Africa and an Economy of Universal Human Solidarity: In the Footsteps of Pope Francis’ Evangelii Gaudium

In his recent Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium or The Joy of the Gospel, Pope Francis indicated the shortcomings of capitalism, the economic order dominant in the world today. The inhuman social conditions Francis has attributed to global capitalism can be observed concretely in the lives of the peoples of the African continent. As a result, there exists within Africa itself, on the one hand, and between Africa and other regions of the world, on the other, a cavernous gap between the rich and the poor classes. The main problem is that poverty revolves around fundamental injustices in the creation, distribution, and use of wealth. In the view of Francis in Evangelii Gaudium, contemporary orientations and structures of capitalism abet this situation and must be radically overhauled

Community Awareness of Domestic Violence in Arumeru District, Arusha, Tanzania

Domestic violence continues to be prominent among many communities worldwide despite different efforts and strategies geared towards eradicating it. Women and girls are among the main victims of this violence. Lack of or limited awareness of the problem perpetuates the problem. However, much of the levels of awareness of the problem are lacking. This study aimed to establish community awareness of domestic violence and the levels of awareness and determine the association between respondents\u27 characteristics and the level of awareness of gender-based violence. The study employed both probability and non-probability sampling techniques to acquire the respondents. One hundred women and men respondents were surveyed using simple random sampling. Data collection tools for this study included a questionnaire and an interview. The research study found that more than half (56.0%) of the total respondents were not aware of domestic violence practices. Twenty-six percent of the respondents had low awareness, 11% had moderate awareness, and only 9% of the respondents had high awareness of domestic violence. After the respondents\u27 awareness levels were determined, the study investigated whether there was an association between the sex, age, and education level of the respondents and their awareness level. The findings showed that it is evident that sex, age, and education level were significant influences on the level of awareness of domestic violence among the respondents. There was an association between sex (ꭓ²=14.07, p\u3c0.007), age ((ꭓ²=27.32, p\u3c0.043) and education ((ꭓ²=34.72, p\u3c0.001) on community awareness of domestic violence. Respondents have limited awareness of domestic violence despite government and stakeholder efforts to combat the violence

Cultural Factors Associated with Human Trafficking of Girls and Women in Northern Tanzania: The Case of Arusha Region

Human trafficking is persistent in many regions of Tanzania despite different efforts to reduce the practice by the Government and other stakeholders. Girls and young women are more affected by this practice in violation of their human rights than men and boys. This study explored the cultural factors attributing to the trafficking of girls and women in Northern Tanzania. The study involved 400 girls and young women for a quantitative and qualitative study on cultural determinants of human trafficking. The study found the following cultural practices pushed girls and women towards situations in which they could be trafficked: female genital mutilation (82%); son preference (78%); daughters not inheriting land and animals (77%); women not participating in decision making (70%); the workload for women and girls (88%); wife battering (87%); early marriage (82%); under estimating women and girls’ decision-making-making abilities (77%); and polygamy (76%)

Risk Factors for Anaemia Among HIV Infected Children Attending Care and Treatment Clinic at Muhimbili National Hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

There is paucity of data describing the risk factors for anaemia among HIV infected children in Tanzania. This cross sectional study was carried out to determine the contributing factors for anaemia among HIV-infected children attending Muhimbili National Hospital in Dar es Salaam. Both univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify possible factors associated with anaemia in HIV-infected children. A total of 75 (44%) patients among 167 recruited HIV-infected children aged 6 months to 59 months of were found to be anaemic (Hg<11g/dl). Multivariate logistic regression demonstrated that not being on HAART (OR 3.40, 95%CI (1.20-9.60), having CD4% <25% (OR 2.30, 95%CI (1.20-34.60), having a history of tuberculosis (TB) (OR 3.23, 95%CI (1.10-9.70) and having hookworm infestation (OR 5.97, 95%CI (1.92-18.4) were independent risk factors for anaemia among HIV infected children. The analyses also showed that being HIV positive for ≥ 2.5 years resulted into a low risk of severe anaemia compared to being HIV positive for < 2.5 years. Taking multivitamins (OR 0.07, 95%, CI (0.020-0.30) and antihelminthics (OR 0.27, 95%CI (0.10-0.74) were also protective against anaemia in children. Similar factors (with exception of using antihelmintics) were associated with severe anaemia. In conclusion the factors associated with anaemia in HIV infected children were multifactorial in nature. Efforts to correct anaemia in HIV infected children should include use of HAART and treatment of infections such as TB and hookworms

Perceived barriers to access available health services among men who have sex with men in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Background: Men who have sex with men (MSM) continue to be highly affected with the HIV infection worldwide. Studies have shown that the organization of healthcare systems and how the MSM perceive it play a major role in granting or denying them access to healthcare services. Little is known in Tanzania regarding the barriers that MSM face while accessing health services within the country. The study was geared towards determining the proportion of MSM who accessed health care and disclose their sexual orientations to health care workers (HCW). It also intended to find out the anticipated barriers from HCW’s if they were to disclose their sexual orientations to them and consider the types of social networks used when facing various challenges.Methods: The study employed both quantitative and qualitative methods. Participants were enrolled in the study Respondent Driven Sampling. Quantitative data was entered and analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences v.20. Qualitative data was collected using in-depth interviews read and interpreted to identify themes and create categories. These were manually analysed and interpreted according to the study objectives.Results: The majority (87.7%) of MSM accessed healthcare services when sick, only a few (3.4%) did nothing due to lack of financial resources. Only a third of them had ever disclosed their sexual orientations to healthcare workers. This was due to lack of confidentiality, fear of stigma and discrimination, shame and mistreatment at the health facilities, and fear of the healthcare worker’s reaction after they disclosed their sexual orientation to them.Conclusion: MSM need to be empowered to overcome their perceived fears towards healthcare workers and health facilities. Efforts should be put into breaking the cycle of negative information and perceptions MSM have about healthcare workers and how they deal with same sex practices’ health related problems

Indoors man-biting mosquitoes and their implication on malaria transmission in Mpwapwa and Iringa District, Tanzania

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Assessing Challenges Facing Implementation of Information Security Critical Success Factors: A Case of National Examination Council, Tanzania

Aim of this study was to assess challenges facing implementation of information security critical success factors. The study employed quantitative research approach and survey research design where case study design was used. A sample of 79 respondents derived from the population sample of 372 were used by using Slovin’s formula sampling technique, 86% of respondents questionnaire filled effectively were used. Descriptive data analysis was used to analyze variables based on research questions while, statistical tables and figures were used in data presentation. Results of this study indicate that, there are challenges in implementation of information security critical success factors such as security training program, security policy, risk assessment, regular system update, system auditing and committed of top management. The study found reasons for challenges of implementation from respondent views as availability of limited resources, weak financial support from top management, lack of understanding of needed technology from information technology professionals; poor security awareness program for top management who may think that information security is the issue of information technology department only and not the whole organization. It is therefore concluded that organization should identify their specific information security critical success factors to enhance useful of organization limited resource, without investing in generalization and give solutions based on risk priority, in order to make organization secure also utilization of information security critical success factors holds significant importance in ensuring security of an organization's data. It is crucial to address and eliminate any challenges that are within the scope of affordability or manageability

Investigating impediments towards access to financial services by women entrepreneurs: A Case of Arumeru District

Lack of finance has been mentioned as a major reason which tends to paralyse women MSE’s in Tanzania and in Arumeru district in particular. In investigating this situation, a field research was conducted in Arumeru District between January and July 2012, with the aim of identifying microfinance institutions operating in the district and investigating the main challenges facing women (micro and small entrepreneurs) in accessing financial services. A sample of 150 respondents was selected, whereby 100 women entrepreneurs were involved in an interview and focus group discussion and while another sample of 50 respondents drawn from different stakeholders was included in focus group discussions and other research methods utilized in the study. From the research it was discovered that women face a lot of challenges including discrimination by the institutions, small loan sizes, strict unfavourable conditions, lack of collateral and property rights, high interest rates, lack of financial confidence and presence of cultural norms which stereotype against women in accessing and controlling any financial means. It is from these challenges that the study recommends to the financial institution to redesign their products to suit their clients’ needs and the government to re-evaluate the interest rate charged by the financial institution to be fair according to the level of the enterprise the client owns. Key words: entrepreneurship, financial services, gender, women

The Root Causes of the Girl Prostitution in Tanzania. A Case of Arusha Municipality

Abject Poverty has been an impetus of girl child prostitution in many urban cities of Tanzania, Arusha Municipality being among them. In a research conducted in Arusha Municipality between January and July 2011, with the aim of investigating the main causes of persistence of girl child prostitution, a sample of 200 respondents was selected, whereby 100 young girls were involved in an indepth interview while another sample of 100 respondents drawn from different stakeholders was included in focus group discussions and other research methods utilized in the study. From the research it was discovered that about 80% of the girls interviewed were forced into prostitution by either their poor family situation or by other reasons like peer pressure, culture, parent lack of responsibility reasons, lack of employment, growth of the city and globalization. However, the study found out that the girls in prostitution face a lot of social, physical, psychological and health problems which require more actions from all stakeholders despite the little efforts currently done. It is thus from this study that the research team recommends that all stakeholder should join forces in enforcing laws and by laws which protect these young girls from the hands of cruel customers, pedophiles and pimps. Apart from that the research team emphasizes on the importance of counseling and sex education to the girls who lack self esteem and are hopeless without any skills to help them out of that situation. Key words: Abject poverty, education, drug abuse, violence, globalizatio

Challenges and opportunities in building health research capacity in Tanzania: a case of the National Institute for Medical Research

Capacity building is considered a priority for health research institutions in developing countries to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. However, in many countries including Tanzania, much emphasis has been directed towards human resources for health with the total exclusion of human resources for health research.&nbsp; The objective of this study was to systematically investigate the capacity building process for the Tanzanian National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) over a 30-year period and identify the challenges and opportunities in creating a critical mass of multi-disciplinary research scientists that is required for achieving the intended health benefits. A desk review of personnel database was conducted for information covering 1980-2009 on academic qualifications, training, research experience and research output. The current staff curriculum vitae (CV) were reviewed to gather information on researchers&rsquo; employment record, training, training support, area of expertise and scientific output. Interviews were conducted with a cross section of researchers on capacity development aspects using a self-administered questionnaire. In-depth interviews were also conducted with the current and former NIMR Management to seek information on capacity development challenges. A review was also done on staff personal files, annual reports, strategic plans and other occasional documents. A total of 163 CV were assessed; of these, 76.7% (125) were for Research Scientists (RS), 20.9% (34) Laboratory Technologists (LT) and 2.4% (4) for System Analysts. The Institute had 13 research scientists upon its establishment. Since 1980, NIMR has recruited a total of 185 Research Scientists. By 2009, NIMR had a total scientific workforce of 170 staff (RS= 82.4%; LT= 17.6%). Of the 140 RSs, 37 (26.4%) were first degree; 77 (55.5%) second degree while 26 (18.6%) were PhD degree holders. Of the total of 78 researchers interviewed, 55 (70.5%) indicated to have accessed postgraduate training through their personal efforts and 23 through institutional arrangement. Sixty (77%) respondents were satisfied with their tenure at NIMR. Seventy (89%) indicated that they had not at any point considered leaving NIMR. Most (79%) research scientists were recruited while holding a first degree, a few (17%) with second degree while only one (0.7%) holding a PhD degree. NIMR has experienced a research scientist attrition rate of 17.5%. Staff retention factors included availability of training opportunities; passion for conducting research; and good career prospects. Despite having a training programme, the institute has never at any moment been able to hold its own training resources. Being a public research institution, NIMR receives its core funding from the government of the United Republic of Tanzania. The bulk of the funding appears to be spent on personnel emoluments that take up to 85% (mean= 66%) of the allocated budget. In conclusion, the current NIMR&rsquo;s research capacity building is dependent mainly on foreign funding and personal initiatives. There is an urgent need to increase local funding for capacity building and conduct of research. A programme should be put in place to ensure sustainability of the capacity building process