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Novel Intact Bitter Cassava: Sustainable Development and Desirability Optimisation of Packaging Films
Get PDFThis is a research article on novel biomaterials and optimal processing conditions are fundamental in low-cost packaging material production.Novel biomaterials and optimal processing conditions are fundamental in low-cost packaging material production. Recently, a novel biobased intact bitter cassava derivative was developed using an intrinsic, high-throughput downstream processing methodology (simultaneous release recovery cyanogenesis). Processing of intact bitter cassava can minimise waste and produce low-cost added value biopolymer packaging films. The objective of this study was to (i) develop and characterise intact bitter cassava biobased films and (ii) determine the optimal processing conditions, which define the most desirable film properties. Films were developed following a Box-Behnken design considering cassava (2, 3, 4 % w/v), glycerol (20, 30, 40 % w/w) and drying temperature (30, 40, 50 °C) and optimized using multi-response desirability. Processing conditions produced films with highly significant (p < 0.05) differences.
Developed models predicted impact of processing conditions on film properties. Desirable film properties for food packaging were produced using the optimised processing conditions, 2 % w/v cassava, 40.0%w/w glycerol and 50 °C drying temperature. These processing conditions produced films with 0.3 %; transparency,
3.4 %; solubility, 21.8 %; water-vapour-permeability, 4.2 gmm/m2/day/kPa; glass transition, 56 °C; melting temperature, 212.6 °C; tensile strength, 16.3 MPa; elongation, 133.3 %; elastic modulus, 5.1MPa and puncture resistance, 57.9 J, which are adequate for packaging applications. Therefore, intact bitter cassava is a viable material to produce packaging films that can be tailored for specific sustainable, low-cost applications
Mapping the informal public transport network in Kampala with smartphones: making sense of an organically evolved chaotic system in an emerging city in sub-Saharan Africa
Get PDFThis is a conference paper on cities in the emerging world, where public transport networks are governed by a large number of agents, each with their own agendas, priorities, incentives, and resources, interacting nonlinearly through complex feedback loops.In cities in the emerging world, public transport networks are governed by a large number of agents, each with their own agendas, priorities, incentives and resources, interacting nonlinearly through complex feedback loops. The transport system in these cities have developed into a semi-chaotic self-organizing structure with seemingly unpredictable behaviour to an outside observer. This is due to user agent actions by passengers, independent determination of operating plans and practices by transport operators, and a managing authority exhibiting a lack of will (both political and institutional), to implement adequate control measures to provide regulation and management of these systems.
Based on the problems that face transport systems in developing cities and public transport in particular, this paper reports on an attempt to understand the supply of public transport in the Kampala area in a novel manner. We describe a mapping approach using a custom-developed smartphone application which was used to quickly and accurately capture informal transport systems for analysis and study of urban mobility where no dependable data was currently available. Secondly, based on the data created by the study project, to provide insights into the routes, operations, and characteristics of the minibus taxi network which convey the majority of Kampala’s travelers. Our hypothesis is that by understanding the network in geospatial terms, we will be able to create benefits for all role-players and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the supply of public transport to more closely match the demand for public transport in an emerging world city
Innovative teaching methodologies in higher education for targeted solutions
Get PDFEvery year Ugandan universities train thousands of graduates, yet the unemployment rate has remained high and the challenges faced by children are sky rocketing. The gap between the training offered, the challenges faced by children and the skills needed in the job market seems too wide. The purpose of this report is to show how Uganda Christian University(UCU), department of child development and children Ministry is purposely working towards creating innovative teaching methodologies which are meant to enhance the curriculum for job creation and also improve the lives of children in Uganda. Through an innovative teaching methodology referred to as’ inclusive project teaching’, 27 third year bachelor of Child Development and Children Ministry(BCDCM) students participated in an E-book project which was integrated in the third year BCDCM curriculum. The result of this curriculum integration was the creation of 27 interactive E-books for children with the theme child protectio
Knowledge and attitudes about Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination and cervical cancer screening among women in rural Uganda
Get PDFThis study ought to establish the level of knowledge in regard to HPV vaccination among parents/guardians of the vaccinated girls and to assess the attitudes to HPV vaccination among parents/guardians of the vaccinated girls.Cervical cancer is one of the major causes of death among women worldwide. There is an established linkage between cervical cancer and Oncogenic Human Papilloma virus (HPV) strains 16 and 18. While cervical cancer is widely understood as a fatal disease, knowledge and awareness of cervical cancer and HPV in Uganda has been limited even among health workers.
Objectives: To establish the level of knowledge in regard to HPV vaccination among parents/guardians of the vaccinated girls and to assess the attitudes to HPV vaccination among parents/guardians of the vaccinated girls.
Methods: A cross-sectional study where 384 mothers/ female guardians of vaccinated girls were recruited into the study. One hundred and sixty four women reported knowing about HPV i.e. 42.7% out of the 384 women. The variables which were significantly associated with knowledge of HPV among the women were; age below
30years, higher education level with P<0.001, Marital status with P<0.001, tribe P=0.021, Religion, P=0.001 and occupation with P <.001.
Conclusion: The level of knowledge of HPV among the women of Nakasongola district was relatively low. High education among the mothers contributed to better knowledge. The general attitude towards HPV vaccination was positive among mothers though there is still need for the populations to appreciate HPV and cervical cancer in general
Assessing the Community-led Total Sanitation Approach in achieving Open Defecation Free Status among residents of Katikamu Sub-county, Luweero District
No full textThis Masters dissertation is discusses Open defecation how it can lead to public health problems most especially in areas where people defecate openly in bushes, gardens, rivers and other water bodies.Background: Open defecation can lead to public health problems most especially in areas where people defecate openly in bushes, gardens, rivers and other water bodies. Nonetheless, even with the availability of toilets, people still need to be convinced to desist from open defecation and use toilets. Therefore, the need for behavior change is critical in addition to the provision of toilets; this has been attempted through the use of programs like the Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS).
Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the contribution of the community led total sanitation approach in achieving open defecation free status among residents of Katikamu Sub County - Luwero district
Methods: This was a mixed methods cross sectional study. Both qualitative and quantitative data was collected for this study. Simple random sampling was used to sample out seven of the nine present parishes. In each of the sampled parishes cluster sampling was used to map out the parishes; in this procedure the parishes were clustered into rural parishes and urban parishes. Systematic sampling was used to select households with the eligible respondent who was a household head. Structured interviews were conducted to collect quantitative data from the respondents. Focus group discussions were conducted in this study in order to triangulate it (have more than one method and therefore type of data to rely on) in order to achieve higher reliability of the results. The quantified data was then transferred to Statistical Package of Social sciences (SPSS) computer package for data analysis. Qualitative data was analyzed using content analysis
Results: When asked whether the household of or any of his house hold members with the exemption of infants had eased themselves in a place other than a latrine or toilet, more than three quarters of them denied this occurrence 327(85.2%). More than half of the respondents 245(63%) reported that a member of the CLTS program team had come around their area to check on the condition of latrines before the CLTS sessions started. Majority of the respondents noted that their household members were involved in the CLTS programme (72.1%), that the CLTS facilitation had helped them in realizing the importance of having a latrine 334 (87%). The importance of CLTS in having an ODF household was shown by the CLTS facilitators to the respondents according to 325 (84.6%) of them and lastly, it was also reported that the local authorities in Katikamu had been supportive all through the CLTS process (88.3%).
Local resources for construction of latrines were possessed by the majority of the respondents (n = 226, 58.9%). For the respondents who owned latrines, resources for the maintenance of those latrines were owned by the vast majority of them (n = 295, 84.8%). Man power for pit latrine construction was also reported to be available by most of the respondents (n = 240, 62.5%). Resources for pit latrine construction and maintenance did not have a statistically significant relationship with open defecation status in Luwero district (p<0.05).
Seven CLTS activities had statistically significant contributions to the open defecation status of residents in Katikamu Sub County. These were whether anyone came around to check on the condition of latrines before the CLT sessions started (X2 = 8.784, p = 0.000), whether CLTS facilitation helped in realizing the importance of having a latrine among the respondents (X2 = 5.528, p = 0.019), whether was easy to attend CLTS follow up sessions (X2 = 17.390, p = 0.000), the Officials who did the CLTS follow-up (X2 = 16.757, p = 0.000), whether follow up was done on the outcome of CLTS (X2 = 28.959, p = 0.000), whether the Community was declared ODF (X2 =3.859 , p = 0.049), and whether the respondents felt shame and disgust during the triggering sessions (X2 = 15.417, p = 0.000). Respondents in areas where someone came around to check on the condition of latrines before the CLTS sessions started were less likely to practice OD (OR = 0.362). This was the same for Individuals who said that CLTS facilitation helped in realizing the importance of having a latrine (OR = 0.540), and those for whom it was easy to attend CLTS follow up sessions (OR = 0.596)
Conclusion: Open defecation is low but still existent in about 2 of every ten residents in Katikamu Sub County. The community led total sanitation program is effective in Katikamu Sub County with some minimal gaps in the pre triggering and follow phases. Resources for latrine construction are available; however this does not affect ODF status. The community led total sanitation program activities have a significant effect on the ODF status in Katikamu Sub County
Antecedents of environmentally friendly manufacturing practices among SMEs in Africa: evidence from Uganda
Get PDFThis book Chapter is part of the book entitled "Economic Integration, Currency Union, and Sustainable and Inclusive Growth in East Africa". Part of the series Advances in African Economic, Social and Political Development pp 137-149Environmental management is increasingly becoming an important topic of discussion in the business world today. Stakeholders as well as policymakers are demanding more accountability from companies in relation to their effects on the environment. In fact, putting the environment at the heart of a company’s marketing drive has become a popular strategy as companies search for ways to achieve competitive advantages in the currently dynamic business landscape. This paper addresses these issues in a rarely studied context. Specifically, it documents empirical evidence on the nature of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) adopting environmentally friendly manufacturing practices in a developing-country context where firms have a weak resource base and operate in a poor regulatory regime. By focusing on SMEs as opposed to the conventional focus on large corporations, and using a developing-country context, this paper attempts to contribute to extant literature by uncovering additional facets of the current topic with potential significant implications for business practice and public policy
Digital activism in Uganda
Get PDFThis a book chapter published in Digital Activism in the Social Media Era: Critical Reflections on Emerging Trends in Sub-Saharan Africa. Edited by: Bruce Mutsvairo. (pp.69-93)
This book probes the vitality, potentiality and ability of new communication and technological changes to drive online-based civil action across Africa. In a continent booming with mobile innovation and a plethora of social networking sites, the Internet is considered a powerful platform used by pro-democracy activists to negotiate and sometimes push for reform-based political and social changes in Africa. The book discusses and theorizes digital activism within social and geo-political realms, analysing cases such as the #FeesMustFall and #BringBackOurGirls campaigns in South Africa and Nigeria respectively to question the extent to which they have changed the dynamics of digital activism in sub-Saharan Africa. Comparative case study reflections in eight African countries identify and critique digital concepts questioning what impact they have had on the civil society. Cases also explore the African LGBT community as a social movement while discussing opportunities and challenges faced by online activists fighting for LGBT equality. Finally, gender-based activists using digital tools to gain attention and facilitate social changes are also appraised.This book chapter traces the historical development of digital activism in Uganda focusing on three historical moments relating to the country’s governance: the ‘Save Mabira’ campaign (2007 and 2011); the ‘Walk-to-work’ campaign (2011) and the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC)’s campaign to replace the National Resistance Movement government in the 2015/2016 elections. The chapter provides an an overview of the provisions for and constraints on freedom of expression and paints a picture of the political environment for any form of activism in Uganda. It presents an overview of key arguments for and against the liberative potential of the new media in a context like Uganda’s. The major questions the chapter addresses relate to the issues driving these campaigns, the communication strategies with a focus on the new media, the achievements and the obstacles/challenges of the campaigns. The chapter thus seeks to document patterns in digital activism in Uganda. The chapter relies on a review of pertinent literature and online content, key informant interviews with leading activists in the three campaigns as well as the author’s own experience of the Ugandan political situation
Building strong partnerships in Library Community through the Jay Jordan IFLA/OCLC Early Career Fellowship Program for Continuing Professional Development
Get PDFThis is a conference paper about the Jay Jordan IFLA/OCLC Early Career Fellowship Program provides early career development and continuing education for library and information science professionals from countries with developing economies. Additionally, the Fellowship Program provides advanced continuing education and exposure to a broad range of issues in information technologies, library operations and global cooperative librarianship. Presented at IFLA Columbus, August, 2016.Continuing Professional Development (CPD) largely refers to the process of continuing growth of a professional within the profession. In Library and Information Science fields, there are two views on CPD- the narrow and the broad views. The narrow view posts CPD as the imparting/ acquiring of specific skills and knowledge to deal with specific new developments. It trains Information Professionals (IPs) to handle new trends. The broad view considers CPD as a much extensive process, by which IPs continuously enhance their knowledge and skills to maturity as professionals, persons, development in their work, new roles and responsibilities in a given community (Padwad and Krishna, 2011). The Jay Jordan IFLA/OCLC Early Career Fellowship Program provides early career development and continuing education for library and information science professionals from countries with developing economies. Additionally, the Fellowship Program provides advanced continuing education and exposure to a broad range of issues in information technologies, library operations and global cooperative librarianship. Further, it is jointly sponsored by the IFLA and OCLC. According to OCLC and IFLA websites (2016), up to five individuals are selected every year for participation in this intensive four week Fellowship Program based at OCLC’s headquarters in Dublin, Ohio, USA. With the 2016 class, the program has welcomed eighty (80) librarians and information science professionals from 38 countries (OCLC website, 2016). Although eighty librarians have so far benefited from this program, it is not yet clear how much contribution this program has made on the library community. Therefore the aim of this paper is to establish the impact of the Jay Jordan IFLA/OCLC Early Career Fellowship Program on building strong partnerships among the library and Information professionals and the Library Community. The specific objectives that guided this study were to: establish the knowledge and skills acquired from the IFLA/OCLC Program; examine the contribution of the Jay Jordan IFLA/OCLC Early Career Fellowship Program to strong library communities/partnerships; establish the challenges (if any) faced in sharing the knowledge and skills gained from the program with community where the fellows come from; and propose strategies to overcome the encountered challenges so that acquired knowledge and skills could be effectively shared to benefit the community where fellows come from.
Methodology applied included: an online survey to all IFLA/OCLC Fellows (beneficiaries) since inception (2001). Findings were supplemented by reviewing OCLC website where the fellows testify about the program. Qualitative research approach was applied in the study. 2 Beneficiaries include: IFLA/OCLC Fellows, IFLA and OCLC Administrators and the information fraternity at large
Tested for Our Sake: The Temptations of Jesus in the Light of Hebrews
Get PDFThis is a research paper which was published earlier in the Expository Times Journal, it illustrates that there has been a neglect to consider what Hebrews has to say on Jesus’ temptations in studies on the temptations of Jesus.In this paper, I illustrate that there has been a neglect to consider what Hebrews has to say on Jesus’ temptations in studies on the temptations of Jesus. I therefore conduct an exegesis of Hebrews, whereby I argue that in the epistle, the purpose of Jesus’ temptations is understood as designed to enable fully his priestly role of intercession for those in temptation whom he represents before God.
Such an anthropocentric understanding of the purpose of Jesus’ temptations makes them highly devotional in their application as I demonstrate in applying them to the experiences of the Baganda Christian martyrs of the 19th century, with the edification of Uganda Martyrs’ Seminerians in view
Incomplete Reporting of HIV/AIDS by Uganda’s Surveillance System and the Associated Factors
Get PDFThe study examined one dependent variable of districts’ reporting completeness against four independent variables: Number of client visits; Number of district health units; Number of NGOs delivering HIV/AIDS services; and Regional location.Introduction: The United States government supported Ugandan government by introducing the
District Health Information Software 2 (DHIS2) in 2012 to improve HIV/AIDS surveillance. Districts have yet to fully adopt this relatively new system given a 70.2% reporting completeness achieved nationally between April-June 2013. Methods: The study examined one dependent variable of districts’ reporting completeness against four independent variables: 1) Number of client visits; 2) Number of district health units; 3) Number of NGOs delivering HIV/AIDS services; and 4) Regional location. The study employed cross-sectional study design which allowed researchers to compare many different variables at the same time. HIV/AIDS program data that were reported by districts into DHIS2 during the period of April to June 2013 were used to assess for reporting completeness. Findings: Districts with the lowest number of client visits (under 2500) achieved the highest mean reporting completeness (81.6%), whereas a range of 2501 - 5000, or over 5001client visits recorded 72.4% and 51.7% respectively. The higher the number of client visits is, the lower the reporting completeness is (p < 0.05). Those districts that were receiving support from only one and two NGO recorded 56.7% and 67.2% respectively. Districts supported by over three NGOs had the highest (80.6%) mean reporting completeness. NGOs-district support was statistically associated with reporting completeness (p < 0.05). The number of health units operated by a district was also significantly associated with reporting completeness (p < 0.05).
The regional location of a district was not associated with reporting completeness (p = 0.674).
Conclusion: The study results led us to recommend targeted future NGO support to districts with higher patient volume for HIV/AIDS services. Particularly, newly funded NGOs are to be established in districts operating over 40 health units. Incomplete reporting undermines identification of HIV-affected individuals and limits the ability to make evidence-based decisions regarding
HIV/AIDS program planning and service delivery