--University of the Free State, 2023Accounting for more than 60% of the world’s population, the informal economy is known to be where they earn their income and livelihoods (International Labour Organization (ILO), 2018). In Namibia and many parts of the world, the prevalence of the informal sector has been apparent enough to make it a worldwide phenomenon, regardless of the socio-economic development of the various countries. However, the majority has been recorded higher in developing countries. Employment in the informal sector is globally higher for men at 63% and 58% for women, but women are found to be involved in the most vulnerable types of work or from home-based spaces (ILO, forthcoming). In addition to that, women are said to represent about 70% of the global poor (Golla, Malhotra, Nanda, & Mehra, 2011). Moreover, it is evident across various literature that the empowerment of women market workers in the informal economy is a factor that influences growth in choices, improved livelihoods, and the advancement of gender equality. In relation to the attainment of the latter, education is an asset so crucial for women that it provides them with a range of positive options; this includes reduced, early childbearing and marriage, they are more involved in decision-making, more aware of their rights and they have greater access to better employment opportunities (United Nations Women, 2015). Per the Namibia Informal Economy Case Study Report (2016/17), nearly 70% of the own-account workers engaged in the informal sector are, most importantly, female (Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations, and Employment Creation (MLIREC) and Social Security Commission (SSC), 2018). Thus, this study aims to explore and comprehensively investigate the impact of education, employment, and capacity-building initiatives within the informal sector, especially on women 18 – 44 years working in the informal markets through international literature, while examining the dynamics of gender inequality and education in the informal sector regarding their impact on access to opportunities (capabilities) and basic resources for this collective of women. Additionally, it explores educational pathways and aspirations of women in the informal sector operating from the Stop ‘N’ Shop informal market in Okuranyangava, Windhoek, in Namibia.
The study utilized a Qualitative Hermeneutic Approach, which is inherently phenomenological in nature, used as a model to uncover from human experiences meaning and essence, deductive from the conceptual framework guided and framed through Sen’s (1999) capability approach. In line with the above methodology, this study will use appropriate data collection methods and semi-structured in-depth interviews with the market women 18 – 44 years to gain further insight into this phenomenon. The results found that Market women face several challenges that affect their gender equality to the extent that they are limited to a fast number of multi-faceted responsibilities as they navigate care for their children, extended families, husbands, siblings, and parents. The latter is in addition to women in the informal market experiencing uneven access to resources and income, which are dynamics that further confine them in accessing and attaining their basic resources, educational, aspirational needs, and capabilities due to these many causes. However, the most common is the lack of education and the financial resources to attain education to set up a sustainable livelihood for themselves and their families.
It is imperative to note that the findings emphasize that the sacrifices of exploring market opportunities can be tremendous, such as migration from one area to another, especially from a rural area to a more urban and developed area, in this case to Windhoek, the capital City of Namibia in search of growing opportunities for their livelihood improvement, even facing circumstances of lack of safety, infrastructure, and service as they embark an opportunity-seeking journey that has educational aspirations at heart. Results and findings with the Non-Governmental Organizations and local government representatives that work with the “Stop ‘N Shop” market to get a better understanding of the opportunities available for market women, they reveal that the different organizations provide various initiatives for women in the informal economy. However, these initiatives seem to come at a fee. Thus it is safe to say that informal employment earnings for women market workers context limits them to divert their income to cover their education and educational desire increasing their chances of remaining in the cycle of poverty. The finding also establish that supporting women in informal markets with resources and training is an essential long-lasting relationship builder, especially of small livelihood sustaining and improving women’s businesses in the market. In addition, the educational institutions find it imperative that education and research goals can be explored through inclusive means such as mature entry and recognition of prior learning (RPL) in higher education and technical and vocational education and training (TVET), to establish the needed gender equality in education and community engagement to ensure the contribution of education is in line with the women’s educational aspirations and challenges they face as a market worker
A relational leadership strategy for the implementation of the integrated curriculum in Lesotho
No full textThesis (Ph.D.(Curriculum Studies))--University of the Free State, 2023The purpose of the research was to propose a relational leadership strategy for the implementation of the integrated curriculum in Lesotho. The integrated curriculum was introduced in 2009 as an alternative to the subject and examination-oriented curriculum. It focuses on the creativity, independence, and survival skills of the learners. Due to lack of understanding of the implementation of the integrated curriculum in Lesotho, there is a need to design a strategy for curriculum integration. The study is based on a transformative paradigm which focuses on bringing about positive impact to the lives of people. Although the integrated curriculum has already been designed and implemented, an improvement to bring development to the lives of Lesotho learners is required. This study was grounded in the Ubuntu Theory that engages all people, including the undermined, marginalised, and those deprived of the freedom to participate in the study. All co-researchers were treated equally and with respect. They expressed their views in discussion of the five objectives of the study, and took part in implementing the integrated curriculum without undermining the marginalised. This study is a qualitative research design as it locates the observer in the world. The Participatory Action Research (PAR) design was applied in the study. This is the design whereby co-researchers participate collaboratively in solving problems without undermining one another. Like Ubuntu, PAR also strengthens the idea of working together to solve problems, and in this study, this was made possible by allowing participation of the marginalised co-researchers. Data were analysed, employing Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA). The study found that the implementation of the integrated curriculum in Lesotho is used to solve daily life challenges such as the high unemployment rate. However, the study found that some stakeholders are resistant to change due limited training to provide learners with new information and skills. Funding was believed to be one of the conditions for successful implementation. Hence, it was found that sufficient funding hindered the implementation of the integrated curriculum in Lesotho. Some stakeholders committed themselves to holding regular meetings to address the challenges of the implementation and to come up with possible solutions. This led to the development of a relational leadership strategy for the implementation of integrated curriculum in Lesotho through relevant literature review, analysis of empirical data and documents, and the author`s view. All the analysis was done in relation to the five objectives. Through this strategy, the study revealed that the implementation of the integrated curriculum can only be effective if all the stakeholders are involved and work collaboratively. Through the Relational Leadership (RL) strategy, all stakeholders have to ensure that they share the vision of the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) for the new curriculum, plan their responsibilities in new curriculum implementation, share their duties, actively engage in the implementation, and empower the marginalised that also have relevant ideas for development of the integrated curriculum. This would lead to an outcome and reflection. As a result, the vision for Education Sector Strategic Plan (ESSP) and Curriculum and Assessment Policy (CAP) would also be achieved
Mohale oa Masite: A music school for the youth at the St. Barnabas Anglican mission, Lesotho
No full textDissertation (M.Arch.(Architecture))--University of the Free State, 2023music is an important and popular music genre in Lesotho. Despite its traditional roots, contemporary music has become mired in gang violence and organized crime. Masite Village, 20 Kilometers south of Maseru (Lesotho) is one amongst many villages in the country that have been terrorized by the escalating violence and killings amongst music factions. How may the insights latent in music inspire a critical regionalist architectural approach able to translate the creative cooperation between Basotho indigenous knowledge systems and Christian narratives into a music school at the St. Barnabas Anglican mission (Masite)? The goal of this school is to attract local youth to the traditional richness of music, without exposing them to the violence and social ills currently associated with this kind of music; a building able to act as a hero to the youth. The intention is to safeguard the liberating significance of and free it from what it has become in the hands of criminals through the richness of an architectural approach that draws inspiration from tradition, without romanticizing indigenous architecture to such an extent that it ends up saddled with perceptions of primitivism. Simultaneously, this architectural approach needs to recognize the influences of the place and socio-economic status structure of the community. This will contribute to the long-term relevance of such buildings. Besides a stance shaped by critical regionalism, this study will focus on place, a venturesome unpacking of gifts from music, and a detailed study of various architectural precedents. The proposed school will be embedded in place, time, and socio-economic reality while facilitating the respectful, yet visionary, cross-fertilization between two significant cultural forces in Lesotho
Challenges faced by Small and Medium Enterprises in Lesotho
No full textDissertation (MBA (Business Administration))--University of the Free State, 2023Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are considered the main catalysts behind economic growth and overall national development as they are renowned for addressing socio-economic issues confronting a specific country. As a result, different governments in developed and developing countries leverage the SME sector to expand the employment grid and tackle poverty-related issues. As such, creating an enabling environment for the success of SMEs is one of the main policy agendas world-wide, and governments constantly seek to develop policies that address SMEs’ challenges to ensure their sustainability. However, in light of these efforts, SMEs still encounter several challenges that limit their growth, subsequently failing to fulfil their mandate of addressing the socio-economic challenges.
Therefore, the primary objective of this study was to determine the challenges SMEs in Lesotho face. The study assumed a quantitative approach. A survey questionnaire was used as a primary data collection instrument, utilising a database of SMEs in Lesotho using emails compiled from their online presence. A sample of 400 SMEs was chosen using a simple random sampling technique from a population of 76 000 SMEs in Lesotho. The study employed descriptive statistics to determine the characteristics and distribution of the data. The data analysis employed the Chi-Square test and the Pearson Correlation test to reveal the associations and relationships between the challenges faced by SMEs and SMEs' performance, the relationship between the government of Lesotho (GoL) intervention and SMEs' access to finance, and the relationship between the challenge of access to finance, including several other challenges.
Based on the Chi-Square test, the study's findings revealed associations between the challenge of access to finance, workplace skills, employee retention, marketing challenges, technological challenges, and other challenges (e.g., Covid-19, crime rate, labour law), including SMEs’ performance. Furthermore, the study established associations between GoL intervention and SMEs' access to finance. Lastly, the study determined associations between the challenge of access to finance and several challenges confronting SMEs in Lesotho. The Pearson-Correlation test found statistically significant negative relationships between the challenge of access to finance, workforce skills, technological challenges, and other challenges (e.g., Covid-19, crime rate, labour law) and SMEs’ performance. Also, a significant negative relationship was established between GoL intervention and SMEs' access to finance. Finally, the study discovered significant positive relationships between the challenge of access to finance and workforce skills, including technological and other challenges (Covid-19, Crime rate, labour law)
Enabling adult diabetes self-management in a Kenyan context: a design science research approach
No full textThesis (Ph.D.(Nursing))--University of the Free State, 2023Diabetes is one of the non-communicable conditions of which the prevalence is increasing globally, with a particularly sharp increase experienced in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). If diabetes is not managed properly, it can lead to physical complications, and increase the financial burden on the individual, the health care system and the government. Since diabetes is a chronic condition, self-management is key in the control of this condition. However, it is evident that most people diagnosed with diabetes exhibit an uncontrolled condition. This is an indication that diabetes self-management (DSM) is suboptimal among people diagnosed with diabetes.
The main aim of this study was to design a context-specific product that would enable DSM by adults in Kenya. This study was anchored on the integrated model of behaviour prediction (IMBP) theory, with IMBP distal variables forming the foundation for designing the product.
This study was designed using a pragmatic approach, informed by design science research (DSR). DSR comprises three cycles that are closely related. The three cycles are relevancy, design and rigour. In the relevancy cycle, the problem was investigated. Preliminary design requirements (PDRs) and design requirements (DRs) were derived. The PDRs and DRs formed part of the acceptance criteria of the product. In the design cycle, the product was finalised and its practicability determined. The iterative nature of the prototype product was due to the synthesis of data obtained during the relevancy cycle. In the rigour cycle, the prototype product was evaluated against certain evaluation criteria. The final product was then designed. These three cycles were adapted as the phases of the study. Applying the general methodology of design science research (DSR) to the current study yielded three executable phases of the research study: 1) the problem explication phase, 2) the design phase, and 3) the evaluation phase.
A multiple method design was used. In the first phase, the problem explication phase, a literature overview, a scoping review and Kawa group discussions were conducted. The findings of these three methods involve a list of four IMBP distal variables, nine PDRs and six DRs respectively. In the second phase, the design phase, surveys and design were the two methods that were applied. The surveys yielded additional 13 DRs, giving a total of 19 DRs. This phase gave rise to a prototype product and the evaluation criteria that were used by diabetes experts in the third phase of the study. The third phase, the evaluation phase, involved expert reviews. Four diabetes experts evaluated the prototype product using the evaluation criteria. Their feedback was analysed and the findings factored in the development of the final product. The final product is a DSM guide that will be used mainly by adults diagnosed with diabetes, either on their own or with the aid of health care providers during clinic visits. In this last phase, design principles were also articulated, based on the DRs that emerged throughout the study.
This study makes a contribution to the body of knowledge in DSR, by unearthing design principles that other researchers can use to design similar studies elsewhere. Additionally, the DSM guide that emerged in this study may contribute to improved DSM by adults diagnosed with diabetes in Kenya. A context-specific DSM product was developed through the application of the DSR approach. Alongside the DSM product, the researcher also extracted DRs and design principles, which are the knowledge contribution of this study to DSR
The perceptions of teachers on the implementations of the National Policy on Religion and Education at schools
No full textDissertation (M.Ed.(Education Policy Studies))--University of the Free State, 2023This study explored the perceptions of teachers on the implementation of the National policy on religion and education at schools. The challenge with the implementation of the national policy on religion and education was that some public schools continued to attach themselves to a religion. This led to learners and teachers from minority religions becoming victims of the dominant religions at schools. Some religions were then undermined and referred to as uncivilized and barbaric. The National policy on religion and education was adopted in 2006 to accommodate all religions equitably. This research was guided by the Narrative Policy Framework (NPF), which require that the narrative should have a structure of a setting were the plot is clear, together with characters (The valiant and the victims), then there must be the moral of the story on how the policy can be amended. This qualitative study employed the interpretive paradigm to narrate the experience of teachers on the implementations of the national policy on religion and education at schools. The research area was Sekhukhune east district in Limpopo. I used semi-structured interviews together with document analysis to generate data. Ten schoolteachers including principals participated. I used the structural analysis within the narrative analyses to analyse the data. The finding of the study is that the victimization of the minority religions is there at schools which leads to some learners being suspended or expelled
Investigating contrast sensitivity as part of the assessment of visual requirements for driving
No full textDissertation(MOptom.(Optometry))--University of the Free State, 2023: The visual environment around a driver is altered by many factors such as weather, sun or light. Motor vehicle drivers need to be adaptable to different conditions and environments. Ninety percent of a driver’s sensory stimuli is interpreted by the visual system and a healthy functioning visual system is of utmost importance for a driver. Visual requirements for driving, currently, have no known global regulatory body and different visual requirements for drivers are found across the globe. In South Africa, two of the International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO) recommended visual requirements, are included (ICO, 2006). Current requirements include visual acuity (VA) and visual fields (VFs), but contrast sensitivity (CS) has been neglected from the requirements of vision for driving. The addition of CS is a valuable contributor to visual function, especially where different environmental conditions are concerned. Contrast sensitivity provides supplementary information about high contrast VA measurements, which may provide a better representation a driver’s vision in low light conditions such as dusk or dawn.
: The main aim of the study was to determine if motor vehicle drivers, who obtained their driver’s licences legally by passing the visual requirements for driving in South Africa (SA), would also be able to pass the criteria of a minimum CS requirement of 1.25 Log for each eye, as per Owsley et al. (2001) and Spreng et al. (2018). The importance of a driver requiring an optimal functioning visual system, representative under all types of light and contrast conditions, becomes evident in the constantly changing environmental conditions a driver faces during the act of driving. While VA is representative of vision during high contrast conditions, CS may better represent vision in low contrast conditions.
: This descriptive research study design recruited 110 participants, using a convenience sampling method. All participants were in possession of a valid South African driver’s license. To investigate whether additional visual requirements, such as CS should be included in the requirements for driving in SA, the current visual requirements (VA and VFs) as well as CS as an additional requirement, were investigated for possible associations with five variables (licence type, age, gender, known/diagnosed pathology, and previous ocular surgery).
: Thirteen point six percent of valid licenced drivers of the study population did not fulfil the visual requirements for their specific licence type at the time of data collection. Contrast sensitivity indicated statistically significant associations (p-value = ≤ 0.05) with age (p-value = 0.00 both eyes), licence type (p-value = right eyes 0.01, left eyes 0.00), known/diagnosed pathology (p-value = 0.00 both eyes), and previous ocular surgeries (p-value = 0.00 both eyes). Thus, CS measurements may be influenced by different licence types, age, known/previously diagnosed pathology, and previous ocular surgery. Arguably, if all participants were corrected to obtain a pass criterion for their specific visual requirements for driving (VA and VFs), 7.3% of these participants would still have failed the requirements if an additional minimum requirement of 1.25 Log for CS was included.
: Contrast sensitivity is an important and underrated visual function, especially in changing light conditions, not currently evaluated in the requirements for driving in South Africa. Contrast sensitivity is of clinical significance and may affect safe driving behaviour. The quality of vision of a driver may be compromised in the presence of reduced CS, even in the presence of good clinical VA and acceptable VFs
Impact of output gap, COVID-19, and governance quality on fiscal space in Sub-Saharan Africa
No full textThis study examined the determinants of fiscal space within the Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region, utilising a panel of 33 countries from 2005 to 2021. The paper applied the panel threshold, difference, and system generalised method of moments (GMM) regression techniques. The empirical results found evidence of constrained fiscal space and poor governance in Central, Western, and Eastern Africa. The results further unveiled that an enhancement in governance indicators beyond −0.23 for the governance index, −0.15 for control of corruption, −0.98 for the rule of law, −0.37 for regulatory quality, −0.15 for voice and accountability, +0.36 for political stability, and −0.61 for government effectiveness, respectively, increase fiscal space. Moreover, the study concluded that the output gap, COVID-19, trade openness, and economic growth impact fiscal space availability in Central, Western, Southern, and Eastern Africa. The paper investigated whether the COVID-19 pandemic and governance quality significantly influenced fiscal space within SSA. We strongly recommend enhancement in all facets of governance through comprehensive restructuring of governance policies across all SSA countries. Another key recommendation is fostering trade openness to expand tax revenue generation and broaden the tax base, thereby providing the continent with greater fiscal space and improved resilience to unforeseen shocks.Publisher's versio