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The Influence of Peer Based HIV/AIDS Education on Students Sexual Behaviour: A Case of Mzumbe University, Tanzania
No full textPeer education typically involves training and supporting members of a given group to effect change among the members of the same group. Peer education is often used to effect changes in knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviours at the individual level. However, peer education may also create change at the group or societal level by modifying norms and stimulating collective action in policies and programme. Peer education is a tool or strategy to minimize or prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS which is the most dangerous scourge as the most affected group of people are youths capable of driving the wheel of economic development, so it is important to have deliberate strategies in order to fight against this scourge. One of these strategies is peer education, peer education for HIV prevention has been widely implemented in many universities in developing countries, yet the effectiveness of this intervention has not been systematically evaluated. This study was conducted at Mzumbe University (MU) located in Morogoro region to asses peer-based education and its influence on students' sexual behaviour. The study adopted a case study research design and used a combination of simple random sampling and systematic sampling techniques to select 200 students as respondents. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics. Also, the inferential analysis was done using an F test to compare points scored on a scale of sexual behaviour by some independent variables. It was found that many students engaged in risky sexual behaviour had multiple sexual partners and were inconsistent in using condoms. This happened despite their having high knowledge of HIV and peer-based education, and being positive towards peer educators. These positive attributes have not transformed the students to abandon their risky sexual behaviour. It was recommended that a follow-up study is needed to find out as to the reasons behind this behaviour that students did not change their risky sexual behaviour despite the instrumental role undertaken by peer educators
Compensation, Employee and Organisational performance in Guarantee Trust Bank Plc: A Secondary Data Analysis.
No full textIn this paper, we moved away from the questionnaire and interview data gathering approach to testing the fundamental assumption of human resource management (HRM) practices as they impact both the employee and organizational performance using financial data. We argued that performance is better appraised “a posterioriâ€. Thus, we extracted financial data from the annual financial report s from the year 2002 to 2017 and the Pearson Correlation method was used for analysis. The analysis reveals that there is a strong positive and statistically significant relationship between, (i) compensation and employee performance (0.815); (ii) compensation and organizational performance (0.666); and (iii) between employee performance and organizational performance (0.903). However, the findings should be treated with caution as these relationships do not imply a causal one. Importantly, the results strengthen the fundamental role of HRM practice of compensation as one of the important drivers of employee performance that culminates into the overall improved organizational performance.Keywords: Compensation, organization performance, employee performance, HRM Practice
Assessment of Nurses Nutritional Knowledge and Care of Hospitalized Patients with Fractures: A Case of Muhimbili Orthopaedic Institute (MOI)
No full textNutrition knowledge is a key element for health care professionals in hospital settings in addressing nutrition related problems. This study was conducted to assess nutritional knowledge of nurses and care practices of hospitalised patients with fractures at Muhimbili Orthopaedic Institute (MOI). A total of 30 nurses who consented and provided a wider representation of nurses working in MOI were randomly sampled. The study design was descriptive cross sectional survey in which data were collected by using self-administered questionnaire. The data were analyzed using SPSS Version 18 statistical package using descriptive statistics as an analytical tool. The age of nurses ranged between 25 and 50 years with an overall average age of 38.7±7 years. The education qualification held by most nurses was nursing diploma (90%) and 10% were degree holders. On the other hand 90% of nurses had training in basic nutrition and 6.7% in clinical nutrition. The curriculum integrated nutrition for 90% of the surveyed nurses and13.3% had also attended formal nutritional training at one moment in time. The average score was 74.1% for the nurses’ nutrition knowledge and 54.3% for nurses’ knowledge on nutrients requirements for patients with fractures. Altitude was measured using 8 statements that reflected the nurses’ views in nutrition management and care of patients with fractures. A positive altitude was recorded in 6 altitude testing statements that ranged from 70 – 100%. However, apart from their positive altitude it was observed that over 50% of nurses had never provided any nutrition plan for patients with fractures during their career. The results generally imply that the nurses’ nutrition knowledge needs to be continuously enhanced through training and also instill them with a nutritional based culture in handling patients
Influence of Water Fund to Sustainability of Community Managed Rural Water Supply Projects: Moshi District, Northern Tanzania
No full textWater financing is one of the major factors, which determine the sustainability of rural water supply projects in Sub-Saharan Africa including Tanzania. This study investigated how financing aspects affect the sustainability of community managed rural water supply projects. The study was conducted in Moshi district Council in Kilimanjaro region, northern Tanzania whereby two different types of management models i.e. the Board of Trustees and the Water Users Associations were used for data collection during the study. Purposeful sampling was used to get a total of 157 community water users who were interviewed. Six groups of 10 key informants each participated in focus group discussions and 6 key informants were involved in in-depth interviews. These respondents represented a population of 141,386 people in the case study area. The transect walk was also used in the service area to learn about the service level, users satisfaction, quality of water infrastructure, the status of water sources, availability of water service at the public toilets, household connections, and public water points. The analysis of the findings provided the evidence that water fund collected is inadequate to cover operation and maintenance costs due to extremely low tariff levels, users preference of service level, weak water consumption control measures and power relations between upstream and down stream users. These results conclude that there is a relationship between water fund, sustainability, and management of rural water projects. Thus, the ingredients, which can evolve the sustainability of the community, managed projects are first the rethinking of rural water financing strategies and mechanisms and second, reviewing the effectiveness of community-based management. The study has used institutional bricolage by employing reconsideration of participatory water governance and possibilities to draw attention to local, endemic, or informal institutional approaches that might be adapted to deal with water-related concerns by shaping the knowledge, needs, interest and aspiration of rural communities.Â
The Role of Urban Agriculture on Livelihood in Bariadi Township Simuyu Region Tanzania
No full textThis paper examined the role of urban agriculture as a livelihood option in Bariadi township of Simiyu region in Tanzania. The paper addresses four specific objectives one being the identification of types of agricultural products produced in the township, two, identification of markets for such agricultural produce and three, the examination of the role of urban agriculture on livelihood in the township; and four, identification of challenges facing urban agriculture in the township. The study is descriptive in nature. Data was collected using questionnaire administration, in-depth interview with key informants and non-participant observation techniques. Numerical data were analyzed using simple descriptive statistics. Qualitative data, on the other hand, was analyzed thematically. Findings show that horticultural produces are more produced in the township followed by produces from livestock keeping. Local buyers from within the township as well as buyers from neighboring regions make markets for the produce. Urban agriculture contributes up to 25% of households' income in the township. The major challenges facing urban agriculture in the township include poor market for the produce, water shortage, land shortage, seeds unavailability, lack of capital, unavailability of inputs, crude working tools, lack of government support, lack of water pumping machines, lack of manpower, poor storage facilities and lack of agriculture extension services. The study concludes that urban agriculture plays a significant role in income generation in the study area. The paper recommends that the government should support urban agriculture through improving markets and provision of agricultural extension services. The study further recommends proper land use plans in small but growing towns in the country to accommodate urban agricultur
Gene Effect on Yield and Yield Components Combining Ability and Fusarium Wilt Disease Resistance of Pigeon pea in Tanzania
No full textPigeon pea, (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millspaugh) is one of the grain legume crops grown in many countries in the tropics and subtropics. The crop is reported to have wide adaptability in different climatic and soil conditions. The perennial nature of pigeon pea allows farmers to take multiple harvests with surpluses traded in both local and international markets. However, it has not benefited from intensive scientific research worldwide, a situation which results in a large gap between potential yield and actual yields obtained on farmers’ fields. A study was conducted to assess the combining ability in yield and yield components including fusarium wilt on pigeon pea during the dry season in 2011. Diallel crosses were performed for evaluation of a number of days to 50% flowering, days to 85% maturity, the number of branches, plant height, pods per plant, seeds per pod, 100 seed weight, yield and an assessment of fusarium wilt impact. An estimate of General and Specific Combining Ability revealed a highly significant difference in all yield components except the number of branches and seeds per pod. This implies that both additive and non-additive gene action in these characters were expressed. Thus more backcrosses and selections are recommended to meet the need for yield improvement
Frustration at Work, Developmental Experience, Perceived Team Support and Employee Performance: Evidence from Emerging Economies
No full textThe study seeks to examine the effect of workplace frustrations on employee performance. It assesses the moderating effects of developmental experience and team support on the workplace frustrations and employee performance relationship. The study sampled 232 employees in various companies in Ghana. Moderated hierarchical regression analysis was utilized as the main statistical procedure. The results show that workplace frustrations negatively relate to employee performance. Developmental experience moderates the negative relationship between workplace frustrations and employee performance such that employee performance increases with developmental experience. Similarly, team support moderates the negative relationship between workplace frustrations and employee performance such that employee's performance increases with team support. Future studies should explore how an organization could minimize workplace frustrations by examining the influence of job design and workplace planning. The study suggests that managers should develop teamwork among employees and also place emphasis on proper job designs that will expose employees to multiple knowledge, skills, and abilities over the course of their work life which will aid them to acquire developmental experience. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this study provides new evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa to support the workplace frustrations and employee performance relationship with developmental experience and team support as moderators.Â
Demographic Characteristics as Antecedents of Organisational Commitment
No full textThe purpose of this study was to investigate employees’ demographic characteristics as antecedents of organizational commitment. Using a combination of descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis on data collected from a population of staff at CNG Rwanda, the study finds the following: Employees recorded high levels of organizational commitment. Age and gender significantly negatively affected overall organizational commitment, continuance and normative commitment, while marital status affected the same significantly positively. Work experience and duty station affected affective commitment positively but continuance commitment negatively. Employee’s work location significantly affected continuance and normative commitments. Level of formal education insignificantly affected all types of commitment consistently. The findings imply that demographic characteristics played a significant role as antecedents of organizational commitment. Generalization of these findings is, however, limited to the studied organization. It is therefore recommended that a bigger sample from a well-mixed set of organizations across Rwanda should be studied
Socio-demographic Characteristics of Co-operatives Governing Boards and its Influence on Innovations Design: A Case of Chilanga, Kabwe and Kafue Districts, Zambia
No full textThis paper assessed the influence of socio-demographic characteristics of cooperatives governing boards on innovations design. The study was conducted in Kafue, Kabwe and Chilanga Districts, Zambia. Qualitative data were collected using semi-structured interview guide and focus group discussions and were analyzed using content analysis. Quantitative data were collected using questionnaires and were analyzed using statistical package for social science computer program. The study revealed that, studied co-operatives rely mainly on one’s degree of trustworthiness as a key attribute for a leadership post than on other important attributes like academic qualifications, expertise, exposure, etc. It was also revealed that age, education level and trainings attended by the respondents had no influence on innovations design. Furthermore, governing boards’ exposure, number of members who actively access services, innovation support provided and motivational packages offered had significant influence on innovations design in studied co-operatives. This paper recommends that given the current global demand for innovative leadership and governance, professional attributes are important for one to be elected a leader in cooperatives. Co-operative education and training is also emphasized to members and leaders to make them aware of the current global requirements for professional leadership among other recommendations as detailed in this paper.Â
Domestic Wastewater Management System Challenges in Kigogo, Mwananyamala and Tandale Wards, Kinondoni Municipality, Tanzania
No full textThis study was carried out in 2016; it aimed at assessing the methods of domestic wastewater management systems (DWWMS) among the urban vulnerable population living mainly in informal settlements. It used a case study of informal settlements of Kigogo, Mwananyamala and Tandale wards in Kinondoni Municipality, Tanzania. Multiple research methods were employed for information triangulation purposes. These included a questionnaire administered to 100 randomly selected heads of households probed on various DWW factors in their residential areas; four key informants from DAWASCO office and Kinondoni Municipal Council (KMC) on DWW aspects; and observation. The study was guided by the Theory of Planned Behaviours (TPBs); it was purposely employed in order to capture urban households’ conception and behaviours towards DWMS. Results showed that, 51% of households disposed DWW from bathrooms directly to pit latrines; 86% lacked the central collection facilities; 77% mixed DWW with storm water; and 57% disposed DWW at open discharge or surface. Regarding conceptions and behaviours, the study observed that the majority of the households recognised and accepted the role of the local government and other stakeholders in DWW service provision but either violated the regulations consciously or unknowingly or the service was not availed to them. The study concluded that, there was a KnowledgePractice Gap (KPG) on DWMS among the vulnerable population of Kinondoni Municipality leading to generally poor DWW management practices. It recommended mass education for awareness building should be enhanced on proper DWW management. It can be achieved through improved communication and exchange of information between households, KMC and other stakeholders, promotion of local community participation in DWWMS and local community capacity build. Â