The Disproportionate Impact of HIV on Young Women in Durban: Exploring Gendered Vulnerabilities and Socioeconomic Barriers

South Africa has a high rate of HIV, with young women in Durban especially affected due to social, economic, and cultural challenges. This study looks at the experiences of young women living with HIV and the views of healthcare professionals caring for them in KwaZulu-Natal. Using a qualitative, phenomenological approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with five women and three medical professionals to explore how HIV affects their lives, the challenges they face, and how they cope. The findings show that both structural and personal barriers make it hard for young women to stick to treatment. Long waits at clinics, limited youth friendly services and a lack of mental health support made care difficult. Women also described stress, depression, and anxiety after diagnosis, which sometimes affected their ability to take medication regularly. Difficult interactions with healthcare staff, such as not explaining test results, also made care harder. Despite these challenges, women showed resilience through support groups, family help, advocacy, and faith. These resources helped them manage stress, stay on treatment, and feel more in control of their lives. Healthcare professionals highlighted how poverty, gender inequality, and stigma further limit women’s ability to protect their health. These findings show the need for programs that address not just medical treatment but also social, emotional, and structural barriers. Supporting mental health, reducing stigma, and strengthening community and family support are key to helping young women in Durban stay healthy and empowered

Global Pathways: Suwon, South Korea - Semester Abroad Program Proposal

This capstone proposes the Global Pathways: Suwon program, a semester-long study abroad initiative developed in partnership between Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) and Kyonggi University (KGU) in Suwon, South Korea. The program responds to current limitations in study abroad, particularly the prevalence of short-term tourism-oriented experiences and curricula that prioritizes Western perspectives. A needs assessment consisting of student interviews, surveys, and professional consultation demonstrated strong interest in programs that combine language learning, cultural immersion, and career development. Findings also highlighted the importance of financial accessibility, reciprocal host partnerships, and ongoing advising support. Drawing on Freire’s critical pedagogy and Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, the program emphasizes dialogue, reflection, language acquisition, and community engagement as core components of global learning. The curriculum integrates intensive Korean language study, elective coursework in history and communication grounded in Korean scholarship, and local internships supported by structured reflective practices. The Global Pathways: Suwon program advances a model of international education that is academically rigorous, ethically grounded, and mutually beneficial. It aims to expand intercultural competence, professional readiness, and global awareness while strengthening institutional collaboration and supporting community partners in a meaningful way. Keywords: international, education, intercultural learning, decolonization, collaboration, reciprocity, South Kore

From Voluntourism to Reciprocity: A Critical Service-Learning Model for Ethical Study Abroad in Cadiz

This capstone proposes a semester-long study abroad program in Cadiz, Spain that integrates advanced Spanish language immersion, community-based service-learning, and structured intercultural reflection within an ethical, reciprocal framework. It responds to long-standing critiques of extractive and charity-oriented international education and is guided by the research question: How can service-learning study abroad programs be designed to foster reciprocal partnerships with host communities and mitigate harmful or extractive impacts, while supporting second language acquisition and intercultural learning for U.S. undergraduate students? The program design is grounded in Critical Service-Learning, Fair Trade Learning, sociocultural theories of language acquisition, and developmental models of intercultural competence. A mixed-methods needs assessment consisting of student surveys (n=9), outreach to Cadiz-based NGOs, and institutional research identified six key themes shaping the program: cultural awareness, active engagement, self-reflection, ethical sensitivity, practical preparation, and flexibility. These findings, supported by direct student quotations and theoretical alignment, informed a curriculum model emphasizing co-created community partnerships, guided reflection, immersive language learning, and pre-departure ethical training. The resulting program offers a scalable, ethically grounded alternative to traditional study abroad, centering community agency, reciprocity, and experiential learning in the Andalusian context

Learning in the Third Place: Community-Based Educational Programs at a Bookstore Cafe

This capstone proposes an alternative learning program, where learning in the third space of a bookstore café is developed in St. Ann, Jamaica. The program responds to gaps in culturally relevant, community-centered educational spaces that reflect Jamaican heritage, support diverse learning styles, and extend beyond traditional classroom structures. A needs assessment consisting of a stakeholder survey and follow-up interviews demonstrated interest in experiential, arts-based, and place-rooted learning opportunities among educators and community members, despite a limited sample size and minimal youth participation. Findings also highlighted the need for stronger community engagement strategies, intergenerational knowledge exchange, and accessible spaces that integrate literacy, creativity, and cultural identity. Drawing on decolonial education framework, Homi K. Bhabha third space theory, and David Sobel place-based education, the program emphasizes learning as relational, context-driven, and rooted in local histories and environments. The curriculum integrates adventure-based learning, intergenerational writing workshops, and community dialogue within a bookstore café setting designed to function as a hybrid educational and social space. The alternative learning program, learning in the third space of a bookstore café, advances a model of international education that is locally grounded, culturally sustaining, and responsive to community knowledge systems while engaging global educational discourses. It aims to foster critical thinking, cultural identity development, and lifelong learning through accessible, community-based educational experiences

SHIFTING LIVELIHOOD EXPERIENCES OF DROUGHT-DISPLACED RENDILLE PASTORALISTS IN KARGI, NORTHERN KENYA

During the last decade, in the town of Kargi, Kenya, the severity and frequency of drought conditions have become a common trend. Consequently, pastoralist households have become displaced often to nearby town centers. This research investigates shifts in livelihood experiences of drought-displaced Rendille pastoralists in Kargi town, Marsabit County in Northern Kenya. The study employed Thematic Analysis to identify patterns and relationships in qualitative data from household and key informant interviews to investigate shifts in livelihood outcomes. Findings presented a downward trend in livelihood outcomes after displacement. However, key indicators of higher well-being outcomes included access to non-pastoral income-earning activities and regular employment. While displacement presents opportunities for some and possibly hardships for others, households that gradually settled reported better well-being outcomes over time than those that settled abruptly. Differences in well-being outcomes within and between settled groups indicate the need for diverse approaches to support households in distinct situations, particularly the most vulnerable. Keywords: Climate change; Drought; Pastoralism; Livelihood diversification; Displacement; Resilience; Northern Keny

Towards Food Sovereignty in Cameroon: Indigenous Food Practices and Community Grain Banks in the MayoTsanaga Division of the Far North Region

Food security is a term defined in 1996 by the World Food Summit as a situation where everyone has both economic and physical access to nutritious and safe food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. This concept also became a priority during the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and later the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which aim to combat world hunger by 2030. However, the term ‘food security’ has faced criticism for overlooking indigenous knowledge and practices in addressing the food crisis and for misrepresenting marginalized populations. Because of these limitations, the term ‘food sovereignty’ is increasingly adopted to amplify marginalized voices in tackling the food crisis. Using a qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with NGO staff and project beneficiaries on the management of grain banks in Mayo Tsanaga, Cameroon. The study highlights how community-managed grain banks, locally adapted farming strategies, and traditional knowledge systems offer a culturally grounded, self-reliant response to food insecurity. Though these practices may not be unique to Cameroon, this case provides a distinct model of grassroots resilience and indigenous governance that challenges top-down development frameworks and offers policy-relevant insights for decolonizing food systems. By sharing this information, we continue the work of endorsing bottom-up, grassroots approaches in surmounting hunger in our different communities

Assessing the Challenges Faced while Distributing Aid from the Perspectives of Aid Workers in Gaza

This study explores the challenges faced by humanitarian aid workers living and operating inside the Gaza Strip during the Israel–Hamas War. Despite unprecedented levels of need and significant international funding, aid operations have been severely hindered by a combination of logistical, political, and mental health barriers. Using a qualitative content analysis approach, this research draws on eight semi-structured interviews with four medical professionals, two logisticians, one security personnel, and one protection specialist who were either deployed to Gaza or worked extensively on Gaza-related aid operations. Findings reveal that the logistics challenges were due to restrictive and inconsistently enforced authorization procedures, dual-use material bans, supply shortages, visa delays, and looters. Politically, donor pressures, competing global crises, a battle over the narrative, and the consolidation of aid distribution under the Gaza Humanitarian Fund further undermine humanitarian neutrality and operational capacity. These structural constraints contribute to severe mental health challenges for aid workers, including trauma exposure, exhaustion, powerlessness, and difficulties reintegrating into home environments. While participants identified limited workarounds, such as local staff empowerment, creative distribution strategies, and psychosocial support, the majority of obstacles stem from deliberate political decisions rather than technical limitations. The study highlights the urgent need for changes to the COGAT system, strengthened protection of humanitarian space, and expanded mental health support systems for aid personnel. It also contributes new insights into the lived experiences of responders in one of the most complex humanitarian crises of the 21st century

BUILDING CLIMATE RESILIENCE: COMMUNITY GARDENS AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND

The socio-political movements in post-earthquake Christchurch are studied to better understand the interplay of community gardens, climate, environmental, and land-based education, and to analyze their relevance to entrenching climate resilience in the region. Social networks and community responses to natural disasters like an earthquake are leveraged to understand their ability to influence the pillars of climate resilience, those being community, economic, and ecological resilience, respectively. The central hypothesis and research question of this paper will seek to answer: Can social cooperation in the wake of a natural disaster influence the ability of a community to respond to similar disruptions caused by climate change? Semi-structured narrative interviews, participant observation, and volunteering composed the backbone of the methodology used to produce a qualitative analysis of these social movements and evaluate their relevance to building resilience. The rich narratives composed from this suggest that the 2010-2011 Canterbury earthquake sequence unilaterally brought the Christchurch community together, with many grassroots, bottom-up social movements led by educators and gardeners materializing. Christchurch has supported the upscaling of community gardens, in no small part due to the social, mental, and physical well-being they inspire. In concert with land-based education, they positively impact the pillars of climate resilience. However, despite Christchurch’s political progress through Food Resilience and Regeneration plans, the City Council and New Zealand still sorely lack a comprehensive approach to climate curricula and action. An update of the New Zealand Curriculum is scheduled for implementation in 2027, and the three largest metropolitan areas have climate resilience plans of their own, but it is still too early to determine if they will deliver transformative climate action that other well-meaning policies and curricula promised and failed to deliver. This research recommended building on the positive momentum of social movements, where communities are used as resilience capacity builders

Islas (Des)encantadas: dudosa conmemoración y preguntas de cultura en la joya de Ecuador

Esta monografía se enfoca en la historia humana de Isla Isabela, Galápagos, Ecuador, específicamente en la memoria pública y social de la colonia penal. Después de la salida de la base militar americana en la Segunda Guerra Mundial, el gobierno ecuatoriano creó la colonia penal, la cual existió entre 1946 y 1959. Esta colonia era conocida por los castigos horribles, como la construcción del Muro de las Lágrimas, y las muchas muertes de los presos. Después de una sublevación, la colonia penal se terminó y el Parque Nacional Galápagos se formó. Hoy en día, no hay mucha conmemoración de la colonia penal, solo el sitio turístico del Muro de las Lágrimas. Únicamente queda la memoria social, los recuerdos de los testigos, sus descendientes y de otros que han escuchado las historias. Voy a explorar cuatros temas de relevancia en la teoría de la historia humana y memoria pública y social. Primero, me refiero a las contradicciones en la información de la historia y memoria de todas mis fuentes: entrevistas, experiencias y lecturas. Segundo, el turismo es central en la vida galapagueña, y el papel del Muro como sitio turístico ha creado presión como parte de una historia oscura. Tercero, después de una historia de conflicto y estereotipos de personas isabelinas salvajes, hay un gran enfoque en el sentimiento de tranquilidad y seguridad allí, un efecto actual de la colonia penal. Finalmente, exploro la falta de una conmemoración o historia oficial, pues el enfoque está en las ciencias naturales; también, los impactos en la gente, como la falta de una historia con la cual construir una cultura isabelina. Sin una cultura, la sociedad corre el riesgo de un colapso de conexión o integración de fuerzas conjuntas. Sobre todo, esta monografía aborda la memoria y los efectos de la colonia penal en la sociedad isabelina de hoy en día

UBUNTU: The Spirit of African Communalism: An Exploration of Community and Perceptions of Mental Health in Cameroon

This month-long research project focused on elements of African collectivism through the ubuntu philosophy in Cameroonian society as it relates to perceptions of mental health. Taking a mixed-methods approach, questionnaires and interviews were used to collect data. The Metzian Ubuntu Inventory developed by Terblanché-Greef et al. (2023) was used to measure ubuntu. Results show that participants were heavily in alignment with the cultural values outlined by the ubuntu philosophy. Thematic analysis of interview transcripts was used to analyze perceptions of mental health in Cameroon. Five major themes of, defining mental health, stress relieving methods, prosocial behavior & communication, the mental health taboo in Cameroon, and personal stress regulation & emotional regulation, emerged from the data. The themes induced from the interviews suggest a strong association between the values of ubuntu and mental health perceptions in Cameroon. In all, the findings prove a need for more culturally competent approaches in mental healthcare in Africa as well as more context-specific models