Gift economy and well-being: A mode of economy playing out in recovery from Rwandan tragedies

Previous studies challenge the assumption that economic growth improves subjective well-being, and argue that economic growth is incompatible with not only nature conservation but also subjective well-being. To achieve SDGs, a mode of economy that sustains both subjective well-being and the natural environment needs to be investigated. This ethnographic study explored community-based economy systems in post-genocide Rwanda, and elaborated the process and mechanisms by which the contemporary gift economy facilitated subjective well-being in culture and natural landscape. Findings showed that subjective well-being can be achieved by applying alternative modes of economy (gift economy, sharing economy) and having access to direct sources of well-being (natural environment, social cohesion, cultural identity, and spirituality), when basic needs are satisfied by well-established infrastructure and social services. This study contributes to understanding why and how people can be happy without money, and illuminate a mode of economy that can benefit the sustainable development of local communities

The potential role of European professors in the context of Rwandan civil engineering education: Reflections after a teaching experience

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Improving mathematical communication and critical thinking in middle school students: Study of anchored instruction learning assisted by edpuzzle

Background: Mathematics learning often appears unattractive to students due to its monotonous, intimidating, and boring nature. Active engagement in learning mathematics requires students to effectively utilize their communication and critical thinking skills.Aim: This study aims to 1) analyze the critical thinking abilities of students in a learning context, 2) assess their written and oral mathematical communication abilities, 3) evaluate their critical thinking skills in problem-solving, and 4) explore the impact of the Anchored Instruction learning setting assisted by Edpuzzle on these competencies.Method: Employing a descriptive qualitative research design, this study involved 24 VII-H grade students from SMPN 8 Malang. Data were collected using observation sheets, worksheets, and test questions.Results: The study indicates significant improvements in students’ critical thinking and mathematical communication skills. Critical thinking, observed through increased and more sophisticated student participation, was categorized as high in 5 students, medium in 16, and low in 3. Similarly, in mathematical communication, 5 students excelled, 13 were above average, and 6 were below average. This progression exhibited the effectiveness of the Anchored Instruction learning setting assisted by Edpuzzle in enhancing these skills.Conclusion: The study concludes that the Anchored Instruction learning setting, supported by Edpuzzle, significantly enhances students' critical thinking and mathematical communication abilities. This approach has proven effective in engaging students more actively in the learning process and improving their problem-solving skills

Local experience of using traditional medicine in northern Rwanda: a qualitative study

Background: The popular use of traditional medicine in low-income settings has previously been attributed to poverty, lack of education, and insufficient accessibility to conventional health service. However, in many countries, including in Rwanda, the use of traditional medicine is still popular despite the good accessibility and availability of conventional health services. This study aims to explore why traditional medicine is popularly used in Rwanda where it has achieved universal health coverage.// Methods: The qualitative study, which included in-depth interviews and participant observations, investigated the experience of using traditional medicine as well as the perceived needs and reasons for its use in the Musanze district of northern Rwanda. We recruited 21 participants (15 community members and 6 traditional healers) for in-depth interviews. Thematic analysis was conducted to generate common themes and coding schemes.// Results: Our findings suggest that the characteristics of traditional medicine are responding to community members’ health, social and financial needs which are insufficiently met by the current conventional health services. Participants used traditional medicine particularly to deal with culture-specific illness – uburozi. To treat uburozi appropriately, referrals from hospitals to traditional healers took place spontaneously.// Conclusions: In Rwanda, conventional health services universally cover diseases that are diagnosed by the standard of conventional medicine. However, this universal health coverage may not sufficiently respond patients’ social and financial needs arising from the health needs. Given this, integrating traditional medicine into national health systems, with adequate regulatory framework for quality control, would be beneficial to meet patients’ needs

Effect of oven and freeze drying on nutritional composition of pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) processed flour

Pumpkin is very perishable and drying is one of methods to preserve it. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of oven and freeze-drying methods on the nutritional composition of processed pumpkin flours. Pumpkin fruit samples (A, B, C, D and E) of Cucurbita maxima species were collected from local markets within the country. They were oven dried at 65°C for 8 hours and freeze dried at 30°C for 4 days, and then processed into flours. The moisture content, total ash, crude protein and total carotenoids were analyzed in both fresh samples and processed flours according to AOAC approved methods. Data obtained from laboratory analysis were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) at significant differences (P <0.05) between the nutritional contents of fresh samples, and of flours processed by oven and freeze drying. The study revealed that mean values for moisture, total ash and crude protein contents were 85.33, 7.62 and 12.78% for fresh pumpkin respectively; flour obtained by freeze drying contained 3.21, 6.25, and 9.35% respectively while by oven drying it was 1.19, 1.81, and 2.36% respectively. For total carotenoids, values were 180.13, 164.92 and 143.43μg / g-1 respectively for fresh pumpkin, flour made by freeze drying, and flour made by oven drying methods. Generally, the nutritional contents of fresh sample, flour made by freeze drying and flour obtained by oven drying methods were significantly different (P <0.05). For the purposes of high yields of pumpkins flour, freeze drying could be the method of choice as it was found to give better results in terms of nutrients retention. The shelf life of the two flour batches should be studied in further research works. Keywords: Pumpkin, Pumpkin flour, oven drying, freeze drying, nutritional valu

Impact of chemical fertilizers on diversity and abundance of soil-litter arthropod communities in coffee and banana plantations in southern Rwanda

peer reviewedFew studies explored effects of chemical fertilizers on diversity and abundance of soillitter arthropods in the tropics. To fill this gap, a study focussed on the abundance of soil-litter arthropods and selected soil physicochemical properties in coffee plantations treated with chemical fertilizers and in plantations of coffee and banana treated with organic fertilizers and organic mulches in southern Rwanda. Each land use was replicated three times. Soil-litter arthropods were collected using pitfall traps and hand collection. They were identified to the family level using dichotomous keys. Soil have been collected using auger and taken to the laboratory for the analysis of soil pH, soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, phosphorus, and cation exchange capacity. Findings indicated a total of 12,945 individuals distributed into 3 classes, 16 orders, 50 families and 92 morphospecies, with higher abundance and diversity in coffee plantations treated with organic fertilizers and organic mulches. Collected soil-litter arthropods were mainly classified in the class Insecta, dominated in numbers by ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), while Coleoptera and Hemiptera had more families. However, soil under coffee plantations treated with organic fertilizers and organic mulches was acidic compared with the soil under coffee plantations treated with inorganic fertilizers and banana plantations treated with organic fertilizers and organic mulches. The relationships between soil-litter arthropods and soil physicochemical properties suggest that soil-litter arthropods respond to the land use independently from soil physicochemical properties. We recommend further studies in coffee and other crop plantations in other regions of Rwanda to verify the findings of this study

Baseline assessment of adult and adolescent primary care delivery in Rwanda: an opportunity for quality improvement

Background: As resource-limited health systems evolve to address complex diseases, attention must be returned to basic primary care delivery. Limited data exists detailing the quality of general adult and adolescent primary care delivered at front-line facilities in these regions. Here we describe the baseline quality of care for adults and adolescents in rural Rwanda. Methods: Patients aged 13 and older presenting to eight rural health center outpatient departments in one district in southeastern Rwanda between February and March 2011 were included. Routine nurse-delivered care was observed by clinical mentors trained in the WHO Integrated Management of Adolescent & Adult Illness (IMAI) protocol using standardized checklists, and compared to decisions made by the clinical mentor as the gold standard. Results: Four hundred and seventy consultations were observed. Of these, only 1.5% were screened and triaged for emergency conditions. Fewer than 10% of patients were routinely screened for chronic conditions including HIV, tuberculosis, anemia or malnutrition. Nurses correctly diagnosed 50.1% of patient complaints (95% CI: 45.7%-54.5%) and determined the correct treatment 44.9% of the time (95% CI: 40.6%-49.3%). Correct diagnosis and treatment varied significantly across health centers (p = 0.03 and p = 0.04, respectively). Conclusion: Fundamental gaps exist in adult and adolescent primary care delivery in Rwanda, including triage, screening, diagnosis, and treatment, with significant variability across conditions and facilities. Research and innovation toward improving and standardizing primary care delivery in sub-Saharan Africa is required. IMAI, supported by routine mentorship, is one potentially important approach to establishing the standards necessary for high-quality care

Relationship among the carotenoid content, dry matter content and sensory attributes of sweet potato

The sensory characteristics of biofortified sweet potato in Africa were explored over a wide range of carotenoid (0.4–72.5 μg/g fresh weight) and dry matter contents (26.8–39.4%). The logarithm of the total carotenoid content was correlated with the dry matter content (declining by 1.2% with each doubling of the carotenoid content) and a wide range of sensory characteristics that involve visual, odour, taste and textural characteristics. Multiple linear regression models were developed. The logarithmic relationship of colour to the carotenoid concentration means that those varieties with a relatively low carotenoid content may appear to be of similar intensity to those with a much higher and hence nutritionally beneficial carotenoid content

Assessment of aflatoxin and fumonisin contamination levels in maize and mycotoxins awareness and risk factors in Rwanda

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of fungi that are toxic to humans and animals when consumed in contaminated food and feed. The Rwandan climate conditions like steady temperature and sufficient rainfall favor the growth of fungi leading to high probability of mycotoxins contamination. Mycotoxins get into maize throughout the value chain from the field to processed products. Maize is  promoted in Rwanda under the Crop Intensification Program (CIP), for nutrition and food security. The aim of the study was to evaluate mycotoxins (Aflatoxin and fumonisin) levels in maize and assess awareness and factors associated with mycotoxin contamination in Rwanda. Maize samples (227 kg) from season B 2019 were collected in 15 Districts in five provinces of Rwanda after an interview with a representative of the household or cooperative using a structured questionnaire. The samples were analyzed for aflatoxin and  fumonisin using Reveal Q+ and AccuScan Gold Reader. From the interview, most of the respondents were not aware about aflatoxin (59.7 %) and 99 % did not know the effect of mycotoxins on human health. The average of aflatoxin contamination in surveyed districts was 6.69±13 μg/kg. In general, 90.4 % of samples scored below the limit of aflatoxin level regulated in East Africa/Kenya regulation standards (10 μg/kg). The levels of aflatoxin ranged between 0 and 100.9 μg/kg. The means aflatoxin levels within districts ranged between 1.36±0.5 μg/kg and 13.75±25 μg/kg. Among 9.6 % of the samples containing aflatoxins above the EU and Kenyan regulations standard limit, 5.7 % were above the US standards of 20 μg/kg. Within clusters, the level of aflatoxin more than 10 μg/kg was 5 %, 7 % and 18 % for stores, household and market samples, respectively. From the study, as mechanical damage of grains, moisture content of grains and the temperature of the store house increased, Aflatoxin level also increased. Fumonisin analyzed in maize ranged from 0 to 2.3 μg/g and only one sample from market showed a slightly higher level of fumonisin than the EU and US limit of 2 μg/g. More effort for aflatoxin mitigation is needed at the market level. Farmers need to be aware and taught how they can improve their agricultural system and more knowledge on mycotoxin control is needed. The results point to appropriate measures to recommend for control ofmycotoxins in Rwanda and awareness creation. Key words: AccuScan, Aflatoxin, Fumonisin, Fungal, Maize, Mycotoxins, Reveal Q+, Rwand

A survey of root knot nematodes and resistance to Meloidogyne incognita in sweet potato varieties from Kenyan fields

AbstractThe root knot nematode, Meloidogyne is one of the most economically damaging plant parasitic nematode groups, and are widely distributed in Kenyan agro-ecosystems. The aim of this study was to determine the diversity of Meloidogyne species in Kenyan sweet potato fields and identify sweet potato varieties that exhibit resistance to M. incognita. Meloidogyne species were collected from Nyanza, Western, Eastern and Central Provinces of Kenya. Mitochondrial DNA was used to differentiate Meloidogyne species. The most common species in all sampled regions was M. incognita. Meloidogyne hapla was recorded for the first time in Kenyan sweet potato growing areas (Mosocho, Matayos, Teso South, Manyatta, and Nzaui sub-counties), while M. enterolobii was observed in Kiharu, Matayos and Mosocho sub-counties and a novel Meloidogyne sp. was identified in Kiharu sub-county. Seventy-two sweet potato varieties collected from both agricultural fields and research stations in Kenya were evaluated for resistance to M. incognita under greenhouse conditions in two separate trials. Known susceptible (Beauregard) and resistant (Tanzania) sweet potato varieties were included as controls. Responses of sweet potato varieties to M. incognita infection was assessed by the number of eggs present and level of galling on a scale of 1–5, where 0 = 0 galls and 5 ≥ 100 galls. The reproduction index (RI) was used to classify the varieties as resistant or susceptible. There was a significant difference (P < 0.001) in the number of eggs, GI and RI among the varieties tested. Forty nine sweet potato varieties were considered very resistant and may be used in breeding programs to incorporate resistance against M. incognita into commercial cultivars of sweet potato or to use them in crop rotation programmes for management of RKN. The results on Meloidogyne species diversity in Kenyan sweet potato fields will also be useful in nematode management programs