The glocalization and acculturation of HIV/AIDS: The role of communication in the control and prevention of the epidemic in Uganda.

Grounded in the social constructivism tradition, this study examined the role of communication in the glocalization and acculturation of HIV/AIDS by a section of sexually active Ugandans then living in Rakai district during the advent of the epidemic in 1982. Sixty-four women and men participated in ten focus group discussions in Rakai and Kampala districts. Five themes emerged from the data highlighting how individuals and communities made sense of the epidemic, the omnipresence of death, how they understood the HIV/AIDS campaign, and how they are currently coping with its backlash. The study concludes that HIV/AIDS is socially constructed and can be understood better from local perspectives rather than from a globalized view. The study emphasizes the integration of cultural idiosyncrasies in any health communication campaigns to realize behavioral change

Using Action Research to Address Poor Waste Management at Kijjabwemi C/U Primary School in Kijjabwemi Suburb, Masaka City.

Background: This action research (AR) project was carried out at Kijjabwemi C/U Primary school at Kijjabwemi suburb of Kimaanya-Kabonera division of the newly formed Masaka City to identify, analyze, prioritize and identify solutions to address a health problem of priority at this setting using the locally accessible and available resources. Methodology: A participatory rural appraisal approach (PRA) guided how this research achieved its objectives right from the collection of information about the health challenges faced by this school. Data was collected using Focus group discussions, interviewing, and transect walk methods. Although the majority of data is qualitative, quantitative data is as well used especially where voting on an issue took place. At prioritization, a two-phase approach conceptualized by 1) multi-level voting techniques and 2) the Hanlon method of specifying criteria, PEARL testing, and Priority scoring was adopted to priorities the most urgent, serious, and feasible problem. The five Why/What for the root cause analysis was used to analyze the problem. Results: Out of the twelve health problems enlisted as urgent and serious by over 50% of stakeholders in the first phase, Poor waste management was identified as a major and priority problem caused by the excessive distance between generation and final disposal point, lack of designated collection points as well as containers, time and irregularity of disposal, shallow waste disposal pit and lack of well develop enforceable guidelines. Conclusion and recommendation: Stakeholder-centered- learning about excellent waste management practices, utilizing transferable plastic bins of 40ml capacity, increasing the depth of the disposal pit as well as fencing it, and developing settings-oriented guidelines to increase vigilance for waste generation reduction, frequency of disposal, and burning of waste was implemented as interventions

The Adoption of Open Source Software in Uganda: a Pragmatist Approach to the Formation of a National Information Policy for a New Technology

This exploratory research examined an information policy formation process for the adoption of open source software (OSS) in Uganda. Grounded in a pragmatist tradition, this theoretical and empirical study pursued a qualitative research approach with a triangulation of theoretical concepts, data collection, and analysis techniques in an iterative and interactive process. The design provided a powerful context to develop and conduct field activities in Kampala with a purposeful sample of 22 participants, 20 in interviews and 5 in a focus group discussion. The research design enhanced consistency in the evidence from the data, increased robustness in the results, and confidence in the findings. The results highlighted a vibrant ICT sector in Uganda, underlined the multiple stakeholders and their competing interests in the policy, revealed a lack of consensus between the government and OSS promoters on the meaning of OSS, and illuminated the benefits in the OSS model over proprietary software. The stakeholders' conflicting perceptions appear to be too far apart to allow meaningful progress and are derailing the policy. Unless their conflicting perceptions are resolved, the OSS policy will continue stagnating. The study fills critical information gaps in Uganda’s policy formation processes, provides timely and relevant information to holistically understand a complex policy formation stage to enable stakeholders to resolve their impasse and enact a law to embrace OSS. It breaks ground in information policy research in framing policy formation processes for new ICTs, such as OSS, as ideologically-oriented. The findings offer ideas to scholars and African countries to draw applicable lessons

Clash Of The Titans: Analyzing The Convergence Of Telephony And Radio In The Power Contest Between Uganda\u27S Central Government And Buganda Kingdom

This chapter examines the paradoxical outcomes of the use of information andcommunication technologies (ICTs) in the power contest between the resurgingtraditionalism and the diminishing influence of nationalism in Uganda. In the wake of theglobal information revolution sweeping through Africa leading to the liberalization of thebroadcast media and the telecommunication sector, the chapter analyzes how theconvergence of the now ubiquitous mobile phone and the Central Broadcasting Services(CBS), a two-channel FM radio station owned by the country\u27s most strategic andpopulous Buganda Kingdom, have engineered the renaissance of Buganda tribalnationalism to contest the overriding authority of the populist and hitherto unchallengedcentral government over land ownership.The chapter attests to the repudiation of the grand narrative that suggested that aliberalized media landscape perpetuates the dominance of the economically andpolitically powerful entities such as state authorities and corporations. Also, the chapterhighlights the contradictions associated with the effects of the use of ICTs-they are asconstructive as they are disruptive. © 2013 Nova Science Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved

The Role Of New Information And Communication Technologies (Nicts) In The Relations Between The Central Government And Four Major Kingdoms In Uganda

The role NICTs are playing in the relations between Uganda\u27s central government and four of the kingdoms in the country is analyzed and placed in the historical context within which each kingdom has pursued a strategy for preservation and development of its people\u27s unique culture and ethnic aspirations. A convergence of cellular phone and FM radio designed by the Buganda kingdom to confront the central government with specific demands and the government\u27s response are examined. The less combative use of NICTs by Bunyoro-Kitara, Busoga, and Toro kingdoms is described. An analysis of how each antagonist uses NICTs for a hegemonistic agenda is presented and cast against the application of NICTs for good governance and the prosperity of citizens. © 2011, IGI Global

The Transformation Of East Africa\u27S Economy Using Mobile Phone Money Transfer Services: A Comparative Analysis Of Kenya And Uganda\u27S Experiences

This article utilizes a combination of popular literature and scholarly sources to compare the mobile money transfer service experiences in Kenya and Uganda; two East African countries that are members of a revived regional common market ahead of a political federation by 2015. While different outcomes to the introduction of mobile money transfer services are highlighted about each country, similarities that are typical of developing countries with their populations struggling to cope with the various uses of New Information and Communication Technologies (NICTs) are also underlined. The article underscores the transformation of the social and economic lives of the people of East Africa by mobile money transfer services, especially in the rural areas where formal banking services have been largely absent. In the wake of the cut-throat competition among the telecom companies to fill the banking void in the rural areas of East Africa and to tap into the lucrative international business of foreign currency remittance by East Africans in the diaspora, the local populations have become the unintended beneficiaries of Information and Communication (ICT) innovations. In this essay, Kenya and Uganda\u27s mobile money transfer service experiences are juxtaposed along five dimensions: a brief history of the service, political, economic and socio-cultural contexts, as well as evaluation and user perceptions of the services. It is argued that one way to further consolidate analysis of the ongoing radical economic make-over of rural East Africa is to engage existing communication technology theories. An example of two complementary communication technology theories, diffusion of innovations and the dual capacity model, that can be used to inform and explain some of the outcomes is provided. © 2009 Mudra Institute of Communications

Communication Experiences Of Ugandan Immigrants During Acculturation To The United States: A Preliminary Study

This study examined the communication experiences of a section of Ugandan immigrants during their acculturation process to the U.S. Kim\u27s theory of communication cultural adaptation was applied to identify the communication challenges and strategies used in the acculturation process. Ten women and twelve men were interviewed for the study. Four themes emerged: language, superiority and discrimination, self-promotion and aggressiveness, and adaptation and cultural change. The findings indicated that Ugandans have pursued a strategy of cultural integration as opposed to marginalization, assimilation, or separation. The findings can be used to aid both the immigrants and members of the U.S. host culture to better prepare for intercultural communication involving the two cultures. Also, the research breaks the ground for future studies on a wider array of Ugandan and other African immigrant communities whose unique communication experiences during their acculturation in U.S. have been overlooked

The Transformation Of East Africa\u27S Economy Using Mobile Phone Money Services: A Pragmatist Account Of Ict Use

A pragmatic approach is employed to account for the unique responses to the Mobile Money Transfer Services in four of the five East African Countries; Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda that are forging a regional common market ahead of a political federation by 2015. While different outcomes to the introduction of Mobile money transfer services are highlighted in the narratives on each country, similarities that are typical of developing countries with their populations struggling to cope with the various uses of new information and communication technologies (ICTs) are also underlined. The paper underscores the radical transformation the Mobile Money Transfer Services is having on the social and economic lives of the people of East Africa especially in the rural areas where formal banking services have been absent. The paper notes that the cut throat competition among the telecom companies to fill the banking void in the rural areas of the prospective East African Community, and to tap into the lucrative international business of foreign currency remittance by East African citizens in the Diaspora, local populations have become the unintended beneficiaries from the ICT innovations

Pastoral community practices, microbial quality and associated health risks of raw milk in the milk value chain of Nakasongola District, Uganda

Abstract The informal milk value chain in Uganda controls most of the raw marketed milk, albeit of poor quality. A study was conducted to assess the milk handling practices, the bacterial quality and the associated health concerns of raw milk along the informal milk value in Nakasongola District. The cross-sectional study used both qualitative and quantitative methods to obtain information from key players. The qualitative data was categorized and presented into emerging themes. Bacterial contamination of 200 milk samples was determined by morphological and biochemical tests. The antibiotic susceptibility test was done by the disc diffusion method. Hand milking was carried out mainly by men (92.5%), and most never or rarely practised hand washing (67.5%) during milking. Milk was mainly delivered to mobile milk-collecting centres located under tree shades (50%). The quality of raw milk was affected by poor hygienic, handling and transportation practices. Most participants (75%) were aware of the dangers of drinking raw milk and the requirements to transport milk in metallic cans. Viable bacterial counts above the recommended limit were recorded in 76 samples (38%) that included Staphylococcus aureus (46%), coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (29%), Escherichia coli (12%), Streptococcus agalactiae (8%) and Salmonella spp. (5%). The overall antibiotic resistance was 45% (34/76), which included resistant isolates of S. aureus (17/34), coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (11/22), S. agalactiae (3/6), Salmonella spp. (2/4) and E. coli (2/9). The raw milk contaminated with antibiotic drug-resistant bacterial pathogens is of public health concern. Thus, measures to improve the quality of milk need to be designed for the pastoral community in Nakasongola district