INVESTIGATING THE IMPACT OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITY (PLC) IMPLEMENTATION ON AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN TANZANIA: A COLLABORATIVE ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of implementing a PLC as a form of professional development in an urban elementary school in Tanzania. Using a case study approach, both quantitative and qualitative data were collected from teachers, parents and students to assess the impact of PLC implementation on students' learning outcomes. Data analysis shows that PLCs can be a viable professional development option for schools in developing countries, and more specifically, those in rural-urban Tanzania

Influence of Agroforestry on Rural Income and Livelihood of Smallholder Farmers in the Semi Arid Region of Sub Saharan Africa

Semi arid lands typically suffer from sustainable land use challenges including climate variability, declining agricultural productivity, low economic prowess and poor livelihood conditions. In order to sustainably address these challenges, agroforestry has been fronted as a critical entry point allowing for the integration of trees on farms and diversification of production in agricultural landscapes. Nevertheless, the contribution of agroforestry to socio-economic and rural livelihood in several developing countries remains debatable. This study determined the influence of agroforestry on rural income and livelihood of smallholder farmers in Machakos County (Kenya). The study was conducted using stratified, random sampling. Data were collected using questionnaires and interviews. Results showed that agroforestry was adopted by 82% of the respondents as a strategy for livelihood improvement in the region. Total income was higher among adopters from timber, fuel wood, posts/poles and fodder. Adopters also had more money to spend on food, clothing, education, medicine and basic needs as a result of revenues from agroforestry. The overall gross revenue, net returns above variable costs and total costs were also higher among adopters compared to the non adopters due to sales of agroforestry products. The study recommends adoption of agroforestry as a strategy to boost rural income and livelihood.Keywords: Agroforestry, Socio-economic, Rural income, Livelihood, Machakos, Sub Saharan Afric

Influence of Local Revenue Management on Financial Distress in Selected County Governments, Kenya

The county governments of Kenya have recently encountered difficulties in settling their liability obligations to employees, suppliers, and creditors. Counties ought to act as economic and social transformational tools for the Country's residents, but this is not the case. County governments deliver services to the residents through their own revenue and equitable transfers from the national government. As such, revenue collection and utilization is a vital aspect of service delivery. However, County Governments have continuously failed to meet revenue targets, and some cannot account for the revenue expenditures. This explains their inability to settle the debt and other liabilities as they come due for payment. Therefore, it was necessary to examine the influence of local revenue management on financial distress in County Governments of Kenya. The study was further guided by wrecker's theory of financial distress. The study applied a descriptive survey design to obtain in-depth information from the auditors and accountants from Nairobi, Nakuru, Kakamega, Meru, and Kilifi County Governments. A stratified random sampling technique was applied to obtain a sample of 103 from 212 auditors and accountants. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data that was analysed through descriptive and inferential statistics with the aid of statistical packages for social sciences (SPSS). Study findings were presented by tables. Descriptive and inferential results indicated that revenue management influenced financial distress. The correlation coefficient (R=.613; p=.000) indicated that the relationship between local revenue management and financial distress was positive and statistically significant.The beta coefficient (β=.578; p˂0.01) was significant at 99% confidence level implying that local revenue management influenced financial distress in the county governments of Kenya.The research work will guide departments of finance in National and County Governments on how to effectively utilize financial resources, manage debts, and other liabilities. Corporate organizations will find it important in formulating strategies aimed at combating financial distress in their organizations. Keywords: Local Revenue Management, Financial Distress, County Governments DOI: 10.7176/RJFA/11-12-05 Publication date:June 30th 202

Influence of Auditing Practices on Financial Distress in Selected County Governments, Kenya

County Governments of Kenya have been hit with rampant embezzlement of public funds. The misuse of public financial resources has crippled service delivery to the people as well as payments to suppliers and creditors. The role of auditing practices is to enhance accountability and safeguard the public funds from being mismanaged. However, there is an evident lack of clarity in the effectiveness of existing auditing practices in Kenyan County Governments. The consistent misplaced expenditures have contributed to financial distress since most County Governments are unable to adequately meet their financial obligations. This necessitated the undertaking of a research study on the influence of auditing practices on financial distress in County Governments of Kenya. The study was guided by the theory of critical accounting. Descriptive survey design was employed to obtain in-depth information from the auditors and accountants from Nairobi, Nakuru, Kakamega, Meru, and Kilifi County Governments. A stratified random sampling technique was applied to obtain a sample of 103 respondents from 212 auditors and accountants. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data that was analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics with the aid of statistical packages for social sciences (SPSS). Study findings were presented through tables. Both descriptive and inferential findings showed that auditing practices influenced financial distress. Correlation analysis findings indicated that the relationship between auditing practices and financial distress was positive and statistically significant. The correlation coefficient was (R=0.455**) while coefficient of determination was (R2=0.207) which meant that auditing practices accounted for 20.7% of variations in financial distress. Regression coefficients further showed that auditing practices had beta coefficient (β=0.360; p=0.000) that was significant at 95% confidence level. Based on the findings, it can be concluded that the ability of County Governments to settle their financial obligations and other liabilities is dependent on effectiveness of auditing practices. Existing financial distress can therefore be attributed to inadequate auditing practices which are unable to promote accountability and effective use of public funds.The study findings will be valuable in guiding the establishment and implementation of effective auditing policies for County Governments. Keywords: Auditing Practices, Financial Distress, County Governments DOI: 10.7176/RJFA/11-14-10 Publication date:July 31st 202

Variability of Surface Exudates of Dodonaea angustifolia L.f, Antioxidant and Antiplasmodial activities of the compounds

Dodonaea angustifolia L.f is a medicinal plant used in the Kenyan traditional system of medicine to cure human diseases. The secondary metabolites present in the surface exudates, showed phytochemical diversity of this plant from different geographical conditions in Kenya. There was great geographical variability in the composition of the surface exudates in D. angustifolia populations as reflected in the antiplasmodial and radical scavenging activities (RSA) of this substance from the Ngong forest, Nairobi and Taita hills, Voi populations. Most of the compounds from the exudates of D. angustifolia and Senecio roseiflorus showed moderate anti-plasmodial activities against chloroquine sensitive (D6) and resistant (W2) strains of P. falciparum with IC50 values ranging between 3.2 and 23.6 mg/ml. Of the pure compounds tested flavonols ca kaempferol (1) and rhamnocitrin (2) exhibited radical scavenging activities (RSA) comparable to the standard, quercetin (3) at 50 mM.  These studies showed that flavonoids exhibited both antiplasmodial and RSA although there was no direct relationship between these activities. This is elaborated in 5,4´-dihydroxy-7-methoxyflavanone (4), exhibiting good antiplasmodial activities but minimal % RSA. The structure-activity relationship of the active flavonoids showed that flavonols had appreciable RSA activities as compared to 3-methoxy flavones from the surface exudates. Keywords: Dodonaea angustifolia, geographical variations, antioxidant activities, antiplasmodial activities

La dispensa canónica como justicia del caso concreto. Praxis de la Iglesia desde sus orígines hasta el Código de 1983. [Tesina]

Tesina para la obtención de la Licenciatura en Derecho CanónicoLa Iglesia de Cristo, Sacramento universal de la salvación (cf. SC 5), es a la vez una sociedad jerárquicamente ordenada y una comunidad espiritual. Cristo, el único Mediador la instituyó y la mantiene en la tierra como una comunidad de fe, esperanza y caridad, como un todo visible, comunicando mediante ella la verdad y la gracia a todos. La Iglesia terrestre y la Iglesia enriquecida con los bienes celestiales, no deben ser consideradas como dos cosas distintas, sino que más bien forman una realidad compleja que está integrada de un elemento humano y otro divino (cf. LG 8). La Iglesia es realidad espiritual porque es el Espíritu Santo que la mueve para su crecimiento y la realización de sus fines para la salvación de las almas. La Iglesia como una institución humana reúne en su seno a un conjunto de personas que tienen a Cristo como ideal y quienes quieren salvarse, salvando así también al mundo. Esta dimensión institucional de la Iglesia se fundamenta en el misterio de la encarnación de nuestro Señor Jesucristo. Para alcanzar los objetivos que nos hemos asignado en la elaboración del presente trabajo, siguiendo un método analítico-descriptivo-explicativo, nuestra preocupación será de demostrar que la dispensa, a pesar de su apariencia contradictoria, cumple la ley y la confirma en cuanto que nunca se aplica a la totalidad de las leyes de la Iglesia y tampoco a todos los destinatarios de las mismas, sino a un caso concreto, determinado y en circunstancias concretas. La dispensa nunca anula la ley, sino que la relaja para el bien de un fiel determinado en su situación concreta particular.Derecho canónic

Determinants of farmers' choice of innovative risk-reduction interventions to wastewater-irrigated agriculture

This paper identifies the innovative methods used by urban farmers to reduce the health and environmental risks linked to wastewater-irrigated agriculture in Nairobi, Kenya. A study involving 317 urban and peri-urban farmers was conducted and innovative methods identified for risk-reduction in wastewater irrigation. According to the results, the farmers’ choice of adaptation measures in wastewater irrigation was: No intervention (49.8%), crops restriction (21.1%), protective clothing (12.6%), safer application (8.8%), and irrigation cessation (7.6%). The estimated model had a robust explanatory ability since the likelihood ratio statistics were statistically significant ( 2 c =222.13; p=0.000). The marginal analysis results show that the following factors significantly (p=0.005) influence the farmers’ choice of low-risk measures in wastewater irrigation: Household size, farming experience, membership to farmers group, access to credit, access to certified seed, access to media, crop income, awareness to World Health Organization irrigation guidelines, and awareness to wastewater hazards. Therefore, it was concluded that education support and creation of awareness about health risks in wastewater irrigation are important for enhanced adoption of risk-reduction technologies among the farmers. There is a need to design policies and programs that support farmers in safe wastewater irrigation, while raising their awareness on the health hazards attributed to untreated wastewater reuse.The Organisation for Social Science Research in Eastern and Southern Africa (OSSREA)http://www.academicjournals.org/AJARam201

Evaluating the welfare effects of improved wastewater treatment using a discrete choice experiment

This paper employs the discrete choice experiment method to estimate the benefits of improved wastewater treatment programs to mitigate the impacts of water pollution in Nairobi, Kenya. Urban and peri-urban farmers who use wastewater for irrigation from Motoine to Ngong River in Nairobi were randomly selected for the study. A random parameter logit model was used to estimate the individual level willingness to pay for the wastewater treatment before reuse in irrigation. The results show that urban and peri-urban farmers are willing to pay significant monthly municipality taxes for treatment of wastewater. We find that the quality of treated wastewater, the quantity of treated wastewater and the riverine ecosystem restoration are significant factors of preference over alternative policy designs in reduction of water pollution.This research was supported by the Organisation for Social Science Research in Eastern and Southern Africa (OSSREA).www.elsevier.com/locate/jenvmanhb201