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An evaluation of the effectiveness of alcoholics’ anonymous self-help group in reducing personal alcohol consumption among adults in Windhoek
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Social WorkAlcoholics Anonymous (AA) self-help groups' members offer mutual support for one
another by allowing group members to nourish their natural tendencies, sharing
experiences and supporting one another in a non-professional peer-operated organisation.
This study evaluated the effectiveness of an AA self-help group in reducing personal
alcohol consumption among adults in Windhoek. Evaluation research design was used in
a qualitative study approach. Purposive sampling was used to select 10 regular members
of the AA self-help group. Data was collected utilising face to face interviews. An
interview schedule consisting of open-ended and probing questions was used to collect
data. The data were analysed thematically. Findings of the study showed that individuals
who attend AA self-help group regularly were more likely to reduce alcohol
consumption. The study concluded that AA self-help group is effective in reducing
personal alcohol consumption among its members. AA self-help group also assists group
members to recover from the conditions related to mental health problems such as
anxiety, depression, eating disorders, suicidal thoughts and insomnia resulting from
abstinence from alcohol consumption. The study also found that group members
improved their relationship at the workplace with colleagues and supervisors as well as
with family members and friends as a result of self-discipline from alcohol consumption.
Abstaining from alcohol consumption also enabled group members to improve and
develop skills such as problem-solving, conflict resolution, anger management, and
communication skills, planning for the future, as well as the ability to identify symptoms
of other addictive behaviours. Major recommendations were as follows: Firstly,
participants of the study and other group members of AA self-help group need to
maintain behaviour changed of abstinence by continuing to attend meetings regularly and
active participation during group meetings. Secondly, AA self-help group should fmd a
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way of increasing the number of meetings in the most affected areas such as Katutura
and beyond as well as other parts of the country and in one of the native languages.
Thirdly, the MoRSS should increase its involvement with organisations such as AA and
avail venues for instance clinic spaces to be used after 17HOO and over weekends.
Fourthly, the (MoRSS) needs to take the lead and increase awareness on the dangers of
alcohol consumption and the stigma attached to the problem and treatment-seeking in
Windhoek and other parts of the country. Fifthly, the social workers in the MoRSS who
are dealing with prevention and reduction programmes for substance use and abuse
which includes alcohol need to develop self-help group programmes for individuals with
substance use problem. Sixthly, the MoRSS may consider screening clients who display
symptoms of alcohol use especially those who are attended at Mental Health Department
for early intervention and referral. Finally, future research using the mixed-methods
approach is recommended for the existing AA branches and future ones which may
include AA group members and the support persons from Al-Anon. This is (Al-Anon) a
sister organisation to AA, which assists individuals whose family members have a
drinking problem. When such research is done, it may provide a broader picture of the
effectiveness of AA self-help group in reducing alcohol consumption among adult
Investigating the use of alternative building technologies for affordable housing delivery ln Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Business Administration FinanceThe huge housing backlog estimated by several studies conducted in Namibia
to be over 100,000 units in 2016 and still growing 1s a manifestation of inadequate
delivery of affordable housing. This study is inspired by this dire reality perpetuated
by the low productivity of affordable housing projects that make use of conventional
methods of construction. This study investigates the use of Alternative Building
Technology (ABTs) as a potential solution to this problem. In pursuit of that, a
convergent independent mixed methods research design was adopted where data was
collected in parallel, analysed separately, and then merged at the discussion and
reporting stages. The theoretical framework for the study included concepts and
principles from economics, project management, psychology and lean construction.
ABTs have qualities such as reduced waste in construction time, labour, and materials
which make them more productive than conventional methods. Unavailability of
serviced land, limited funding, conservative regulations, and poor project management
are significant factors undermining the delivery of affordable housing in Namibia.
Currently, use of ABTs in Namibia is very minimal but success has been observed
elsewhere in Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, and Uganda. The study is useful to
policymakers recommending reforms to the delivery of affordable housing as well as
property developers interested in this market segmen
Factors that influence the competency of nursing staff in managing aggressive behaviour in mentally ill patients at a Mental Health Care Centre, Khomas region, Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in fulfilment Of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Nursing ScienceMental illness is amongst the leading causes of disabilities and can cause disturbances
in emotional, cognitive and behavioural functioning of mentally ill patients. Caring for
mentally ill patients and managing their aggressive behaviour is done by mental health
nurses and therefore, they should have certain competencies to competently manage
aggressiOn.
The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that influence the competency
of nursing staff in managing aggressive behaviour displayed by mentally ill patients at
a select mental health care centre, Windhoek, Namibia.
A convergent parallel mixed method design was applied; the quantitative study
employed a convenience sampling method to engage all 61 registered and enrolled
nurses to identify and describe the factors influencing their competency in managing
aggressive behaviour in mentally ill patients and the qualitative study; a purposive
sampling method to select 17 nursing staff to explore their perceptions regarding their
competency in managing aggressive behaviour in mentally ill patients. Quantitative
data were collected using structured questionnaires and analysed with Statistical
Package for Social Science, Version 24, from which descriptive statistics were
obtained. Qualitative data was collected through three focus group discussions,
verbatim transcribed, organized into themes and categories according to Tesch 's
descriptive method of open coding. Trustworthiness was ensured in accordance with
the principles of credibility, dependability, confmnability and transferability. Field
notes were kept and a literature control was done for the purpose of triangulation.
Quantitative and qualitative data results revealed that personal factors such as
theoretical knowledge, clinical skills and external factors including experience and
role modelling influenced nursing competency in managing aggressive patients.
Moreover, this study concluded that the attitudes of the nursing staff during the
management of aggression affected their development of competency either positively
or negatively.
This study recommended that debriefing sessions, training on the management of
aggression, a compulsory induction and orientation program should be favourably
considered for implementation to ensure effective management of aggressive patient
Assessment of provisional taxpayers compliance with tax laws: A case for Oshakati office
No full textA research thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master’s in Business Administration (Finance)The purpose of the study was to make an assessment of the provisiona l taxpayers· compliance
with tax laws at the Oshakati Inland Revenue Offi ce. The study seek answer to the fo llowing
resea rch questions; (I ) What is the level of compliance to tax laws among the provisional tax
payers registered with the IRD Oshakati Office? (2) What are the fac tors that influence
provisiona l taxpayers' compliance with tax laws among the provisional taxpayers registered
with the fRD Oshakati Office? (3) What strategies can be used to mitiga te on the compliance
with tax laws among the provisiona l tax payers registered with Oshakati Office? The study
utili zed a mi xed method to co llect data from employees fo r lRD Oshakati Offi ce and the
taxpayers for IRD Oshakati Offi ce. The quantitati ve dimension of the study used a stratified
random sampling strategy to select 3 76 taxpayers who completed a closed ended que tionnaire
and a purposeful sampling strategy through the use of an in-depth face to face interview was
used to select data from 14 empl oyees fo r Oshakati Inland Revenue. The findings of the study
show that the level of compliance to tax payment by tax payers at the Oshakati Inland Revenue
office is 36.9% which is less than 50%. In addition, the study also found out that the attitudes
of the taxpayers have effect on their compliance to tax payment at the IRD Oshakati Office.
The study a lso fo und out that the level o f compliance of the taxpayers relate to their income.
Those who earn more, are more compliant than those who earn less. The study also fo und out
that the level of governmental accountability and transparency detem1ines their level of
compliance to the payment. More so, the study a lso unveiled that the level of educa tion,
understanding public responsibility towards the benefits of paying taxes influence an
individua l's decision to be compliant with tax laws.
Based on the findings above, the study recommended the need to educa te the genera l
publi c on the importaJJCe of complying with tax laws, and that the taxpayers need to be given
a total ownership and autonomy understand that they are the ones who keep the government
revenue run and economically functional. The study also recommended that there should be a
li ve broadcast and campaigns to a lert the general public of their legitimate role in being
compliant to paying their taxe
The evaluation on the trend of existence of unauthorized expenditures in central government of Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Business Administration FinanceUnauthorised expenditures have been a common dilemma occurring in the central
government ofNamibia and other countries. The objective of this study was to examine
the trends of unauthorised expenditure, determine the root causes, and propose strategies
to reduce this unauthorised expenditure. Unauthorised expenditure patterns by 0 /M/ As
were evaluated using descriptive statistics in the form of charts and tables. Trend analysis
was based on Auditor-General reports for the period of 2004-2014. Qualitative content
analysis included establishment of causes of unauthorized expenditure; controlling and
monitoring mechanisms; awareness of policies and regulations and current fmancial
systems in use.
The study revealed that the unauthorised expenditures were occurring because of non compliance with existing and used acts, policies, laws, rules and regulations. Unauthorised
expenditures were caused by dishonesty and disrespectfulness towards the usage of these
acts, policies, laws, rules and regulations. Existing acts, policies, laws, rules and
regulations should be renewed, amended or else the government introduces other
regulations. This could be done through migrating from the existing fmancial framework
which is the State Finance Act, 1991 (Act 31 of 1991) with its regulations.
Honesty, transparency and accountability should be practiced and promoted in the
development and disclosure of financials to make them easier and user friendly. In
addition the internal controls already in existence surrounding these unauthorised
expenditures need to be adhered to, namely: Virementation, whereby underspending
(savings) should be utilised fully to diminish overspending (unauthorised expenditures) in
support of proper planning and financial management. It further recommends each 0 /M/ A
to develop a monitoring and evaluation policy framework and regularly carry out
monitoring and evaluation on financial systems and book
Assessing the root-causes of underdevelopment in a proclaimed settlement: A case study of Okalongo settlement in the Omusati region
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Public AdministrationThe study assessed the root – causes of underdevelopment in a proclaimed settlement, with a specific focus on the Okalongo settlement in the Omusati region aimed to find possible mitigation to minimise underdevelopment. The study is guided by the following three broad research questions. Firstly, what are the factors contributing to underdevelopment in the proclaimed settlement of Okalongo? Secondly, what are the perceptions of the inhabitants of Okalongo settlement in relation to underdevelopment? And thirdly, how can Okalongo settlement address underdevelopment in the area? The study is foreseen to serve as a resourceful guide to future researches and to the general hindrances of underdevelopment in local government both in Namibia and beyond.
The study adopted a mixed method of qualitative and quantitative research approaches and followed an explorative research philosophy. The sample size of this study was 62. It comprised the inhabitants of Okalongo settlement, administrators of Okalongo settlement office, officials of Okalongo Constituency office, members of OTA and the officials of the ORC. Data were collected through interviews and survey questionnaires. The study found that there is no improvement in the Okalongo settlement in terms of roads, housing, servicing of land, sewage system and other government services that need to be brought closer to the people. The study further recommends, community involvement, servicing of land for construction of houses and business, fair allocation of land, a complete demarcation plan of the Okalongo settlement and the fair compensation of homestead, reduce managerial power from ORC, reduce local business dominance and attract investors, consider employing local people in the Okalongo settlement office,` investigate corruption cases; and last but not least benchmarking and twining with other proclaimed settlements and local authorities
A household survey to assess knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding Rabies among dog owners in Omusati region
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Applied Field Epidemiology and Laboratory TrainingRabies is a viral zoonotic disease of warm-blooded animals caused by Lyssavirus of the Rhabdoviridae family that attacks the Central Nervous System, provoking fatal acute encephalitis. Domesticated dogs are the main vector, responsible for almost 99% of human rabies cases. Namibia with the rest of the world is engaged in fight to eradicate dog mediated rabies. There is a need to explore the knowledge gaps, attitudes and practices regarding rabies control among dog owners. The purpose of this study was to perform a household survey, assessing knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding rabies control among dog owners in the Omusati region, Namibia.
The researcher applied a quantitative, cross-sectional, descriptive, household survey on residents of five constituencies in Omusati region. The researcher employed a structured questionnaire translated in the local language (Oshiwambo). Participants were selected through a simple random sampling method, and one questionnaire was completed per selected household. The data was analysed through Epi-Info 7 and Microsoft Excel and arranged in descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages and proportion to determine the Knowledge, Attitudes and Practice levels. The Chi-square test on categorical variable was used at p-value 0.005 statistical significance. A total of 342 respondents took part in the study; more than half (53%) were male and 50% had secondary education level and only 18% were employed. At least 98% of the respondents knew that rabies is a zoonotic disease and could identify the disease through local names; 55% had no knowledge that rabies is caused by a virus even though 67% were certain the diseases could be transmitted to human through rabid animal bites. Ninety percentages (90%) of the respondents knew that vaccination is the only form of prevention against rabies, and 96% would seek medical help at the hospital after an animal bite. Ninety-five percentages (95%) of the respondents kept guard dogs yet only 29% would report or take a suspected rabid dog to the nearest animal clinic. Sixty-eight percentage (68%) of the respondents consumed dog meat and 71% have had their dogs vaccinated during the last vaccination campaign. Employed respondents were more likely to keep dogs in an enclosure away from stray dogs, significant at chi-square 5.0514, p-value 0.0241. Employment status does not influence dog’s vaccination status at household level, non-significant at chi-square 0.7086, p-value 0.3999. Household knowledge and attitude levels with regards to rabies control in the five constituencies of Omusati region are well above average; however there are gaps in practices in the community. Despite the right knowledge, communities engage in practices that predispose them to rabies infection and others that are hampering and jeopardising efforts towards rabies control
Factors affecting the adoption of sustainable water conservation practices in smallholder farming systems: A case study of smallholder farmers in Omusati region, Namibia
No full textA mini thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science (Water Resources Management)Namibia is the driest country in Sub-Saharan Africa and water shortage remains a serious challenge in agricultural productivity. Smallholder farmers in rural areas are often advised to adopt sustainable water conservation practices aimed to counter these challenges. However, the adoption of such practices among smallholder farmers is far below the expectations. Hence, this study was conducted to examine the current sustainable water conservation practices used by smallholders
and what influential factors affect adoption of the introduced water conservation practices. A random sample of 30 smallholder farmers from six constituencies in Omusati Region was used. Field observation and a two-part questionnaire were used to collect data used in examining the level of water conservation adoption and to profile smallholder farmers. Descriptive and analytical statistics were used to analyse the collected data. The study showed that some sustainable water
conservation practices such as ripping, planting basins, compost and drip irrigation were being adopted. ANOVA test results indicated that education status and farming experience of household heads have a significant impact on adoption rate of the introduced sustainable water conservation practices. Conversely, family size per household, farm size or cultivated land and the age of household heads have no significant effects on the adoption of sustainable water conservation
practices. The challenges affecting smallholder’s adoption of sustainable water conservation practices include lack of farm implements, lack of water conservation awareness, climate characteristics, lack of funds, shortage of farm labour, lack of water conservation knowledge, limited farmland for cultivation and lack of extension services and institutional supports. Based on the study findings its thus recommended that the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry and
other concerned bodies should consider the identified influential factors and challenges to improve the situation and enhance the adoption of introduced water conservation practices
Examining the (in)significance of the African boychild as an unheard voice in feminist critical discources: A literary exploration of BA, Dangarembga and Andreas' selected works
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of master of Arts in English StudiesThis thesis examined how literature presents the (in)significance of the African boy child as an unheard voice in the selected feminist critical discourses of three literary works - Mariama Ba’s (1979) So Long a Letter, Tsitsi Dangarembga’s (1989) Nervous Conditions and Neshani Andreas’s The Purple Violet of Oshantuu (2001). The presentation of the boy child in African feminist writing is an area which has not been given much attention in gender writing. The thrust in this research rests on the traditional African perspective, on who can be defined as the African boy child. This study incorporated young and grown up males, bearing in mind the fact that a grown up man in the African culture can be considered a boy child. This is so as to accommodate all males that are presented in the selected feminist critical discourse. Studies on the (re)presentation of the boy child in literary fiction is, as far as the research has established, an understudied area within the broader area of gender discourse. The three novels were selected using purposive sampling as they portray an array of masculinities. The researcher employed Masculinities and Nego-feminism as literary theories to underpin this study, from examining the various roles boy children and males in general play in the texts. Masculinities as a concept was used in order to magnify the construction of the boy child’s identity as it has a lot of bearing on the character of men. Nego-feminism places both genders side by side as men and women try to negotiate their spaces in life and mirrors how the negotiated spaces between the boy children and the females bring about a transformed society in which negative patriarchal values melt away. The study analysed how the three selected female authors portray masculinities as they are experienced in daily life and where historical periods determine their different reactions to the social constructs that gender is. A qualitative research design was adopted to interpret the portrayal of masculinities in the two novels. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the three novels for the portrayal of the boy child characters. The study indicated that the boy child’s identities are a product of a social construct which differs from community to community, and are constantly subject to change. The study observed that the selected feminist discourses have seemingly muted the voice of the boy child who is represented in the three texts as having a privileged position in the society compared to the girl child. The study further noted that feminist writers employ a boy child inhibiting motif that is embraced in muted efforts of the African patriarch to improve gender issues by pedestalising the female voice. The study evaluated the effectiveness of the boy children’s silences in matters pertaining to human affairs and the erasure of hegemonic influences on the globe as one of the fundamental aspects of feminism. The three selected female authors seemingly represented the boy children in a society that exploits the patriarchal dividend of power and hold on to the characteristics of hegemonic masculinity. However, the research also observed that, as portrayed by Ba, Dangarembga and Andreas, some of the boy children are virtuous, admirable and responsible. In discoursing about the boy child (re)presentations of the boy child adjunct inter-texting themes include brotherhood, boy child education as reflection of gender preferences and an instrument of oppression, fathers and son relationships and boy hood as a construct through socialisation, tradition, cultural practices, education and projections of gender
Seroprevalence of African horse sickness in selected donkey populations in Namibia
No full textBackground and Aim: African horse sickness (AHS) is a non-contagious viral disease of horses and other equids caused
by an arbovirus belonging to the Reoviridae family and genus Orbivirus. AHS is an endemic disease that is responsible
for the death of a high number of horses every year in Namibia. At present, there is no information on the prevalence and
distribution of AHS virus (AHSV) serotypes in the different regions of Namibia. Therefore, this survey aimed to fill this
knowledge gap by investigating the AHSV seroprevalence in Namibian donkeys.
Materials and Methods: A total of 260 blood samples (20 samples for each region) were randomly collected from donkeys
aged between 3 and 5 years. Sera were screened for AHSV-specific immunoglobulin G antibodies using a commercial
competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit and samples positive to AHSV antibodies were further tested by serum neutralization (SN) assay to evaluate the AHSV serotype-specific immune response. Results: Seroprevalence of antibodies against AHSV in Namibian donkeys was 63.5%. The AHSV prevalence was significantly higher in the northern region (64%) than in the southern region (36%). A significantly (p<0.05) higher number of donkeys had antibodies against AHSV-6 (37.8%) and AHSV-9 (37.8%). The AHSV-2, AHSV-6, and AHSV-9 prevalence were higher (p<0.05) in the northern regions compared to the southern regions. None of the donkeys in this study, however, tested positive for AHSV-8. Conclusion: Results of the current study indicate that all AHSV serotypes have either circulated previously or are circulating in Namibia except for AHSV-8. In particular, AHSV-1, -2, -3, -4, -5, -6, and -9 serotypes have circulated or are circulating in the northern region of Namibia, while AHSV-1, -4, -5, -6, -7, and -9 have infected donkeys in the south. AHSV-9 and AHSV-6 were the most prevalent serotypes detected in donkeys in this study. SN results showed that several donkeys from Kavango East, Kavango West, and Ohangwena regions had been exposed to multiple serotypes, indicating the possibility of cocirculation of several strains in Namibia