Effect of Investors and Local Communities Corporate Social Responsibility Programmes on Performance of Style Industries Limited in Nairobi County

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is about how a business entity gives back to its stakeholders in a sustainable and acceptable manner. It is therefore imperative that businesses run their operations within the precepts of the law of the land in which they operate and other regulations prescribed by authorities like business associations and government agencies. However, Darling Kenya limited have not fully implemented the CSR operations. There is need to quantify the exact benefits that accrue from every CSR activity in order to justify the performance of style industries limited in Nairobi, Kenya. The study focused on the effect of investors and local communities corporate social responsibility on the performance of style industries limited in Nairobi, Kenya. The target population for the study was 540 employees of the style industries in all the four areas of Mwingi, Rongo, Muranga and Nairobi. The sample size selected was 162 employees. Questionnaires were used to collect data that was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. A multiple linear regression analysis model was used to test the relationship between the investors and local communities CSR Programmes and performance. The study found that Investors CSR and Local Communities CSR had a significant and positive relationship with Performance of manufacturing companies in Nairobi. The study recommended that industries should cultivate investors and local communities CSR for performance improvement

Menstrual cups and cash transfer to reduce sexual and reproductive harm and school dropout in adolescent schoolgirls in western Kenya: a cluster-randomised controlled trial.

Background: High rates of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) harms and interrupted schooling are global challenges for adolescent girls, requiring effective interventions. We assessed the impact of menstrual cups (MCs) or cash transfers conditioned on school attendance (CCTs), or both, against SRH and schooling outcomes in western Kenya. Methods: In this cluster-randomised Cups or Cash for Girls (CCG) trial, adolescent girls in Forms two and three at 96 secondary schools in Siaya County (western Kenya) were randomised to receive either CCT, MC, combined CCT and MC, or control (1:1:1:1) for an average of 30 months. The CCT intervention comprised 1500KES (US$15 in 2016) via a cash card each school trimester. All four treatment groups received puberty and hygiene training at enrolment. Assenting girls with parent or guardian consent who were post-menarche, not pregnant, area residents, not boarding, and had no disabilities precluding participation were eligible. Socio-behavioural risk factors and incidence of HIV and herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) were measured annually. School retainment and adverse events were monitored throughout. The primary outcome comprised a composite of incident HIV, HSV-2 and/or all-cause school dropout by school exit examination. The primary analysis was by intention-to-treat (ITT) using multi-level generalised linear models, controlling for a priori selected baseline covariates. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03051789. Findings: Between February 28, 2017 and June 30, 2021, 4137 girls (median age 17·1 [interquartile range (IQR): 16·3-18·0]) were enrolled and followed annually until completion of secondary school (median 2·5 years [IQR: 2·4-2·7]); 4106 (99·3%) contributed to the ITT analysis. No differences in the primary composite outcome between intervention and control groups were seen (MC: 18·2%, CCT: 22·1%, combined: 22·1%, control: 19·6%; adjusted risk ratio [aRR]: 0·97, 95% confidence interval 0·76-1·24; 1·14, 0·90-1·45; and 1·13, 0·90-1·43, respectively). Incident HSV-2 occurred in 8·6%, 13·3%, 14·8%, and 12% of the MC, CCT, combined and control groups, respectively (MC: RR:0·67, 0·47-0·95, p=0·027; aRR: 0·71, 0·50-1·01, p=0·057; CCT: aRR:1·02, 0·73-1·41, p=0·92; combined aRR:1·16, 0·85-2·58, p=0·36). Incident HIV was low (MC: 1·2%, CCT: 1·5%, combined: 1·0%, and control: 1·4%; aRR: 0·88, 0·38-2·05, p=0·77, aRR: 1·16, 0·51-2·62, p=0·72, aRR: 0·80, 0·33-1·94, p=0·62, respectively). No intervention decreased school dropout (MC: 11·2%, CCT: 12·4%, combined: 10·9%, control: 10·5%; aRR: 1·16, 0·86-1·57; 1·23, 0·91-1·65; and 1·06, 0·78-1·44, respectively). No related serious adverse events were seen. Interpretation: MCs, CCTs, or both, did not protect schoolgirls against a composite of deleterious harms. MCs appear protective against HSV-2. Studies of longer follow-up duration with objective measures of health impact are needed in this population

Factors associated with the prevalence of HIV, HSV-2, pregnancy, and reported sexual activity among adolescent girls in rural western Kenya: A cross-sectional analysis of baseline data in a cluster randomized controlled trial

Background Adolescence is a sensitive time for girls’ sexual and reproductive health (SRH), as biological changes occur concurrently with heightening pressures for sexual activity. In western Kenya, adolescent girls are vulnerable to acquiring sexually transmitted infections (STIs), such as HIV and herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), and to becoming pregnant prior to reaching adulthood. This study examines associations between individual, household, and partner-related risk factors and the prevalence of sex, adolescent pregnancy, HIV, and HSV-2. Methods and findings We report baseline findings among 4,138 girls attending secondary school who were enrolled between 2017 and 2018 in the Cups or Cash for Girls (CCG) cluster randomized controlled trial in Siaya County, rural western Kenya. Laboratory confirmed biomarkers and survey data were utilized to assess the effects of girls’ individual, household, and partner characteristics on the main outcome measures (adolescent reported sex, prior pregnancy, HIV, and HSV-2) through generalized linear model (GLM) analysis. Complete data were available for 3,998 girls (97%) with median age 17.1 years (interquartile range [IQR] 16.3 to 18.0 years); 17.2% were HSV-2 seropositive (n = 686) and 1.7% tested positive for HIV (n = 66). Sexual activity was reported by 27.3% girls (n = 1,090), of whom 12.2% had been pregnant (n = 133). After adjustment, orphanhood (adjusted risk ratio [aRR] 2.81, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.18 to 6.71, p-value [p] = 0.020), low body mass index (BMI) (aRR 2.07; CI: 1.00 to 4.30, p = 0.051), and age (aRR 1.34, 1.18 to 1.53, p < 0.001) were all associated with HIV infection. Girls reporting light menstrual bleeding (aRR 2.42, 1.22 to 4.79, p = 0.012) for fewer than 3 days (aRR 2.81, 1.16 to 6.82, p = 0.023) were over twice as likely to have HIV. Early menarche (aRR 2.05, 1.33 to 3.17, p = 0.001) was associated with adolescent pregnancy and HSV-2–seropositive girls reported higher rates of pregnancy (aRR 1.62, CI: 1.16 to 2.27, p = 0.005). High BMI was associated with HSV-2 (aRR 1.24, 1.05 to 1.46, p = 0.010) and sexual activity (aRR 1.14, 1.02 to 1.28, p = 0.016). High levels of harassment were detected in the cohort (41.2%); being touched indecently conveyed the strongest association related to reported sexual activity (aRR 2.52, 2.26 to 2.81, p < 0.001). Study limitations include the cross-sectional design of the study, which informs on the SRH burdens found in this population but limits causal interpretation of associations, and the self-reported exposure ascertainment, which may have led to possible underreporting of risk factors, most notably prior sexual activity. Conclusions Our findings indicate that adolescent girls attending school in Kenya face frequent harassment for sex and are at high risk of pregnancy and HSV-2, with girls experiencing early menarche particularly vulnerable. Targeted interventions, such as earlier sexual education programs, are warranted to address their vulnerability to SRH harms

Trypanosoma congolense: Comparative effects of a primary infection on bone marrow progenitor cells from N'Dama and Boran cattle

Using in vitro clonogenic assays, the changes in haemopoietic progenitor cell levels were compared in the bone marrow of three adult trypanotolerant N'Dama cattle and three age-matched trypanosusceptible Boran cattle over 17 weeks (119 days) of a primary Trypanosoma congolense (clone IL 1180) infection. As the infection progressed, a clear tendency of the parasitaemia to decrease was seen in the N'Damas, while it remained high throughout the infection in the Borans. The decline in the colony-forming units-granulocyte macrophage (CFU-GM) between 7 and 42 days positinfection (dpi) corresponded withthe decreased numbers of neutrophils and monocytes in the blood observed in both breeds. Thereafter, a further significant drop in the CFU-GM levels was observed in the Borans which may partially explain the continued decrease in the numbers of neutrophils and monocytes in blood. In contrast, a significant peak of CFU-GM above preinfection levels was observed in the N'Damas on 49 dpi, which could partially explain the subsequent recovery of the numbers of neutrophils and monocytes in blood. When compared to the N'Damas, the Borans had a more dramatic drop in the packed cell volume (PCV) from 25 dpi onwards, resulting in significantly lower PCFrom 46-49 dpi on wards, the mean PCV stabilised at significantly lower levels in the Borans than in the N'Damas. The mean corpuscular volume (MCV) levels increased in both breeds, but at a much faster rate in the Borans. The clonogenic assays demonstrated an erythropoietic response, characterised by peaks above preinfecton levels of both the early and late erythroid progenitor cells (respectively, burstforming units-erythroid, BFU-E, and colony-forming units-erythroid, CFU-E), occurring between 35 and 70 dpi in both breeds of cattle. However, despite a more severe anaemia in the Borans, the magnitude of their erythroid response was similar to that of the N'Damas, suggesting that the response of the Borans was insufficient to compensate for the greater degree of anaemia. Moreover, the mean PCV did not improve in the Borans, indicating the ineffectiveness of their erythropoietic response. An increased rate of erythrocyte destruction and/or a defective differentiation and maturation of erythroid precursors have also been shown to be partially responsible for this persistent anaemia. From 98 dpi onwards, despite the persistent low PCV, the MCV decreased to preinfection levels and low CFU-E numbers were observed in the Borans. Over the same period, in the N'Damas the N'Damas the mean PCV progressively increased to reach 25 percent, which fell within the low normal range for cattle. This may partially explain the return of the BFU-E to preinfection levels and the slight decrease in the CFU-E in the N'Damas. During the acute phase of a T. congolense infection, both the granulomonocytic and erythroid progenitors were increased more effectively in the N'Dama cattle than in the Boran cattle, when compared to the degree of cytopaenia in blood; this might correlate with the superior ability of the N'Damas to maintain gigher numbers of granulocytes, monocytes, and erythrocytes in blood

Comparative bone marrow responses during Trypanosoma congolense infection in N'Dama and Boran cattle

Anaemia is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in bovine trypanosomiasis and has served as the main parameter to monitor the severity of the disease. In fact, trypanosome-infected cattle experience intermittent episodes of pancytopaenia including anaemia, leucopaenia and trombocytopaenia. Considering the multiple blood cell lineages affected by the disease, it was hypothesized that a defect in the bone marrow, site of origin of those cells, might be a cause. Study of the bone marrow response was intitiated in the laboratory using a Trypanosoma congolense rechallenge infection in five Boran cattle. The cattle developed a non-responsive, normocytic, normocytic, normochromic anaemia during the first ten weeks of the infection, characterized by low levles of erythroid progenitors in the bone marrow. Subsequently, between week 10 and 14, a responsive macrocytic hypochromic anaemia followed, characterized by peaks of CFU-E, slight increase of BFU-E levels and appearance of BFU-E in the peripheral blood. During trypanosome infection the trypanotolerant N'Dama cattle usually develop a moderate anaemia associated with lower parasitaemia when compared to the susceptible Zebu cattle such as the Boran. The present study was undertaken to determine if the ability of the N'Dama cattle to better control anaemia resides in a superior bone marrow response

Factors associated with utilization of cervical cancer screening services among HIV-positive women aged 18 to 49 years at Lira regional referral hospital, Northern Uganda

Abstract Background Women with HIV have a higher risk of getting cervical cancer due to induced immunosuppression. Though this burden could be avoided through early identification and appropriate management, there is a paucity of information about the utilization of cervical cancer screening (CCS) services in Lira City, Uganda. This study investigated the level and factors associated with the utilization of cervical cancer screening services among HIV-positive women aged 18 to 49 years at Lira Regional Referral Hospital, Lira City, Uganda. Methods We conducted a facility-based cross-sectional study employing quantitative techniques. We used consecutive sampling to recruit 297 HIV-positive women at the ART clinic of Lira Regional Referral Hospital. A structured researcher-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Descriptive statistics were performed to summarize the data. A modified Poisson regression using robust standard errors was performed to ascertain the factors associated with the utilization of cervical cancer screening. Prevalence ratios at 95% confidence intervals were reported. Results Out of 297 respondents, 175(58.9%) utilized cervical cancer screening in this study. The factors found to be associated with CCS were; having ever heard of CCS (Adjusted Prevalence Ratio [PR] 1.80, 95% CI 1.31–2.49, p < 0.001), knowing where CCS is done (Adjusted PR 1.99, 95% CI 1.42–2.81, p < 0.001), fear of CCS outcomes (Adjusted PR 0.67, 95% CI 0.54–0.84,p < 0.001), not knowing whether CCS is beneficial or not (Adjusted PR 0.39, 95% CI 0.20–0.75,p = 0.005) and having friends/relatives who screened for cervical cancer (Adjusted PR 1.31, 95% CI 1.09–1.59, p = 0.005). Conclusion The level of utilization of cervical cancer screening services among HIV-positive women was suboptimal. Implementation of structured interventions aimed at improving cervical cancer screening awareness among HIV-positive women is crucial. Additionally, to increase opportunities for screening and knowledge on cervical cancer prevention, screening programs can target HIV-positive women during their routine clinic visits