UNAM Gā-aisib Repository (University of Namibia)
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Microbial diversity, nutritional value and antioxidant activity of the edible giant African bullfrog (Pyxicephalus Adspersus Tschudi, 1838) meat from Oshana region of Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science (Microbiology)The seasonal, edible African Bullfrog Pyxicephalus adspersus, a notable indigenous food in Northern Namibia, is a good nourishment for human consumption and an alternative source of proteins. However, consumption of this species harvested after the first rain of the rainy season has been reported to be associated with severe dysuria. No study has been conducted to decipher its cause or consequent deleterious effects. Additionally, nutritional composition and the antioxidant properties of this meat species in Namibia have not been investigated.
This study is a preliminary attempt to reveal the nutritional composition including antioxidant activities as well as the bacterial diversity associated with this
species. Frog meat was analysed for crude protein, ash, crude fat and moisture content using standard analytical methods. Moreover, the antioxidant activity of methanol extract of the frog meat was evaluated using DPPH assay, nitric oxide as well as reducing power assay. The results showed that the highest crude protein recorded was 21±0.00%, ash was found to be 1.19±0.32%, crude fat was 1.65±2.71% while moisture content was 78.21±0.38%. Moreover, frog meat extracts exhibited antioxidant activity with the highest reducing power absorbance of 0.98±0.66 at 700nm, DPPH free radical scavenging of 51.13±18.26% inhibition, and a much lower nitric oxide inhibition of about 34.57±35.85%. Furthermore, metagenomics data reveal four phyla associated with Giant African Bullfrog meat, where Firmicutes is the most abundant accounting for nearly 90% of the total bacterial accumulation. In addition, metagenomics revealed a few pathogenic
species such as Lactococcus garvieae which is related to urinary tract infection in humans. Moreover, Lactococcus lactis which is highly studied in food fermentation research is one of the dominant species in this study. These findings endorsed the consumption of this species as a source of protein and antioxidants. The results indicated that frogs might have a valuable chemical composition as compared to other types of meat. Therefore, frog meat has the potential of attracting the attention of food technologists and dieticians as a healthy and valuable source of food based on its chemical composition
An assessment of factors affecting the accessibility of e-commerce in the retail industry: Windhoek, Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of master in business administration management strategyE-commerce has created a platform where business transactions are conducted
over the internet. E-commerce is used to improve efficiency and productivity in
many areas of business, therefore, has received significant attention in many
countries. However, its adoption has not been as anticipated in some countries.
This study therefore sought to assess the accessibility of e-commerce in
Windhoek’s retail industry. The objectives of the study included: to determine the
e-commerce models adopted for use in the Namibian retail industry; to understand
the present status and trends in accessibility of e-commerce platforms used by
Windhoek-based online retail shops; to establish factors that enhance the adoption
of e-commerce and Identify factors that hinder the adoption of e-commerce. In
terms of methodology, this study adopted a quantitative method and a descriptive
cross-sectional research design. The quantitative method was used because it was
easier to analyse numeric data from the questionnaires and the study was aiming
to establish the relationship between e-commerce models and performance of
online channels. A sample size of 63 respondents was selected through non probability consecutive sampling while a sample of 100 customers was selected
through systematic random sampling. The data was analysed by use of SPSS
software. Descriptive statistics, specifically frequencies, cross tabulation and
percentages were used to describe the characteristics of the data which was
presented in tables and charts. The findings indicate that although e-commerce was
accepted as a mode of shopping in other parts of the world, only a small percentage
of it has been adopted in Namibia. Features and services connected to e-commerce
significantly influenced consumers’ decisions to purchase online. Trust is
established as a critical factor in the adoption of e-commerce due to the high level
of uncertainty and risk involved in virtual transactions. This study recommends
that retail owners attempt to build trust with their customers by enhancing privacy
and securing consumers’ information. Further, that the private sector should help
the government and development agencies within Namibia to understand and
address the priority challenges faced when it comes to the adoption of e-commerc
Investigating the impact of microfinance institutions' products on the growth of SMEs in Katutura, Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Science (Development Finance)This study analysed the impact of microfinance institutions’ products on the growth of SMEs in Katutura. The objectives of the study were to determine whether there is a significant relationship between microfinance loans and the growth of SMEs; to establish if there is a significant relationship between microfinance savings and the SMEs’ growth as well as to identify other factors enhancing SMEs’ growth. The study employed a survey research strategy in which 87 SMEs were utilised as a sample size. A structured questionnaire was used as a research instrument to collect the primary data from SMEs, situated at Soweto Market, Soweto Taxi Rank and Wanaheda Industrial Stalls. Data were analysed using descriptive, inferential analysis which entail the use of Chi-square and simple percentages. The results revealed that there is a significant relationship between microfinance loans and SMEs’ growth. On the same note, there is also a significant relationship between microfinance savings and SMEs’ growth. Overwhelmingly, 100% of the respondents indicated that the organisation characteristic is one of the other factors that drive SMEs’ growth. Conversely, the study established that microfinance insurance is not offered and microfinance institutions are not offering adequate training to capacitate SMEs. The study recommended the MFIs to start diversifying their products offering and also to offer products that are tailored to meet the needs of the SMEs. Moreover, they should offer more training to SMEs on financial management before they lend to SMEs and extensively provide support on managerial skills. Furthermore, MFIs should design and offer insurance products that are aimed at mitigating vulnerabilities and preventing microfinance consumers from catastrophic burdens. This product should entail health, life and all assets in possession of the business. Lastly, the study recommended the establishment of a One-stop centre for SMEs in Windhoek
Translocal livelihoods in southern Africa: A case study from north-central Namibia
No full textTranslocal livelihoods and circular migration characterise the interdependence of rural and urban areas in southern Africa. This study analyses demographic, socio-economic and environmental dimensions of translocal dynamics at the household level in rural north-central Namibia from 1943 to 2012. Special emphasis is placed on the impact of internal migration on the age and sex structure of rural and urban communities, an aspect which has been largely neglected in research to date. Our analysis of the population data shows that the most visible indication of translocality is the distorted age structure of the resident population. Able-bodied persons, particularly males, were virtually absent in many of the homesteads. The empirical evidence from north-central Namibia shows that circular migration has become an essential part of the adaptation strategy of rural households in a changing socio-economic environment. In this context, the improvement of women’s land rights indicates change towards a more gender-equal society
’n Verkenning en Vergelyking van Houdings en persepsies rakende afrikaans in die khomasstreek van Namibië ná drie Dekades van Onafhanklikheid
No full text’n tesis voorgelê ter nakoming vir die graad Master of Arts (Afrikaans studies)Given the chequered history of Afrikaans in Namibia, it is to be expected that a range of attitudes and perceptions regarding Afrikaans have existed and still exist among its own speakers as well as among non-speakers who are in contact with the various groups within its speech community. After three decades of Namibian independence, these attitudes and perceptions remain largely undocumented. Therefore, this study aimed to document these attitudes and perceptions. It was, however, not possible to gather the clear majority of the Khomas region’s residents’ attitudes towards and perceptions about Afrikaans. Therefore, a convenience sample was drawn, which entails that the results are not necessarily representative of the entire population. The study focused on perceptions and attitudes as they are indirectly observed, and not necessarily on the reasons for such perceptions or attitudes. Attitudes and perceptions were measured only within the parameters of the variables that are represented in the research instrument, and they pertain to the Afrikaans language as a construct rather than the Afrikaans speech community. A mixed method research design was used for this exploratory research, utilising a survey methodology. The study was mostly qualitative in that it reported subjective results, because participants’ attitudes and perceptions will form the basis of iii conclusions. Quantitatively, attitudinal variables within and across groups were quantified and processed statistically. Quantitative variables like age, and gender binaries were also involved for purposes of comparison, as well as the following various groups: Afrikaans speaking respondents, non-Afrikaans speaking respondents and multilingual speaking respondents (Afrikaans and other languages). The electronic questionnaire was distributed in May 2020 with a link via email and social media, while the printed questionnaires were distributed by hand to potential respondents who could not access the online questionnaire. There were 266 responses on the electronic questionnaire and 34 respondents completed the printed questionnaire – thus 300 respondents in total. There was a question in the biographical part of the questionnaire that requested the respondent to indicate how long he/she has been living in the Khomas region. This ensured that any questionnaires of non-residents of the Khomas region could be excluded from the data analysis. After last mentioned exclusion, the respondents were deducted to 275 respondents. The results contain different attitudinal profiles (positive, neutral, and negative attitudes), which were constructed from certain questions and their possible responses. The responses of the three different groups – Afrikaans speaking respondents, non Afrikaans speaking respondents and multiple language speaking respondents (Afrikaans and other languages) were divided into the relevant profiles. Lastly, the respondents’ perceptions regarding Afrikaans were also documented. The research and results show that the majority of respondents mainly have a positive attitude towards languages in general, as well as towards Afrikaans. However, there is a misperception among the younger generations of Afrikaans speakers about how Afrikaans originated in Namibia. A recommendation for future studies is to involve a larger part of the Khomas region, or perhaps even all the regions of Namibia, to get a clearer idea of the attitudes towards and perceptions about Afrikaans in Namibia as a whole
Assessing the challenges faced by people with disabilities in Namibia's state owned enterprises
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree Master of Business Administration (Public Sector Management)Visual impairment is the term experts use to describe any kind of vision loss, whether it is someone who cannot see at all or someone who has partial vision loss. In this regard, it is considered the second most common disability for middle-age and older adults. It can result from a number of things such as macular degeneration, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, age-related eye diseases, strokes, and accidents. Thus, employees who are visually impaired face a number of hurdles in their efforts to earn a living and put their skills to good use. It is hence the intent of this study to assess the challenges faced by people with disabilities in Namibia's State Owned Enterprises. Numerous literature in regards to the challenges faced were consulted and reviewed for this study. The study employed a qualitative research approach, with the population of the study being nine visually impaired people. The sample size for this research was nine interviewees which were purposively selected to form part of the sample. Data from interviews and document analysis were analysed using content analysis. Themes were grouped together and analysed. A structured interview guide was used to gather primary information. Results from the study indicated that employers are hesitant to hire people with visual impairments, and are quite harsh when interviewing people with visual impairments. Furthermore, participants in this study indicated that a lack of co-worker support was disempowering and discouraging them. Thus, the study concluded that employers and co-workers must be open-minded, provide better transportation systems and mobility training, and provide suitable accommodations, support, and supply appropriate assistive devices to the visually impaired people in order to perform their duties effectively
Antimicrobial activity of fungal secondary metabolites isolated from pearl millet on gut microflora
No full textA mini thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science (Microbiology)Pearl millet also known as mahangu in Namibia is a crop commonly found regions in the Northern part of Namibia such as Zambezi and Ohangwena region. Pearl millet is a common staple food of a certain percentage of Namibians. Traditional methods used for processing millet comprise of threshing, cleaning, washing, soaking, germination, wet and dry milling and fermentation. The fungal species gain access to grain matrices, depending on the type of environmental conditions certain secondary metabolites are generated this may occur during the pre-harvest, storage, transportation, processing, and marketing stages. Hazardous secondary metabolites with antimicrobial properties for instance polyketide, non-ribosomal peptides, alkaloids, and terpenes are produced by fungi and can cause food poisoning and possibly affect the microflora in the gut. It is important to identify and document whether fungi that produce antimicrobial secondary metabolites are present in mahangu that may affect the microflora. Even though sophisticated machinery exist, traditional methods of food storage and preparation are still being used in certain parts of the country. These traditional methods are seldom done in unhygienic conditions resulting in contamination of the food. The effect of food poisoning by fungi in Namibia is unknown, to the best of my knowledge there are fewer studies in Namibia that focused on the effect of antimicrobial fungi secondary metabolites on the microflora found in the gut. For this reason this study focused on isolating fungal species from pearl millet and testing their antimicrobial ability on four gut microflora E. coli ATCC 33849, K. pneumoniae ATCC BAA- 2146, L. monocytogenes and L. plantarum ATCC 8014. The pearl millet was bought from the local market and serial dilution was performed using distilled water. The solution of pearl millet with a dilution of 1:100 000 was plated on Sabouraud Dextrose Agar, it was then sub cultured until pure fungal isolates was obtained. Fungi were identified on the basis of colony characteristics and microscopic examinations. The following six types of fungi were identified Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Saccharomyces sp., Rhodotorula sp., Trichosporon sp. and Saccharomyces sp. Ethyl acetate was used for extraction of the secondary metabolites and agar well diffusion was used to test for ii antimicrobial activity. Then Minimum Inhibitory Concentration was carried out only with fungi which produced zones of inhibition against the selected bacteria, lastly Minimum Bactericidal Concentration was carried out. The analytic test used showed that there was a significant difference in the antimicrobial activity among different fungal species p= 0.019. The fungus A. niger did not show any form of antimicrobial activity while Saccharomyces sp. showed the highest inhibitory effects with a mean value of 12.16 ± 0.21. The fungus A. flavus showed more inhibitory activity against the following bacterial strain L. plantarum, L. monocytogenes and K. pneumoniae at 7.5 mg/ml when MIC was carried out. The extract from A. flavus was the only extract exhibiting bactericidal effects and this was seen against K. pneumoniae and L. plantarum. It is evident that gut microflora can be affected by secondary metabolites of fungi from pearl millet which can lead to detrimental effects in humans. Further studies are required to detect secondary metabolites that could cause harm to the gut microflora also what dosage level is required to cause an effect in vivo on gut microflora
The determinants and effects of alcohol use among women in Oshikoto region, Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Public healthAlcohol use is one of the major public health concerns in the world. The aim of this study was to investigate the determinants and effects of alcohol use among women in Oshikoto Region. The study objectives were: to assess the determinants of alcohol use among women in Oshikoto region; to describe the effects of alcohol use among women in Oshikoto region and to assess the relationship between sociodemographic characteristics and determinants of alcohol use among women in Oshikoto region. The study adopted a quantitative research approach with analytical, cross-sectional design. Ethical clearance was obtained from the relevant authorities prior to the study. The study population were all women aged 18-49 years residing in the selected constituencies who were receiving their daily medical consultations at Onandjokwe Intermediate Hospital and Omuthiya State Hospital during the study. Informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to data collection. The data was collected from one hundred and twenty-one (121) participants who were selected through the purposive sampling. An interviewer-led questionnaire with close-ended questions was used on the voluntary participants to collect the data. The data was analysed by means of Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26. A chi square statistical test was used to determine the association between variables with the alternative of Fisher exact test. Log-binomial regression reporting risk ratio was applied to assess the association between determinants of alcohol use and risky use of alcohol. The median age of the participants was 33 years. The majority 84 (69.4) of participants lived in rural areas, while 49 (40.5) were single and 75 (62%) had children. The findings indicated that 64 (52.89%) of the respondents use alcohol sometimes in order to cope with their problems. About 56 (46.28%) of the respondents use alcohol when they feel anxious, making them relaxed and forget their challenges. In the univariable log-binomial regression analysis, family history of alcohol use (p value 0.019), peer pressure (p value 0.004), and spending most time iii at cuca shops (p value 0.000) were all significantly associated with an increased risk of harmful use of alcohol. In contrast age (p value 0.329), residence (p value 0. 437), being employed (p value 0.565), education (p value 0.199), and being unemployed (p value 0.777) were not significantly associated with harmful use of alcohol. The study recommends that the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS), needs to develop guidelines on preventative measures and awareness programs on alcohol use
Understanding fears in middle childhood Oshiwambo learners in the Khomas region, Namibia
No full textA mini thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts (Clinical Psychology)Childhood fears are a common and normal aspect of every child’s development. However, although most childhood fears are relatively mild and temporary, they can be distressing for children and interfere with their daily functioning. In order to enable health professionals to support children to cope with their fears, research on the normative content, number, and origins of childhood fears is needed. Aim: The objective of this cross-sectional, quantitative study was to investigate the content, number, and origin of fears experienced by middle childhood Oshiwambo-speaking children from two schools in the Khomas region, Namibia. Method: In order to answer the research question a sample of 102 children between the ages of 10 to 12 years were asked to complete a questionnaire containing the Fear List Method (FLM) and questions based on Rachman’s (1977) three pathway theory of fear acquisition. The sample was recruited using the convenience sampling method. Results: The ten most frequently expressed fears in the sample in descending order were: snake, lion, dog, spider, elephant, cat, cow, cheetah, scorpion, and bad people. About fifty percent of the reported fears were animal related. Culture and context specific fears elicited, among others include crime related fears, fears towards people belonging to cultural groups other than the Oshiwambo culture, and a fear of Covid-19. The average number of fears exhibited per child was 8.38, with a mode of 7. The most frequently reported pathway of fear acquisition in the present study was classical conditioning, followed by transmission of negative information, followed by vicarious learning, with 19.04% of answers indicating that a child did not know how he/she acquired a fear. Conclusions: The results of the present study provided first suggestions as to what the normative content, number, and origin of fears in Oshiwambo-speaking children residing in the Namibian context could be, and how these could correspond to, or differ VI from, fear profiles of children residing in different contextual backgrounds. Recommendations: In order to determine the validity and reliability of the results obtained, further studies in this context are recommended. Furthermore, within the context of fear content of being afraid of people from another culture derived in this study, the effect of Namibia’s history of apartheid and the forced segregation between the ethnic groups residing in Namibia on the fear profiles of Namibian children merits further investigation
Monitoring tools for lifelong learning and adult education activities in Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Education (Adult Education)The objective of this study was to develop monitoring tools for Lifelong Learning and Adult Education activities in Namibia. In order to achieve this objective, a qualitative-phenomenological design was employed to solicit perceptions on the strategies used to monitor Lifelong Learning and Adult Education activities, the monitoring tools used, and roles that the Lifelong Learning and Adult Education Council could play to uplift the monitoring tools for lifelong learning and adult education activities in Namibia. Purposive sampling technique was used to select a sample of 10 respondents from selected Windhoek-based institutions. A semistructured interview guide and a document analysis checklist were used to collect data. Related literature and a system theory offered ideas that were used to conceptualise the unified groups of interrelated and interdependent parts of systems.
Thematic content analysis was used to analyse data from both interviews and documents. Data were coded and related answers grouped and labelled. Categories were formed and segregated to form themes. The data revealed that various kinds of Lifelong Learning and Adult Education activities are taking place in different institutions in the country. However, most respondents had difficulty differentiating between lifelong learning and adult education activities. The findings have shown that a database system and collaboration were the most effective monitoring tools for Lifelong Learning and Adult Education activities.
The data revealed that quantitative indicators dominate the collection of information on Lifelong Learning and adult education activities which omit the quality component of indicators than qualitative indicators. This study recommends for the immediate establishment of the National Lifelong Learning and Adult Education Council and its Monitoring and Evaluation Plan to ensure coordination, monitoring and evaluation of LLLAE activities