Unlocking the Potential of Zambian Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises "Learning from the international best practices - the Southeast Asian Experience"

This paper examines the SMEs performance in Zambia and attempts to identify some practical lessons that Zambia can learn from Southeast Asian countries (with reference to Malaysia) in order to facilitate industrial development through unlocking the potential of its SMEs sector. Malaysia and Zambia were at the same level of economic development as evidenced by similar per capita incomes but Zambia has remained behind economically and its manufacturing sector has stagnated as if both countries did not have similar initial endowments. It therefore, becomes imperative that Zambia learns from such countries on how they managed to take-off economically with a focus on SME development. Training (education), research & development, market availability and technological advancement through establishment of industrial linkages coupled with cluster formation were some of the outstanding strategies identified that Zambia could use as a “key” to unlock its SMEs’ potential as it strives to meet the UN MDGs in particular halving its poverty levels by 2015 and also realizing its vision of becoming a middle income earner by 2030

Public officials and practitioner engagement on development policy in Malawi

October 2015 A research report submitted to the Faculty of Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in 25% fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters in Management (in the field of Public and Development Management)Over the last forty to fifty years the industry that supports international development cooperation, has become more complex in its pursuit of multifaceted development objectives. Studies suggest that history, politics and a power differential between aid recipients and the foreign aid workforce undermine the development policy process locally. This study explores local engagement on development policy in Malawi, between public officials/aid recipients and donor-agency practitioners/foreign aid workforce; and the role of the 2008 Paris Declaration (PD) on Aid Effectiveness in this engagement. The two significant findings are that, while there are some adverse effects of history, politics and power in engagement on development policy, there is also evidence of replicable outcomes that can bolster the policy process. Secondly, the democracy model in practice in Malawi is struggling to deliver development policy dividends. The study concludes that both the state and donor agencies working in Malawi should mutually leverage global commitments, domestically, and use them to negotiate an increase in development aid committed to improving the development processes, for greater national ownership. The study specifically recommends the adoption of deliberative democratic development processes. This nuanced approach may improve Malawi’s ability to yield development policy dividend

A review of the development and enactment of a radio programme on rainwater harvesting in expanding social learning interactions: a case of the Imvotho Bubomi Learning Network in the Nkonkobe Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa

The use of radio and associated information and communications technologies (ICTs) has not been widely explored as a process of environmental education over the years. If environmental education is to involve many people, the use of radio and associated ICTs, particularly in community radio, needs to be researched because radio has multilayered functions. This study examines how practitioners in an agricultural Community of Practice (CoP), namely the Imvotho Bubomi Learning Network in the Nkonkobe Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa developed a radio programme on rainwater harvesting for the promotion of food security. The study probes the expansion and social learning of the network and into the public sphere after broadcasts. The study draws on research data generated in the Amanzi for Food project which was funded by the Water Research Commission of South Africa and was led by the Rhodes University Environmental Learning Research Centre. Using interviews, radio programme transcripts and observations, the study found that through using their prior knowledge from a training of trainers’ course on rain water harvesting and drawing on everyday experience of rainwater harvesting the CoP members had an expansion in their mutual engagement, joint enterprise, diversity, shared repertoire and identity into a knowledge community. This learning process developed through a successive elaboration of social ecological and social articulations related to the expansive functioning of the CoP; and experience of the benefits of rainwater harvesting as radio programme listeners deliberated how the different practices related to their existing knowledge and experience. The study also found that these expansive processes of social learning occurred across the spectrum of smallholder farmers and homestead food growers in a stimulated radio listening focus group discussion. The study concludes that agriculture practitioners involved in education for sustainable development could expand their knowledge sharing platforms by giving more attention to community radio as a means of both involving participants and engaging learning communities in local environment and sustainability concerns

CHILD PROTECTION MEASURES ON BULLYING IN SPECIAL EDUCATION SCHOOLS

Bullying is a destructive social problem in schools that needs attention. Schools have the responsibility to create a safe place where students can learn without fear of being bullied. The purpose of the study was to explore child protection measures against bullying in selected special education schools in Luapula province. This study was guided by a Constructivist Paradigm, in keeping with the research paradigm, a qualitative intrinsic case study design was employed because the case study outcomes were intended to tell the researcher something that is solely about the case itself. In this case, the child with disability and special education school was of primary interest in the study. The sample size comprised of 38 participants consisting of 2 head teachers, 12 teachers, 12 parents and 12 learners from the two selected special education schools. Purposive critical case sampling was used to select head teachers, expert sampling was used on teachers and criterion sampling was used to select learners and parents. Data from head teachers and teachers were collected using a semi-structured interview guide and focus group discussions guide (FGD) were used on learners and parents. Data were analysed by thematic analysis. The study revealed that children with disabilities were protected from bullying in special education schools using the 3R’s (Recognizing, Responding and Reporting) bullying prevention strategies for learners with special educational needs. The findings established that Recognizing bullying prevention strategies included recognizing the statistics or acts of bullying in the school, recognizing the warning signs of victims and stereotypes of bullies and routine checking to stop harassment and bullying acts. The study also revealed that Responding bullying prevention strategies included holding meetings that reinforce positive behaviour expectations, providing guidance and counselling on how to respond to bullying, punishing learners using discriminatory language or derogatory remarks, formulation of anti-bullying programs, formation of support groups to sensitize learners, training staff members on how to recognizing incidents of bullying and teach anti-bullying social skills. Other strategies identified include the Reporting bullying prevention strategies which included reporting all forms of ill-treatment, reporting bullying incidence in school settings, reporting any form of harassment, and bullying acts. These bullying prevention strategies enabled the teachers in the school to protect learners with disabilities in schools. Based on these findings, the study recommends that the school should be on the lookout for incidences of bullying, respond to bullying quickly and effectively and document and report all actions taken when recognizing and responding to bullying.  Article visualizations

Optimising the Economic Weight of Thermal Springs for Rural Tourism Development in Zambia

Zambia is rich in natural, environmental, cultural and heritage resources which could be developed into sustainable tourism sites. However, these resources, for example thermal springs, have not been fully optimised as such, local communities that host them have not benefited both socially and economically. This study aimed to explore how the Chinyunyu thermal springs could be optimally used as an economic input to contribute to the cause of rural tourism development and fight poverty and unemployment in the local economy. The research followed an inductive qualitative research methodology and employed a thematic analysis of data with a sample size of thirty participants purposively collected from local community members. The study found that the Chinyunyu thermal springs were undeveloped and underutilised for economic benefit of the local community. This failure to optimise the economic weight of these thermal springs has undermined the development imperatives of the Chinyunyu Village and the district at large. The local community members’ perception is that the thermal springs could be developed into a community-based tourism resort by commercialising the thermal springs. The Zambian authorities should explore means and ways of developing and commercialising tourism activities at the Chinyunyu thermal spring

How is Social Work Affected by Different Contexts?

Social Work is one of the oldest professions, dating back to pre-industrial societies - even though it may not then have been called social work. It is a profession that deals both with society and individuals. Social work has been changing as the society has evolved, which in turn entails changes in peoples behaviours. Society and the individual are caught in an intense and changing relationship whereby each one seeks to influence the other. Moreover social work seeks to influence society (and individuals within it) and society in turn seeks to set limit on what social workers should do and should not do. So, social work is situated in the middle pulled between the individual and society, the powerful and the excluded, negotiating, and at times in conflict with both

Free amino nitrogen improvement in sorghum grain brewing

Free amino nitrogen (FAN) levels in sorghum grain brewing are characteristically low as a direct consequence of the very low levels of FAN in unmalted sorghum grain. During fermentation, FAN provides nutritional support to the yeast, enabling optimal yeast growth and efficient fermentation. Exogenous proteolytic enzymes are required to hydrolyse sorghum grain protein into FAN. Eight commercial proteolytic enzymes were studied in terms of their efficacy to produce FAN levels during mashing considered adequate (150 mg/L) to support optimal yeast functionality and their effect on extract levels. FAN as determined by the ninhydrin assay, ranged between 25-72 mg/100 g sorghum grist (representing 0%-185% increase) when mashing was carried out at 55°C over 45 mins with the 8 different enzymes. The proteolytic enzymes varied greatly in terms of their efficacy, possibly as a result of having different optimal operating conditions. It is also suggested that the proteolytic enzymes differed in terms of their classification and exopeptidase/endopeptidase ratio. In an attempt to further increase FAN levels, the effects of the reducing agent potassium metabisulphite (KMS) and different mashing temperatures (50°C, 55°C and 60°C) were also studied. Three enzymes (Flavourzyme, Neutrase, Papain) were selected for this part of the study. The addition of KMS caused a significant increase in the FAN in mashing systems that utilized Flavourzyme (22% when mashing at 55°C) and Neutrase (14% when mashing at 55°C), but not with Papain. It is suggested that KMS reduced the stabilizing disulphide bonds present in the sorghum kafirin, thus making the kafirin more digestible. The KMS could have reduced the effectiveness of Papain because it is a sulphydryl protease which possesses stabilizing disulphide bonds which were reduced by the KMS. Flavourzyme and Papain were more active at 55°C, while Neutrase displayed maximum activity at 50°C. The effect of mashing at a low temperature (40°C) over an extended time period (7 hr) on FAN was studied using Flavourzyme. Samples treated with Flavourzyme and KMS showed a five-fold increase in FAN, while those treated with Flavourzyme only showed a four-fold increase. It is proposed that the low temperature was able to suppress the rate at which disulphide bonds were formed in kafirin, therefore improving its digestibility. The lower temperature also retarded the enzyme denaturation rate, while the long time period allowed the enzyme more contact time with the substrate. Microstructure analysis of sorghum protein bodies using transmission electron microscopy and of sorghum endosperm using confocal laser scanning microscopy revealed that the relative indigestibility of kafirin makes a significant contribution to the relatively low FAN levels. Although the action of the proteolytic enzyme and KMS on the sorghum endosperm protein matrix showed notable degradation, large fragments of undigested protein bodies were observed. This once again suggested that disulphide bond cross-linking played a major role in reducing the digestibility of sorghum protein. The addition of Flavourzyme to a complete mashing cycle was also found to result in a significant increase (9%) in extract. The ncrease in extract is attributed to the increased availability of starch to amylase hydrolysis as a result of the degradation of the protein matrix which envelopes the starch granules. The addition of KMS to the sorghum grain mashing system and the utilisation of a low temperature protein rest are effective methods of improving FAN in sorghum grain brewing.Dissertation (MSc(Agric))--University of Pretoria, 2008.Food Scienceunrestricte

Poor provision of sanitary facilities in markets of lusaka district Zambia

Background: Although provision of sanitary facilities in workplaces is an important issue, very few studies have been undertaken in this regard. Objective: This study assessed the provision of sanitary facilities for market traders and their perceptions of the provided facilities in Lusaka district Zambia. Methods: A cross-sectional study of workplace observations in 12 randomly selected markets and interviews with 386 traders, conducted in Lusaka district. Findings: The study revealed that eleven of the twelve markets provided toilets, hand-washing and drying facilities, water, urinals, soap, and toilet paper. However, most of the markets did not comply with the Zambian laws in terms of the adequacy and privacy of facilities. One market did not have any of the listed facilities. Most traders perceived facilities to be unsatisfactory and used them only because of the lack of alternatives. Poor provision of sanitary facilities was observed at markets thus predisposing its workforce and trading population to multiple public health hazards. Conclusions: The findings of this study call for urgent investments in sanitary structures and surveillance systems to guarantee the safety of the population and to promote the health of market traders as well as the community at large.publishedVersio