Performance Improvement of Non-Governmental Organisations through Financial Management. A Case Study of Young Men's Christian Association of Ghana

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Ghana have a history of being short-lived. However, Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) Ghana, on the other hand has achieved notable success by impacting millions of lives over 50 years of working in Ghana. Apparently, this research investigates into the key financial management practices of NGOs in Ghana using the case of YMCA Ghana. The study revealed that, the quality of Financial Management staff and their responsibility is the most effective financial management indicator in YMCA Ghana amongst all the other well-functioning indicators. Nevertheless, it is evident in the study that the challenge YMCA Ghana faces in its financial management practice is irregular external audit review of financial and accounting information. Therefore, it is recommended that frequent subscription for external audit services should be established in NGOs and also, cost effective monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning (MEAL) programme management framework should be adopted by NGOs in Ghana

Performance Improvement of Non-Governmental Organisations through Financial Management: A Case study of Young Men's Christian Association of Ghana

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Ghana have a history of being short-lived. However, Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) Ghana, on the other hand has achieved notable success by impacting millions of lives over 50 years of working in Ghana. Apparently, this research investigates into the key financial management practices of NGOs in Ghana using the case of YMCA Ghana. The study revealed that, the quality of Financial Management staff and their responsibility are the most effective financial management indicator in YMCA Ghana amongst all the other well-functioning indicators. Nevertheless, it is evident in the study that the challenge YMCA Ghana faces in its financial management practice is irregular external audit review of financial and accounting data. Therefore, it is recommended that frequent subscription for external audit services should be established in NGOs and also, cost effective monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning (MEAL) programme management framework should be adopted by NGOs in Ghana

Prevalence of positive mental health and functioning among adults with sickle cell disease in Ghana

Objectives: With increasing survival rates of children with sickle cell disease (SCD) reaching adulthood, there has been a growing interest in the quality of life and mental health functioning of affected individuals. Positive mental health is recognised as a significant dimension of human health that plays an important role in advancing well-being. This study explored the prevalence of positive mental health and functioning among a sample of Ghanaian adults with SCD. Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional survey design was implemented for data-gathering. A random sample of 62 adult SCD patients (21 to 56 years; mean age of 29 years) receiving treatment at the Sickle Cell Clinic of the Ghana Institute of Clinical Genetics at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital completed the Mental Health Continuum–Short Form (MHC-SF). Descriptive statistics and reliability indices were estimated for the MHC-SF. We implemented Keyes’s criteria for the assessment and categorisation of levels of mental health to determine the prevalence of positive mental health and functioning. Results: We found a high level of positive mental health (66% flourishing; 26% moderately mentally healthy; 8% languishing) and functioning, with no significant difference between the genders. A total of 34% of the participants were functioning at suboptimal levels and were at risk of psychopathology. Conclusion: This study gives the first overview of the prevalence of positive mental health and functioning in a clinical population in Ghana. Although the majority of participants were flourishing, contextually appropriate positive psychological interventions are needed to promote the mental health of SCD patients who are functioning at suboptimal levels, which would, inherently, also buffer against psychopathology

Commercial Surrogacy: Invisible Reproductive Workers in Ghana

The issues facing surrogates are labour issues. However, there is scanty literature on the working conditions of surrogates in sub-Saharan Africa. This article explores the labour conditions of these unprotected and invisible reproductive workers in Ghana. In-depth interviews were conducted with key informants between 2018 and 2019. The study revealed the following: 1) Baby agents were increasingly playing a dominant role in the surrogacy industry, and through the surrogacy homes are able to create docile and disciplined surrogates. 2) Surrogacy agreements were oppressive and designed to reinforce the control over the bodies of surrogates. 3) Pregnancy-related scars leave emotional scars on the minds of surrogates. We recommend state regulation of the industry to ensure strict supervision of baby agents to minimise exploitation of surrogates.  KEYWORDS: surrogacy home; baby agents; surrogates; commercial surrogacy; Ghan

Drug resistance outcomes of long-term ART with tenofovir disoproxil fumarate in the absence of virological monitoring

Objectives: The resistance profiles of patients receiving long-term ART in sub-Saharan Africa have been poorly described. This study obtained a sensitive assessment of the resistance patterns associated with long-term tenofovir-based ART in a programmatic setting where virological monitoring is yet to become part of routine care. Methods: We studied subjects who, after a median of 4.2 years of ART, replaced zidovudine or stavudine with tenofovir disoproxil fumarate while continuing lamivudine and an NNRTI. Using deep sequencing, resistance-associated mutations (RAMs) were detected in stored samples collected at tenofovir introduction (T0) and after a median of 4.0 years (T1). Results: At T0, 19/87 (21.8%) subjects showed a detectable viral load and 8/87 (9.2%) had one or more major NNRTI RAMs, whereas 82/87 (94.3%) retained full tenofovir susceptibility. At T1, 79/87 (90.8%) subjects remained on NNRTI-based ART, 5/87 (5.7%) had introduced lopinavir/ritonavir due to immunological failure, and 3/87 (3.4%) had interrupted ART. Whilst 68/87 (78.2%) subjects maintained or achieved virological suppression between T0 and T1, a detectable viral load with NNRTI RAMs at T0 predicted lack of virological suppression at T1. Each treatment interruption, usually reflecting unavailability of the dispensary, doubled the risk of T1 viraemia. Tenofovir, lamivudine and efavirenz selected for K65R, K70E/T, L74I/V and Y115F, alongside M184V and multiple NNRTI RAMs; this resistance profile was accompanied by high viral loads and low CD4 cell counts. Conclusions: Viraemia on tenofovir, lamivudine and efavirenz led to complex resistance patterns with implications for continued drug activity and risk of onward transmission

A bibliometric review of positive psychology and well-being research in Africa

Positive Psychology rapidly developed into an influential field of study and intervention, initially situated in Psychology, and later becoming multidisciplinary. Research interest in the study of (psychological) well-being has gained global popularity, with increasing salience in Africa. Although the global trends of these developments are relatively well-known, a bibliometric analysis of positive psychology research in Africa was necessary to shed light on the present hotspots and trends and future trajectories in this region of the world. The data source of the present bibliometric analysis study was Scopus, from which Positive Psychology and well-being research literature from Africa between 1983 and 2023 were searched. Using biblioshiny and VOSviewer, the 622 extracted articles were analysed, from which findings about the current condition, research hotspots, and thematic developmental patterns could be made. Africa experienced an initial slow growth period from 1983 until 2005, after which a rapid growth in research productivity, relevance and impact was experienced. In this regard, the results show that the focal point of scientific productivity is South Africa, with the dominance of South African institutions, particularly the North-West University, from where most positive psychology research is produced and cited. Even with potential access to international journal, African researchers seem to prefer to place their publications in the regional journals such as Journal of Psychology in Africa and South African Journal of Psychology. The research reviewed tends to be characterised by more dominant thematic clusters of positive psychology, psychological well-being, and subjective well-being, with a focus on human individuals. An increasing concern for contextual factors and potential antecedents and dynamics of well-being is also observed. The findings provide a good map from which identification of future research priorities can be deduced. As such, we speculate that future positive psychology research in Africa ought to be concerned with the following: greater distribution and intercountry collaborations across the continent, questions of conceptual clarity of terms, better understanding of contextual factors which influence well-being, and well-being research embracing the complexity of bio-psycho-social-ecological well-being, and science concerned with health-promotion interventions

Measuring positive mental health and depression in Africa : a variable-based and person-centred analysis of the dual-continua model

The dual-continua model of mental health provides a contemporary framework for conceptualising and operationalising mental health. According to this model, mental health is distinct from but related to mental illness, and not the opposite or merely the absence of psychopathology symptoms. To examine the validity of the dual-continua model, previous studies have either applied variable-based analysis such as confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), or used predetermined cut-off points for subgroup division. The present study extends this contribution by subjecting data from an African sample to both CFA and latent class analysis (LCA) to test the dual-continua model in Africa. We applied CFA separately for the Mental Health Continuum—Short Form (MHC-SF) and Patient Health Questionnaire—9 (PHQ-9); and LCA on combined item responses. College students (N =892; average age=22.74, SD =4.92; female=58%) from Ghana (n =309), Kenya (n =262), Mozambique (n =232), and South Africa (n =89) completed the MHC-SF and PHQ-9. With minor modifications to the measurement models, the CFA results of this study confirm the threefactor structure of the MHC-SF, and a unidimensional solution for the PHQ-9. LCA results show the presence of three distinct latent classes: languishing with moderate endorsement of depressive symptoms (25.9%), flourishing with low endorsement of depressive symptoms (63.7%), and moderate mental health with high endorsement of depressive symptoms (10.4%). These findings further contribute to affirming the evidence for the dual-continua model of mental health, with implications for the assessment of mental health, to inform policy, practise, and future research in community and clinical settings in Africa.The South African National Research Foundation (NRF).https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychologydm2022Educational Psycholog

Development of a Programmable Logic Controller Training Platform for the Industrial Control of Processes

This paper presents an interactive, less expensive and more portable Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) training platform for the industrial control of processes. The proposed system employs Delta DVP14SS2 PLC, WPLSoft software, a programming device, switches as inputs and pilot lamps as outputs. The training system gives one the flexibility to wire and program any type of inputs and outputs of one’s choice and can be easily carried in one’s laptop bag giving one the freedom to learn the PLC anywhere at one’s own comfort. The paper is also meant to enlighten beginners and experienced PLC users to build themselves PLC trainers which can enhance their understanding of the theoretical knowledge gained from school. Traffic light automation application is set up to train the Electrical and Electronic Engineering students to measure the applicability of the system. Pre-test and post test are conducted for participating students as a way of measuring the understanding level of the student before and after training. Cost analysis indicates that the individual can build the trainer on one’s own at a cost of $ 214

E-Learning Model to Improve Students' Performance

The objective of this research is to determine the extent to which students' academic performance is affected by online learning and to develop a model that can be utilized by both students and those who educate them. The theory of e-learning, which is based on the principles of cognitive science, demonstrates how the implementation and development of educational technology can improve the effectiveness of learning. Adjustments need to be made to these three different types of load to get the most out of learning. Because the quantity of space available in working memory is limited, the brains of students will get overwhelmed if they are presented with an excessive amount of knowledge. To ensure that students who make appropriate use of technology do not have to waste their time thinking about things that are not essential, the rules were developed. In addition to this, they make certain that students are not required to contemplate matters that are very vital to them. These concepts, design techniques, and technology improvements are all things that are included in e-learning theory. The theory of e-learning is a subset of the connective grand theory because it focuses on how technology may be utilized and adapted to generate new forms of learning and to assist in the process of learning effectively. Investigate how students' learning is impacted by online education, as well as the factors that led to its implementation on students' learning platforms both during and after the pandemic. In addition, the research will investigate the connection between traditional classroom instruction and online learning, as well as the impact that online education, commonly referred to as e-learning, has on the learning outcomes of students. The courses can be completed either online or in a hybrid format, which mixes online learning with learning that takes place in person. A significant number of university courses include an online component that makes use of web-based technologies. This is done to either simplify the dissemination of course information or provide assistance with assignments and examinations. Keywords: E-Learning Model, Students, Learning, Performance, Education. DOI: 10.7176/ISDE/14-1-02 Publication date: January 31st 202