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Progress of using risk assessment to manage small drinking-water supplies in Rwanda: a preliminary study
No full textThe World Health Organization promotes risk assessment and risk management through Water Safety Plans (WSPs) as the most effective way to manage drinking-water supplies. Despite proven advantages of this approach in other regions, WSPs are still not widely used across small drinking-water supplies in Sub Saharan Africa. The aim of this research is to identify good practices and related gaps which may assist with formal uptake of WSPs for small drinking-water supplies in Rwanda. Through semi-structured interviews with the key stakeholders involved in small drinking-water supply management across Rwanda, the aim is achieved through the investigation of the following: (i) current drinking-water management challenges; (ii) stakeholder collaboration and data management activities including reporting of information; and (iii) the regulatory and policy environment. The use and awareness of WSPs in Rwanda was confirmed as low. However certain drinking-water management activities which align with the WSP methodology are being carried out. These include catchment management and stakeholder collaboration. Although legislation and policy are in place in Rwanda, communication and training of methods to implement WSPs are required to sustainably embed WSPs into practice. Several elements, including community engagement, systematic review of risks and data management, require greater focus to align with the WSP methodology. Respondents highlighted key drinking-water management challenges, including reactive budgeting and lack of sector prioritization, which could benefit from formal WSP implementation
Financial literacy and financial inclusion: an analysis of women owned micro and small enterprises in Namugongo division, Kira municipality
No full textxiv, 112 p. : ill. (some col.) ;The study investigated the influence of financial literacy on financial inclusion among women-owned Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) in Namugongo Division, Kira Municipality. The study objectives were to investigate the influence of financial knowledge, skills and attitudes on the financial inclusion of Micro and Small Enterprises owned by women in the Namugongo Division. The study employed a cross-sectional quantitative survey design to obtain information from women operating MSEs. A sample size of 293 research respondents was considered in this research, selected using a stratified and simple random sampling method. The findings highlighted that financial knowledge and financial Attitudes significantly and positively predict financial inclusion at a significance level of 5%. However, financial skills had no significant relationship with the financial inclusion of women-owned MSEs in the Namugongo Division (P-value>0.05). The findings also showed that financial knowledge, financial attitudes, and financial skills account for only 57.1% of the variations in financial inclusion. The study further revealed that firm size partially mediated the relationship between financial literacy and financial inclusion. The study concluded that financial knowledge and financial attitudes play an instrumental role in enhancing the financial inclusion of MSEs owned by women in the Namugongo Division. The study therefore recommends that the government should draw a lot of emphasis on financial literacy by providing practical learning tools to women operating MSEs, it should also develop a collaborative national strategy for financial literacy which works with small and micro enterprises to increase protection for women seeking financial products and services from financial scammers. This is imperative in enhancing the intensity of financial inclusion activities in the country
Work environment and job performance of teachers in secondary schools of kabarole district, Uganda
No full textxii, 85 p. ;The study investigated the relationship between the working environment and job performance of teachers in secondary schools in the Kabarole District. The objectives of the study were to analyze the relationship between technical environment and job performance of teachers, assess the relationship between human environment and job performance of teachers and to determine the relationship between administrative environment and job performance of teachers in secondary schools of Kabarole District. Using across-sectional survey, data was collected from 158 respondents who included 152 teachers, 2 district-based and 4 school-based administrators by the help of a structured questionnaire and interview guides. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation test and regression analysis. In the findings, a moderate and significant relationship (r =.301, P<0.01) existed between the technical environment of secondary schools, but it did not significantly predict job performance. Access to relevant teaching materials and infrastructure by teachers, increases the likelihood to accomplish their teaching roles as long as the infrastructure is modern, adequate and teachers have the skills to use it. A positive, moderate and significant relationship (r =.279, P<0.01) existed between human environment of secondary schools and it positively predicted job performance. Relevant mentoring and psychosocial support enabled teachers to do their teaching roles better. It was revealed that a positive and significant relationship existed between administrative environment and job performance of teachers (=.640, P<0.01) and positively predicted teacher performance. Support in terms of financial benefits and allowances increased teachers’ performance. Work environment contributed (β =.443, p<.05), about 44.3 % to job performance of teachers which was slightly lower than the summated individual contribution. This resulted from teachers not being able to use the technical environment because it was inadequate and they lacked skills of using it. Teachers were also overworked and schools did not have organized ways of recognizing and supporting them and there was also low motivation among teachers to do professional development. Therefore, Ministry of Education and Sports should adopt a formal Job performance enhancement policy for Secondary school teachers in Uganda, Board of Governors and head teachers should implement relevant teacher mentoring programs in every school so as to empower teachers to build appropriate job skills. District level managers should start playing a crucial role in helping teachers develop appropriate job commitment. Further research is recommended to examine mechanisms and structures that can help school administrators develop and implement better work environments in Secondary schools in Uganda
Transforming communities through Ubuntu philosophy: prerequisites, opportunities, and implications for social work practice in Africa
No full textThe African philosophy of Ubuntu has emerged as a counterweight strategy
to the pervasive consequences of long-term individualism entrenched in African social work because of its western origins. This chapter contends that
African social workers can utilise Ubuntu philosophy in transforming poor
communities and building resilient societies. This requires understanding
the principles of Ubuntu and its embeddedness in African cultures as
necessary prerequisites for this transformation. Its emphasis on collectivism
as social capital, interconnectedness, and equality of human beings can be
used to transform poor communities, thereby creating enormous
opportunities for social work practitioners in Africa to enrich the lives of their
clients. By implication, African social work practice is asked to promote
bottom-up community-led interventions built on local voices/experiences.
Keywords: Ubuntu philosophy, social work theory, community transformation,
resilient communities, indigenous social work, decolonial social work, Afric
Exploring equality and non-discrimination of disabled students in policy and practice in public universities in Uganda
No full textEducation is one of the fundamental human rights. Moreover, it constitutes the basis for an effective use of other human and civil rights. The Ugandan government recognizes the centrality of education as a core right and has officially practised inclusive education for over three decades. There are progressive laws and policies as well as institutional frameworks for attaining disability inclusion in education. Statistics on education indicating increasing enrolment of disabled students in schools suggests that these policies have a positive impact on disability inclusion in primary and secondary education. However, there seems to be limited impact on higher education. This disparity raises the question of whether disability inclusion policies in universities are informed by the inclusive education principles set out by the UN human rights standards on education, the SDG 4 target of inclusive and equitable quality education for all, the Persons with Disability Act 2020 on non-discrimination in the provision of education services, and the disability provisions in the Ugandan Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act 2001 (as amended). This chapter sheds light on this research question by carving out (a) how universities are applying the human rights standards on education and inclusive education principles; (b) the nature and composition of institutional disability inclusion frameworks within universities; and (c) the practices of disability inclusion in teaching and assessment of disabled students, and their inclusion in the non-academic programmes. To this end, we engage in qualitative research that builds on lived experiences of disabled students within Ugandan universities. Our sample cuts across disabilities. We propose strategies towards attaining disability inclusion in the university sector in Uganda
Strategic planning and performance of small and medium enterprises in Rubaga South constituency, Kampala capital city authority
No full textxii, 60 p. ;The study aimed at establishing the relationship between strategic planning and performance of SMEs in Rubaga South Constituency. Particularly, the study addressed the following objectives; (i)To examine the relationship between formalization of vision and mission and performance of SMEs in Rubaga South Constituency, (ii)To establish the relationship between nature of firm objectives and performance of SMEs in Rubaga South Constituency and also (iii) To investigate the relationship between adoption of firm strategy and performance of SMEs in Rubaga South Constituency. The study was based on the goal setting theory which was advanced by Locke & Latham. A cross-sectional design and stratified sampling technique were utilized to select a sample size of 160 respondents from a population of 280 respondents. Out of 160 questionnaires that were given out, 111 were valid bringing the response rate to 69%. The study was purely quantitative and therefore used only questionnaires to collect data from SMEs in Rubaga South Constituency. SPSS was used in the data analysis. Validity and reliability were ensured by computing the content validity index and the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and variables with a coefficient of above 0.7 were selected respectively. The Univariate analysis was carried out including descriptive statistics to analyse sample characteristics. Bivariate analysis in form of, Pearson correlation to establish the nature of relationships. The findings revealed that strategic planning is significantly related to SME performance. Relatedly, formalization of vison and mission, nature of firm objectives and adoption of firm strategy were revealed to be statistically significant. The study concluded that SMEs proprietors should come up with an overall vision and mission for their SMEs, set specific and general objectives as well as adopt a given firm strategy in order to enhance their performance. The study further recommended that practicing and non-practicing managers establish a strategic intent for their organisation to determine where the organisation wants to be and the purpose of its existence and communicating the organisations strategic intent to the middle and lower-level managers in addition to setting challenging goals and individual objectives for employees.
Key words: Strategic planning, Small and Medium Enterprises, Performanc
Coping with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among Victims of Fire Disasters in Kampala Capital City Authority, Uganda
No full textxii, 63 p. ;The study examined the relationship between Coping and the occurrence of PTSD among victims of fire disasters in Kampala Capital City Authority, to provide a basis for psychological programs to address the needs of victims. Using a correlational design, data was collected by the help of structured questionnaires from a purposive sample of 160 respondents from Kiseka, Owino markets and Crest foam mattresses, who had been victims of fire disasters in KCCA. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation test and regression analysis. Significant findings included; a substantial occurrence of PTSD symptoms was found among victims of Fire disasters. The victims reported high levels of anxiety, restless and fear on reliving the traumatic fire disaster experience. Adaptive coping had a negative and non-significant influence on PTSD (β =-17, p> 0.05), Maladaptive coping had a significant influence on PTSD (β =.51, p<0.05) and coping explained 9% (r2=0.09) of the variation in PTSD. Thus, maladaptive coping in form of denial, withdrawal and emotional numbing was used mostly, which negatively affected the wellbeing of victims. Therefore, the government needs to develop a comprehensive model for timely management of Traumatic stress from disasters and a fully-fledged professional fire disaster trauma counselling department in all disaster management public institutions. The police firefighting department needs to have trained police officers in trauma counselling to provide immediate professional counselling to fire disaster victims, since they are usually the first contact and responders in cases of fires. Further research is recommended in public institutions to further bridge the knowledge gap on negative psychological effects of fire disasters
Abating eutrophication on urban lakes: a case study of Kabaka's Lake, Uganda
No full textEutrophication of water bodies is a challenge in many urban areas. This study measured and modelled quantitatively the pollutant nutrient load of an urban lake (80,596 m2), and assessed both external (constructed wetland) and internal (dredging) eutrophication extenuation measures. For the past 25 years, there has been redistribution (p < 0.005) of the lake's catchment land use, with built-up area increasing by 78.5%, and a reduction in vegetated (37.2%) and water surface (1.8%) areas. A 92.2% reduction in the lakes receiving wetland footprint (p = 0.000003) was noted, with increased nutrient load. The lake's light attenuation was found to be dominated by algae, limited by nitrogen and classified under the oligotrophic class (Trophic State Index < 40), with a threat of eutrophication in an estimated 25 years. Scenario analyses show that the construction of a wetland in the remaining 0.54 hectares of natural wetland will reduce total phosphorus by 35% and total nitrate by 45% (p = 0.05), whereas dredging the lake could reduce them by 80% each (p = 0.0005). Watershed management is the only sustainable solution to control nutrient flow into the lake and enable self-cleansing, factoring in the design of the receiving wetland and groundwater sources
Biochar as a novel technology for treatment of onsite domestic wastewater : A critical review
No full textGlobally, about 2.7 billion people depend on onsite sanitation systems (OSS) (e.g., septic tanks) for their sanitation needs. Although onsite sanitation systems help in providing primary treatment for domestic wastewater, they don’t effectively remove nutrients, pathogens, and other inorganic contaminants. Previous studies have posited that the use of post treatment systems which incorporate biochar leads to improved contaminant removal efficiency. However, the mechanism through which contaminants are removed and factors potentially affecting the removal are still understudied. To fill this knowledge gaps, this review discusses factors which affect efficiency of biochar in removing contaminants found in onsite domestic wastewater, modifications applied to improve the efficiency of biochar in removing contaminants, mechanisms through which different contaminants are removed and constraints in the use of biochar for onsite wastewater treatment. It was noted that the removal of contaminants involves a combination of mechanisms which include adsorption, filtration, biodegradation, ion exchange, pore entrapment. The combination of these mechanisms is brought about by the synergy between the properties of biochar and microbes trapped in the biofilm on the surface of the biochar. Future areas of research such as the modification of biochar, use of biochar in the removal of antibiotic resistant genes (ARGs), application of wet carbonization methods and resistance of biochar to physical disintegration are also discussed. This study provides useful information that can be applied in the use of biochar for the treatment of wastewater and guide future design of treatment systems for optimized treatment performance
Development of relief sculptures from waste eggshells as an alternative material for school of art and industrial design Kyambogo University
No full textxii, 99 p. : ill. (some col.) ;The purpose of this study was to develop relief sculptures from waste eggshells as an alternative material for School of Art and Industrial Design Kyambogo University. It was conducted under three objectives namely; to identify different waste materials that have been used to create sculpture at the School of Art and Industrial Design Kyambogo University, to execute design concepts for producing relief sculptures from waste eggshells for School of Art and Industrial Design, to develop relief sculptures from waste eggshells as an alternative material for School of Art and Industrial Design. This study was qualitative in nature and a case study research design used to gain information about waste materials for sculpture and provided an opportunity for innovation. Purposive sampling technique was applied based on sculpture students and lecturers who were practicing sculpture at the School of Art and Industrial Design. The researcher used interviews, direct observation, photography, Library and archival search methods to fulfill the study objectives. The information from different students and lecturers was gathered using interview guide, observation check list, reading list and studio practice guide which directed the researcher during studio exploration. This study observed that conventional materials like clay, cement and wood were commonly used for the production of relief sculptures at the School of Art and Industrial Design. This was due to the complexity of creating relief sculptures that came along with representing figures within a limited space which tended to be difficult while using waste materials like plastic bottles, polythene among others thus discouraging students. The study findings presented in both text and photographic formats were interpreted in consideration of techniques and material. They affirm that eggshells are a reliable and flexible waste material for the production of relief sculptures. This study recommends that waste eggshells can be used as a material by other universities and institutions of learning and also prototypes used for study purposes