Boosting the Immunization Workforce: Lessons from the Merck Vaccine Network - Africa

This report shares lessons learned from The Merck Company Foundation's decade of experience building immunization capacity in Africa. The Merck Vaccine Network -- Africa, a philanthropic initiative to train immunization managers in Kenya, Mali, Uganda, and Zambia, suggests seven key lessons that can help other funders, governments, and NGOs designing or implementing similar vaccine delivery training programs improve the effectiveness and sustainability of their work.Merck's experience designing and supporting the initiative can offer valuable lessons for other actors in the immunization and broader global health fields who are engaged in or planning similar work. Specifically, we identify seven forward-looking lessons that can increase the effectiveness and sustainability of programs to build the capacity of the vaccine workforce in developing countries:Conduct a rigorous needs assessment to anchor efforts in local needs and priorities;Perform ongoing monitoring and evaluation (M&E) to enable programs to adapt, improve, and generate evidence of impact to attract new partners and funding;Create a sustainability plan at the outset to ensure that program impact is maintained beyond the conclusion of initial funding;Embed programs into local health systems to ensure that investments leverage existing infrastructure, relationships, and resources, and that impact can be sustained beyond the life of the program;Employ locally-adapted curricula and appropriate teaching techniques to maximize transfer and retention of relevant knowledge;Incorporate supportive supervision into programs to ensure that transferred knowledge is maintained and acted upon;Facilitate and support regular convening and communication, enabling continuous learning for improvement.In addition to describing the approach taken by MVN-A and the results achieved in the four focus countries, this paper provides additional detail on each lesson, supported by case studies from the MVNA experience

Securing the Livelihoods and Nutritional Needs of Fish-Dependent Communities

Starting in June 2012, the Rockefeller Foundation began investigating the pressing problem of the declining health of the oceans due to climate change, overfishing, pollution and habitat destruction, and the effects of this decline on poor and vulnerable people who depend on marine ecosystems for food and livelihoods. The goal was to better understand the nature of the problem and the potential impact of interventions in the fields of fisheries, aquaculture, poverty, and food security.The Foundation assembled a portfolio of learning grants that examined this problem from multiple perspectives in order to inform and assess the viability of and potential impact for future engagement on this topic. We supported four scoping studies that sought to identify populations dependent on marine fisheries, as well as review past experience with integrated approaches to fisheries management within a livelihoods and food security context. In partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies, we also supported scoping work in four countries to assess opportunities for a coordinated strategy integrating national policy, local management, and innovative financing.We have learned a tremendous amount from the work our grantees have done, captured here by partner FSG in a summary and synthesis. We hope this information will contribute to the broader body of knowledge on this topic, as well as our own work

Political Dissidents in Putin’s Russia

When it comes to punishing opponents of the present-day regime, Soviet traditions remain alive and well. So that Russia’s attempt at democracy can be better understood, I will discuss aspects of the Soviet government dating back to WWII. Russia can only be understood in the context of the past. I study the government branches to emphasize the power of the president. Russia’s electoral and party systems are mentioned to understand Russia’s lack of plurality and ongoing efforts to stifle dissident voices. Those who publically endorse ideas against the regime risk death. The journalist, Anna Politkovskaya, publically opposed Putin and his involvement in Chechnya was shot at her apartment. Paul Klebnikov dedicated his life to reporting and researching Russian business affairs. His vast knowledge stood as a threat to Putin, and he too was murdered. These two individuals stood for truth and transparency in Russian society. Those who threaten the legitimacy of Putin’s government are silenced. This paper examines how political dissidents reflect how Putin’s role as Russia’s executive authority singularly threatens to co-opt Russia’s fledgling democracy, transitioning the country into a new era of authoritarianism

Perceived stress levels and health promoting behaviors among NAIA and NCAA Division I student athletes

Scope and Method of Study: The purpose of this study was to assess perceived stress levels and health promoting behaviors among collegiate student athletes. The relationship between stress and health promoting behaviors was also examined, as well as if differences in this relationship existed based on gender and/or level of intercollegiate competition. Fifty three student athletes competing at a NAIA institution and 45 student athletes competing at a NCAA Division I institution completed the Perceived Stress Scale, The Inventory of College Students' Recent Life Experiences, and the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile II.Findings and Conclusions: All student athletes reported moderate levels of perceived stress and a typical level of wellness. A significant negative relationship existed between stress and health promoting behaviors, supporting the idea that stress contributes to pathological states through changes in one's health behavior. The amount of variance in health promoting behaviors accounted for by stress was different based on level of competition, suggesting that stress affects health promoting behaviors differently in the two levels of competition. Results from a MANOVA indicate that differences exist in stress and health promoting behaviors across gender and level of competition, but not the combination of the two. Post hoc analysis showed that participants at the NAIA institution reported significantly more stress than those at the NCAA Division I institution, and that females reported more health promoting behaviors than males. These results suggest that differences in the relationship between stress and health promoting behaviors which exist between genders operate independently from differences which exist in level of competition. Further research examining stress, health promoting behaviors, and the relationship in between should be performed to further clarify how, if, and why these variables relate, and possibly change, across time and type of participant

Global Englishes: Variations of a Single Language in All English Classrooms

This study was conducted in order to develop a procedure for creating a globally recognized curriculum for teaching students and teachers about global variations of English. The study first sought to discover attitudes towards global variations of English of speakers in each of Kachru’s three-circles model of World Englishes. Once there was an understanding of the negative attitudes that exist towards variations that fall within all three circles, the next goal was to determine what was being done to change this negative attitude. This meant analyzing curriculum and studies to determine how students and teachers are being educated on the topic of global variations of English. The conclusion was reached that only minimal efforts were made to accomplish the goal of educating students and teachers about global variations of English. The study was concluded with recommendations for implementation of a curriculum that teachers can use to make students aware of the existence of global variations of English and the types of attitudes that should be used when a variation is encountered

Phase III Archaeological Excavations at the Woodlyn Site (22DS517): A Preliminary Report on AMS Dates and Associated Materials

The University of Memphis conducted field school excavations at the Woodlyn archaeological site (22DS517) during the summers of 1997 and 1998. Seventeen units were excavated yielding a multitude of artifacts, data, and features. AMS dates wee obtained from radiocarbon samples collected during the excavations. To better understand the extent of the temporal occupation at Woodlyn and to further refine the age range and cultural markers of the Walls Phase, I examined the artifacts and features associated with the dated radiocarbon samples. During the mid-sixteenth century, Woodlyn was a town included in the polity known as Quizquiz based on the Hernando De Soto narratives. Archaeologists have suggested that the Woodlyn site was abandoned prior to De Soto\u27s arrival in the southeast, while others speculate that the De Soto expedition may have encountered Woodlyn before crossing the Mississippi River. The radiometric age range distributions suggest that Woodlyn was still active shortly before the arrival of the De Soto expedition. The new AMS dates provide an important data set for the interpretation of the Walls phase and its association with the De Soto expedition

The Big Picture School Model: Understanding the Student Experience

The outdated industrial education system, dropout crisis, and disengagement in the learning process are not new issues within the educational debate and continue to raise concerns among school stakeholders. The role of education should be to encourage students to be creative and foster a love for continuous learning; however, this does not seem to be the case in many traditional school systems. In order to address the growing needs of different types of learners who are no longer engaged in traditional settings, alternative education sites have become a popular answer for some families. This qualitative case study focuses on one particular alternative learning environment that implements the Big Picture School model of learning in a rural setting. This model emphasizes student-centered learning within a supportive environment that assists students in taking ownership of their learning through a student-interest-based curriculum. The ultimate goal of this type of school is to teach one student at a time through authentic learning opportunities that are student-interest driven. The purpose of this study is to examine how students experience the Big Picture School model of learning and how the school structures that experience, from the perspective of students. Through participant observations, interviews with students and school stakeholders, focus group sessions with students, and the analysis of school documents, the findings reveal an alternative learning environment that focuses truly on student learning. Listening to students and utilizing their interests to write meaningful, relevant curriculums, while incorporating internships and college course work with high school required academics, and collaborating with community businesses all contribute to higher levels of student engagement and motivation in the learning environment

Risky Driving in Adolescents and Young Adults with Childhood ADHD: Mediation by ADHD Symptoms, Irritability, and Conduct Problems at Follow-up

As driving is a task that requires vigilance and planful behavior, adolescents and young adults with a history of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are an important population to study in regard to risky driving behaviors. This study provides a comprehensive examination of risky driving behaviors- beyond tickets and accidents and including alcohol-impaired driving- in a large sample of adolescents and young adults diagnosed in childhood with ADHD and demographically similar community controls without childhood ADHD. Self-report of citations and accidents, alcohol impaired driving, and risky driving behaviors (speeding, following too closely, etc.) were examined, in relation to the presence or absence of a childhood diagnosis of ADHD, potential age related interactions, and the self- and parent-report of current levels of hyperactivity-impulsivity, inattention, irritability, and conduct problems. Results indicate that probands were more likely than controls to have ever driven without a license, to receive more traffic citations, and to be involved in more accidents; there was a trend toward more license suspensions in the ADHD group. No group differences were found for the risky driving and alcohol-impaired driving scales. Multiple regression revealed that hyperactivity-impulsivity was associated with risky driving above and beyond the contribution of conduct problems, while irritability at follow-up was significantly associated with alcohol-impaired driving. In addition, exploratory mediational analyses indicated that hyperactivity-impulsivity and irritability at follow-up (when tested separately) were significant mediators of the association between childhood ADHD and number of tickets and accidents. Findings inconsistent with previous literature are explained in terms of the validity of self-report in the ADHD population, the nature of the proband sample, and potential measurement bias. The unique contributions of hyperactivity-impulsivity, inattention, irritability, and conduct problems are discussed

Changes in Society: The Increasing Diversity in Society Results in an Increasingly Diverse ELA Classroom and the Increasing Need for Inclusion in ELA

This project’s focus is on how the ELA classroom is becoming more diverse due to the increasing diversity in society. Due to this, it is significant that ELA teachers create accommodations for their diverse learners and create a more inclusive environment for their students through education on inclusion. Adolescents in the classroom have the opportunity to learn about the benefits of diversity and inclusion in society as well as how to become more accepting and appreciative of diversity in society. ELA teachers can help students with this acceptance and appreciation by utilizing a diverse range of literature to teach about inclusion as well as having students learn from one another in order to experience the benefits of inclusion and diversity

Corporate social responsibility as risk management: An instrumental case study on Santam Limited

Magister Commercii - MComIn a contemporary local context characterised by significant socio-economic challenges, exacerbated by rising systemic risks, and hampered by capacity constraints of the state, we examine the case for a strategic approach to corporate social responsibility (CSR) as risk management for the public good. In this study, we propose that CSR could offer value as risk management to firm stakeholders and broader society, by aligning state, business, and societal objectives in tackling shared risk and by addressing some of the challenges associated with contemporary CSR practice. The objectives of this thesis were, therefore, twofold. First, to explain the relevance between the concepts of risk management and CSR and how a strategic approach to CSR as risk management may operate as a mechanism influencing practice and impact. Second, to analyse such an approach in practice to interrogate our propositions of CSR as risk management and to identify its key enabling and disabling factors. To achieve the first objective, we developed a theoretical and conceptual framework that positions CSR as a necessary and appropriate strategic risk management response to inefficient and inequitable markets. To achieve our second objective, we undertook an instrumental case study of Santam Limited and its proactive, pro-social risk management initiative, Partners for Risk and Resilience (P4RR). Using a critical realist case study approach, we interviewed 22 participants drawn from the company’s social and organisational contexts. Our findings suggest that the interaction of four principal stakeholder entities gave rise to P4RR: investors, company management, employees, and the state, and we would characterise the primary mechanism driving the Initiative as competitive pressures emanating from the market. Our findings broadly support our propositions that risk management is a useful analytical framework for CSR and, as a strategic approach, may encourage firm-wide integration of CSR practice and cooperation with salient stakeholders, while providing a rubric with which to evaluate its usefulness. Our findings are somewhat supportive of the proposition that such an approach may lead to a response to uncertainty that aligns more closely with economic risk management. Recommendations for future research include multiple case study analyses of different companies that engage in risk management for the public good. Strategically, we recommend the elevation of local government planning processes as a tool with which to align corporate pro-social activities to maximise the contribution to the public good