Modern contraceptive use among young women in Kampala slums : research findings from the TOPOWA study

19 P. :Unintended pregnancies among adolescent and young women in low- and middle-income countries pose major public health challenges, underscoring the need for improved access to modern contraceptives. This study examined prevalence, preferences, and correlates of modern contraceptive use among young women living in urban slums of Kampala, Uganda, to inform targeted interventions. We analyzed baseline data from The Onward Project on Wellbeing and Adversity (TOPOWA), an NIH-funded, multi-component prospective cohort study on mental health among women aged 18–24 years. In 2023, 300 participants were recruited from three sites (Banda, Bwaise, Makindye). Interviewer-administered surveys assessed contraceptive choices, lifestyle, and demographic factors. Modified Poisson regression was used to examine correlates of contraceptive use. Among participants, 66.0% had ever used contraception, 40.0% were current users, and 38.0% reported modern contraceptive use. Multivariable analyses showed that having a consistent partner (PR = 3.28; 95% CI: 1.90–5.67), engaging in sex work (PR = 2.10; 95% CI: 1.46–3.02), older age (PR = 1.08; 95% CI: 1.01–1.16), and having children (PR = 1.72; 95% CI: 1.12–2.66) were associated with higher modern contraceptive use. Findings highlight important gaps in sustained contraceptive use and the need for tailored interventions addressing economic, social, and educational barriers to improve reproductive health in this low-resource setting

Advancing gender-responsive AI in higher education: a participatory rural appraisal of traditional and modern food processing innovations in Uganda

This study explores how gender-responsive artificial intelligence (AI) can transform higher education participatory rural appraisal (PRA) research to advance Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 - Zero Hunger - by harmonising traditional and modern food processing practices in Uganda. Amidst rapid technological progress, AI’s potential remains disproportionately urban-centric, sidelining rural women who dominate Uganda’s traditional food systems yet face systemic barriers to accessing modern innovations. Through a mixed-methods approach including a systematic review of global AI applications in agriculture, analysis of national and international policy frameworks, and community-driven PRA case studies, this research uncovers critical gaps in gender-equitable AI adaptation within Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Findings reveal that socio-economic disparities, limited digital literacy, and infrastructural inequities exclude women from AI-driven solutions, thus undermining Uganda’s progress toward sustainable agriculture. However, HEIs emerge as pivotal agents of change. This is because, by embedding gender-responsive AI into participatory research curricula, universities can co-design inclusive technologies that amplify women’s expertise in traditional food preservation while integrating modern efficiencies. This study proposes a tripartite strategy: (1) Gender-sensitive AI training programs tailored to rural contexts, (2) Low-cost, culturally relevant AI tools for decentralised food processing, and (3) Cross-sector partnerships linking academia, policymakers, and grassroots innovators to align AI initiatives with SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality) targets. This work challenges the global AI paradigm by centring marginalised voices and demonstrating how participatory, gender-responsive education frameworks can catalyse equitable technological adoption. Its actionable insights offer a blueprint for HEIs worldwide to harness AI as a tool for social justice, bridging the divide between tradition and innovation to build resilient, inclusive food systems

compare the thermal performance of two thermal insulating materials for domestic heating applications

14 p. : col.Thermal insulating materials are very essential in thermal energy storage. There are both imported and locally/homemade thermal insulation materials. However, the imported thermal insulation materials are expensive compared to the locally made ones due to the high importation cost and taxes imposed on them. This paper aims to compare two thermal insulators for domestic solar heating applications. The two insulators are a wonderbag (imported from South Africa) and a hay basket (locally made in Uganda). Two identical cooking pots with a capacity of 1 litre each are separately placed on identical Photovoltaic Direct Current (PV DC) cookers inside a wonderbag and hay basket, respectively. Water heating experiments are performed in the morning and noon. Results show that when a 0.5 kg water load is used, a higher maximum temperature of 96.3 oC is achieved by the water in a wonderbag insulator compared to 94.8 oC achieved for a hay basket, within 24 min of the experiments during solar noon. A slightly higher water heating efficiency of 3.9% is shown when in the wonderbag compared to that of 3.7% attained when the hay basket is used. No significant difference in the maximum water load temperatures and heating efficiencies are observed when using a wonderbag and hay basket as thermal insulating materials for domestic solar cooking applications during solar noon. Longer heating times are taken during morning experiments (32 – 34 min) than during noon experiment (26 – 30 min). The work demonstrates that a cheaply available and locally made heat retention vessel (hay basket) can substitute the imported and expensive heat retention vessel (wonderbag). The experimental setup can be used to introduce the ideas of heat retention, solar cooking, and photovoltaics to senior undergraduate students pursuing courses in thermal physics and semiconductor physics, respectively.&#xD

Evaluating the efficiency and economic savings levels among primary healthcare units in rukungiri district, Uganda: a non-parametric model

Introduction: The scarcity and shortage of resources in health systems in developing countries continues to draw attention, tension and debate among stakeholders, and this calls for evaluation of efficiency in healthcare markets. Objectives: The purpose of the study is to analyse the efficiency and level of economic savings among public health centre II facilities in Rukungiri District, Uganda. Two specific objectives guided the study: estimating the technical and scale efficiency scores and the economic saving levels among the primary healthcare facilities. Methodology: A cross-sectional descriptive research design was used and secondary data containing health inputs and outputs that was secured from the District Health Information System (DHIS-2) for the financial year 2022/2023. A Constant Returns to Scale (CRS) output-oriented Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) technique was adopted to evaluate the level of technical, scale efficiency and slack values for economic savings that are needed to make inefficient health units efficient. Results: An average technical efficiency level of 43.7 percent was estimated implying that facilities need to improve on resource utilization by 56.3 percent to become technically efficient. Scale efficiency averaged 99.7 percent and this means that the facilities were scale efficient given their size. Economic savings arising from input reductions and output augmentations were registered. Conclusion: This study fills the research gap by estimating the technical and scale efficiency scores for each facility as a decision making unit in the district. It provides a novel and detailed understanding of how much economic savings would be made if technically inefficient facilities avoid wastage of input resources to attain efficiency. It also identifies the benchmark facilities from which inefficient ones need to emulate to become efficient

Uncovering adaptive mechanisms to water deficit in low soil phosphorus tolerant common bean genotypes

(109 - 129) p. : ill. (col.) ;Water-Deficit and low soil phosphorus (P) are major constraints for common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivation in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Tolerant varieties offer cost-effective alternatives to irrigation and fertilizers. This study examines how low soil P-tolerant common bean genotypes adapt to Water-Deficit through leaf morphology, physiology, and root development in greenhouse and field conditions. AFR703-1, AFR708, and K131 were arranged in a completely randomized design under Well-Watered and Water-Deficit conditions, with P applied at 0, 6, and 16 mg P kg⁻¹ soil. In the field, identical genotypes were arranged in a randomized complete block design with P applied at 0, 12, and 32 kg P ha⁻¹ under Well-Watered and Water-Deficit Environments. AFR708 showed a significant (P 0.05) under similar conditions. AFR703-1 and K131 exhibited significantly (P < 0.05) lower specific leaf area in Water-Deficit than Well-Watered conditions, contrasting with AFR708. Similarly, LMR in the studied genotypes decreased (P < 0.001) and with rising P under Water-Deficit, with diverse trends in Well-Watered conditions. AFR703-1 and K131 recorded higher NAR in Water-Deficit than Well-Watered conditions, contrary to AFR708. AFR genotypes decreased significantly (P < 0.001) showed enhanced root development in Water- Deficit, including increased adventitious, tap, and lateral roots, higher total biomass, and finer root length compared to Well-Watered conditions, despite lower grain yields, notably in Nakasongola site. Overall, AFR703-1 holds promise as a breeding parent for enhancing Water-Deficit resilience and P tolerance in common bean production, despite yield reduction under stress conditions

The effect of structured coaching on lecturers’ feedback skill development in national teachers’ colleges in Uganda

This study investigated the effect of coaching on the feedback skills of lecturers in National Teachers’ Colleges in Uganda, drawing on the theories of Cognitive Apprenticeship and Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory, which emphasize learning through guided experience and social interaction. The study was guided by a postpositivist world view and it employed a mixed-methods embedded approach, the research utilized a pretest-posttest control group design to assess whether there was a significant difference in the feedback skill of lecturers who received coaching compared to those who did not receive coaching. A sample of 128 lecturers was purposively selected, stratified, and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group received structured coaching sessions, while the control group did not. Quantitative data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire and an observation checklist while structured interview guides provided the qualitative data. The quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics through a t-test, while qualitative data were examined through content analysis. The post-test results revealed that the experimental group performed better, with a mean difference of 0.38078 points and a p-value of 0.000 < 0.05 which is statistically significant. Participants from the experimental group in the interviews reported a positive contribution of coaching to their learning and skill proficiency. The hypothesis that there is no significant difference in the feedback skill of lecturers who received coaching compared to those who did not receive coaching was therefore rejected. It was concluded that coaching is significant for improving lecturers’ feedback skills. It was therefore recommended that institutions should consider integrating coaching as a CPD for lecturers’ capacity building in performance. Institutions should also design tailormade coaching strategies to address individual gaps of lecturers and create communities of practice to establish a supportive network for more learnin

Most significant changes from women’s economic empowerment and pathways from Ugandan women in the agro-value chain

17 p.Traditional evaluation models often rely on predefined indicators set by program designers, limiting the ability to capture emerging and lived outcomes. This study examines the impact of Women’s Economic Empowerment from beneficiaries’ perspectives using the Most Significant Change approach. A qualitative exploratory study was conducted in Kampala and Wakiso, Uganda, utilizing focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and in-depth interviews among adult women who had waned off WEE support, supplemented by a literature review. Thematic analysis identified (5) significant domains of change at the waning of women’s economic empowerment support, including increased responsibility, community respect, improved mental health, stronger family relations, and enhanced confidence and agency. Challenges such as polygamous relationships, competitive dynamics, and the effects of COVID-19 hindered women’s empowerment outcomes. Pathways to significant change were: goal setting, peer and family support, resilience, and self-recognition of progress. Findings suggest that women’s empowerment should not focus solely on economic empowerment but must also address social and political dimensions of power, participation and inclusion. Women valued respect over power. Sustainable empowerment requires the active inclusion of men to mitigate adversarial gender dynamics. These findings reflect the need for inclusive development approaches to attain lasting societal progress

Unraveling the pyrolysis mechanisms of syagrus palm waste fibers through gaussian deconvolution and kinetic modeling

The thermal decomposition kinetics and thermodynamics of Syagrus romanzoffiana waste rachis fibers (SrWRFs) were investigated through thermogravimetric analysis in a nitrogen atmosphere at heating rates (β) of 30, 40, and 50°C/min. The Coats–Redfern method was employed to determine kinetic parameters, including activation energy (Ea), pre-exponential factor (A), and reaction mechanisms. In contrast, thermodynamic properties such as enthalpy change (ΔH), Gibbs free energy (ΔG), and entropy change (ΔS) have been derived to evaluate the energy requirements and spontaneity of the pyrolysis process. A three-parallel Gaussian reaction model was employed to deconvolute the degradation profiles of hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin, revealing distinct temperature intervals for each component: hemicellulose (200–345°C), cellulose (305–398°C), and lignin (220–650°C), with high fitting accuracy (R2 ≥ 0.99537). The kinetic analysis identified sigmoidal rate (SR) models (SR6, SR7, and SR8) as the most suitable, yielding Ea values ranging from 97.31 to 262.11 kJ/mol, which increased with higher heating rates. Thermodynamic results indicate that SrWRF pyrolysis is endothermic (ΔH > 0) and non-spontaneous (ΔG > 0), with negative entropy changes (ΔS) suggesting an increase in molecular order among the degradation products. The kinetic compensation effect was confirmed, demonstrating a linear relationship between lnA and Eₐ

Impact of agricultural practices on the water quality of Rwakaiha wetland, Kyegegwa District, Uganda

10 p.Wetlands are critical natural resources and perform a range of environmental functions. They are at times prone to degradation either directly or indirectly through anthropogenic activities which are undertaken in their surroundings. The study sought to explore the effects of agricultural practices on the water quality of Rwakaiha wetland, Kyegegwa district. Specifically, the study established agricultural practices undertaken in and around the wetland, and determined the physicochemical parameters of the water samples obtained from the wetland. Cross-sectional and experimental research designs were employed to achieve the stated objectives. A questionnaire survey was used to obtain the information concerning the agricultural practices undertaken in and around the wetland, while in-situ and laboratory experiments determined the physicochemical characteristics of the water samples. Results revealed that, crop growing including yams, potatoes and maize, aquaculture and animal rearing were some of the agricultural practices undertaken by the community members in the study area. Apart from Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) that exhibited elevated levels in the water samples, the pH, temperature, Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), Electrical Conductivity (EC), turbidity and Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) were all within the permissible limits as compared to World Health Organisation (WHO) standards. All the heavy metals tested were way beyond the permissible levels, presumed to stem from the agricultural practices. It is recommended that awareness be created to members of the community to intensify on the use of organic fertilizers. The government should highly levy taxes on the inorganic fertilizers in order to discourage the over application of the same, since they end up with detrimental environmental effects

Revitalizing traditional food systems in Uganda : restoring and adapting indigenous food storage and preservation methods for improved food security in Kitu Guru parish, Rampura District, south-western Uganda

10 p. : col. ;Traditional food preservation and storage methods play a crucial role in enhancing food security and reducing poverty in Uganda. However, modernization and shifting dietary preferences have led to the decline of indigenous knowledge in food systems. This study explores the restoration, adaptation, and valorization of traditional food preservation and storage methods in Kitunguru Parish, Rugando Sub-County, Rwampara District, in Uganda’s Southwestern Region. Through qualitative research, the study examined how methods such as smoking, sun-drying, boiling, steaming, and frying contribute to prolonged food shelf life, ensuring year-round availability and resilience against food scarcity. The findings highlight the socio-economic and cultural significance of these techniques, emphasizing their potential to enhance food security, reduce dependency on expensive modern storage facilities, and promoting sustainable livelihoods. By integrating indigenous knowledge with modern innovations, the study advocates for policy interventions and community-driven strategies to revitalize traditional food systems. Ultimately, this research underscores the importance of preserving, storing and adapting indigenous food practices and methods to foster resilience, self-reliance, and sustainable development in rural Uganda