The theory of planned behaviour in exploring dietary diversity practices among mothers in informal settlements in Kenya

One of the leading causes of malnutrition, which contributes to morbidity and mortality in children, is lack of dietary diversity. Despite remarkable  improvement in exclusive breastfeeding in Kenya, there are still poor dietary diversity practices among children aged 6-24 months. Limited studies  have applied the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) to examine the factors that influence dietary diversity practices in informal settlements in  Kenya. The objective of this qualitative study was to explore behavioral, normative, control beliefs, intention, and dietary diversity practices, based  on the TPB. The study sites were Kibera in Nairobi, Manyatta A in Kisumu, and Kaptembwo in Nakuru. Participants were 64 mothers of children aged  6-24 months selected using purposive sampling. Nine focus groups, each comprising of 5-10 mothers were conducted and the data analyzed  using thematic analysis. Using a focus group guide, based on the TPB, mothers described salient beliefs regarding their attitude, subjective norms  and perceived control of dietary diversity. Analysis of the data showed that some mothers had intended to introduce solid foods at six months.  However, barriers such as mother not feeding well, baby’s hunger, perceived insufficient breast milk production, and return to work led to earlier  introduction of foods. Most mothers indicated their intention to give a variety of foods to their children but were hindered by barriers such as  poverty/inadequate money, non-availability of food at home, and inadequate knowledge about complementary feeding. Friends, health  professionals, fathers, neighbours and friends were cited as most salient referents that influenced the dietary diversity practices. The most  frequently provided starchy foods were chappatis, mandazis, potatoes, rice, weetabix, porridge, and ugali. In conclusion, the results indicate that  mothers had positive attitude towards dietary diversity. The ‘significant others’ who mostly influenced dietary diversity practices were health  professionals, fathers, and friends. Future interventions need to target mothers' perceived childfeeding responsibilities, influence subjective norms,  and increase parents' perceived control over child feeding.&nbsp

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Access for Training and Employment Opportunities by Kenyan Youth.

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Computer Based Information SystemsThis study addresses the issues facing the youth on access to ICT training and employment. It specifically addresses the case of the youth living in Nairobi province. It adapts the definition of a youth from the Kenya National Human Development Report, that defines a youth as people resident in Kenya who are between 15 to 35 years old (KNHDR, 2009). The objectives of the study were to establish the education level attained by the unemployed youth, to identify the benefits attained by the youth having the ICT skills, to identify the challenges faced by the youth in relation to ICT employment and training at all levels of education and to propose a framework for addressing school and unemployed youth access to ICT employment opportunities. The research design adapted in this study is quantitative design. In this design, structured questionnaires were prepared in line with the objectives and skillful research assistants were used to collect data from randomly selected household in Nairobi province. The target population for this study was the unemployed youths but economically active group, living in Nairobi province as defined in 2009 population and housing census. These are youth living in the four districts of Nairobi province namely; Nairobi West, Nairobi East, Nairobi North and Westland. The findings of the study revealed that majority of the youth seeking for employment are between the ages of 21-25 years old (55%). It also revealed that 57% of the unemployed youth lack ICT training. Out of the remaining 43% that have ICT training, 28% have basic computer application packages such as Microsoft office. The study proposes a framework that can be used by the youth to easily access ICT training and employment in Kenya. It also suggests an implementation matrix that is geared towards addressing the issue on youth access to ICT training and employment in Kenya. According to this framework, ICT training should be enshrined in the school curriculum. It should start from primary, secondary and tertiary for those youth in school. For those out of school without formal education some basic ICT training course can be offered that will lead to professional certification

Board role performance in service organizations: the importance of human capital in the context of a developing country

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to draw from multiple theories of upper echelons, stakeholder, agency, resource-based view and stewardship to establish the extent to which human capital (other than that of the board itself) in service organisations affect board role performance in those service sector firms. Design/methodology/approach – This study is cross-sectional and correlational. Analyses are conducted using SPSS and Analysis of Moment Structures software on a sample of 128 service firms in Uganda. Findings – Findings reveal that dimensions of employee safety, entrepreneurial skills, entrepreneurial development, employee welfare and employee relations fit the model of human capital and predict up to 69.1 per cent of the variance in board role performance. The results of this study reveal that board role performance is affected by prior decisions, for example, to invest in corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities, targeting employees that augment firm characteristics like existence of appropriate human capital. Essentially, an improvement in the quality of human capital explains positive variances in board role performance. Research limitations/implications – Cross-sectional data do not allow for testing of the process aspect of the models; however, they provide evidence that the models can stand empirical tests. Additional research should examine the process aspects of human capital and board role performance. Practical implications – Most companies in developing nations have relied on normative guidelines in prescribing what boards need to enhance performance, probably explaining why some boards have not been successful in their role performance. This research confirms that appropriate human capital, which can be leveraged through CSR ideals of employee safety, recognition, welfare and training in entrepreneurship, consistent with the stakeholder theory, can facilitate the board in the performance of its roles. In the developing country context, organisations’ boards could use these findings as a guideline, that is, what to focus on in the context of human capital development in organisations because doing so improves their own role performance. Originality/value – This study is one of the few that partly account for endogeneity in the study of boards, a methodological concern previously cited in literature (Bascle, 2008; Hamilton and Nickerson, 2003). Empirical associations between board role performance and organisational performance would not be useful unless we are able to grasp the causal mechanisms that lie behind those empirical associations (Hambrick, 2007). Thus, this study contributes to literature that tries to account for variances in board role performance and supports a multi-theoretical approach as a relevant framework in the study of human capital and board role performance

Organizational Virtuousness: The Customers’ Perspective

This paper reviews the literature on organizational virtues to construct a concept of organizational virtuousness from the perspective of customers. Definitions of organizational virtuousness are missing important virtues and fail to consider the views of customers, who benefit from virtuous organizations, at least as asserted by the extant literature. This paper is theoretical, not empirical. The ideas come from an array of disciplines and include virtues not presently considered in the organizational virtue literature. In addition, the paper emphasizes the perspectives of customers, a dimension missing from existing studies

Spacecraft design-for-demise strategy, analysis and impact on low earth orbit space missions

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 2009.This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.Includes bibliographical references (p. 102-106) and index.Uncontrolled reentry into the Earth atmosphere by LEO space missions whilst complying with stipulated NASA Earth atmospheric reentry requirements is a vital endeavor for the space community to pursue. An uncontrolled reentry mission that completely ablates does not require a provision for integrated controlled reentry capability. Consequently, not only will such a mission design be relatively simpler and cheaper, but also mission unavailability risk due to a controlled reentry subsystem failure is eliminated, which improves mission on-orbit reliability and robustness. Intentionally re-designing the mission such that the spacecraft components ablate (demise) during uncontrolled reentry post-mission disposal is referred to as Design-for-Demise (DfD). Re-designing spacecraft parts to demise guarantees adherence to NASA reentry requirements that dictate the risk of human casualty anywhere on Earth due to a reentering debris with KE =/> 15J be less than 1:10,000 (0.0001). NASA sanctioned missions have traditionally ad- dressed this requirement by integrating a controlled reentry provision. However, momentum is building for a new paradigm shift towards designing reentry missions to demise instead. Therefore, this thesis proposes a DfD decision making methodology; DfD implementation and execution strategy throughout the LEO mission life-cycle; scrutinizes reentry analysis software tools and uses NASA Debris Analysis Software (DAS) to demonstrate the reentry demisability analysis process; proposes methods to identify and redesign hardware parts for demise; and finally considers the HETE-2 mission as a DfD demisability case study. Reentry analysis show HETE-2 mission to be compliant with NASA uncontrolled atmospheric reentry requirements.by Waswa M.B. Peter.S.M

Impact of type of child growth intervention program on caregivers’ child feeding knowledge and practices: A comparative study in Ga West Municipality, Ghana

This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Agbozo, F., Colecraft, E., & Ellahi, B. (2015 - in press). Impact of type of child growth intervention programme on caregivers’ child feeding knowledge and practices: A comparative study in Ga West Municipality, Ghana Food Science & Nutrition. Food Science and Nutrition. DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.318, which has been published in final form at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/fsn3.318/abstract.Community-Based Growth Promotion (CBGP) delivered by community volunteers aims at enhancing the traditional Growth Monitoring and Promotion (GMP) programme delivered by community health nurses through the promotion of optimum infant and young child feeding (IYCF) leading to improved child growth. This study compared IYCF knowledge and practices among caregiver-child pairs (0-24 months) receiving child welfare services from CBGP (n=124) and GMP (n=108) programmes. Semi-structured questionnaires were used to interview caregivers on IYCF knowledge/practices and validated food frequency questionnaire used to record infants’ food intakes. Group differences were determined using Chi-square and independent samples t-tests (p<0.05; 95% CI). Mean IYCF knowledge scores were similar (CBGP:10.84±1.69 vs. GMP:10.23±1.38, p=0.062). However, more CBGP caregivers (17%) were highly knowledgeable than their GMP counterparts (5%) (p=0.011). Early breastfeeding initiation (CBGP:54% vs. GMP:28%, p<0.0001), exclusive breastfeeding (CBGP:73% vs. GMP:56%, p=0.001) and timely complementary feeding (CBGP:72% vs. GMP:49%, p=0.014) were reportedly higher among CBGP caregivers. Underweight was 11% (CBGP:8% vs. GMP:14%, p=0.154. Mean dietary diversity scores (10 food groups) were similar (CBGP:4.49±1.89 vs. GMP:3.87±1.89, p=0.057) but more CBGP caregivers (77%) achieved minimum dietary diversity than their GMP counterparts (61%) (p=0.035). Few caregivers achieved minimum meal frequency (CBGP:31% vs. GMP:29%, p=0.486) and minimum acceptable diet (CBGP:23% vs. GMP:21%, p=0.464) indicators. Number of children under 5 years owned by caregiver (AOR: 0.405; 95% CI: 1.13-78.53, p=0.038), her educational level (AOR: 0.112; 95% CI: 0.02-0.90, p=0.040) and IYCF knowledge (AOR: 0.140; 95% CI: 0.03-0.79, p=0.026) significantly predicted optimum child feeding. Nutrition education on optimum complementary feeding and birth spacing strategies should intensify

Is responsive feeding difficult? A case study in Teso South Sub-County, Kenya

Responsive infant and young child feeding as a reciprocal relationship between the child and his or her caregiver is recommended by the WHO but has received less attention than dietary diversity or meal frequency up to now. The current study assessed common (non)responsive child feeding practices and factors that facilitate or hinder caregivers to improve feeding practices in rural Teso South Sub-County, Western Kenya. The qualitative study used focus group discussion (n = 93) and Trials of Improved Practices (TIPs) (n = 48) to identify challenges and opportunities in household food distribution and feeding practices. Overall, the implementation of responsive feeding practices was feasible for the caregivers. Parents reported mainly positive experiences in terms of the child’s feeding behavior and effects on child health. Traditional beliefs, practices, and cultural norms hindered some households to change intrahousehold food distribution. Households who manage to implement responsive feeding even in food insecure regions should be consulted to (a) improve existing nutrition education messages that acknowledge these cultural norms, (b) to include more responsive feeding information in nutrition education material, and (c) to address gender norms to create awareness of the importance of responsive feeding practices and the need for adequate time allocation for infant and young child feeding

Rapid assessment of sweetpotato seed and root production and markets in Kamuli and Iganga districts, near Eastern Uganda

The International Potato Center (CIP) and National Crops Resources Research Institute (NaCRRI) under the supervision of National Agricultural Research Organization are implementing a three-year project entitled, ‘Sweetpotato Genetic Advances and Innovative Seed Systems (SweetGAINS)’ funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF). The project aims to modernize the current Sweetpotato breeding systems and early generation seed production. SweetGAINS project is structured into work packages (WP1 - WP4) for effective and efficient implementation. As part of work package 4, a detailed rapid assessment of the sweetpotato seed system was conducted. The main objective of the study was to generate bench information to support the implementation of the sweetpotato system

FR1.3: Gendered differences in accessing and using climate-smart agricultural technologies in Tanzania

This study assessed gender differences in the use of climate-smart agriculture among bean farmers in Tanzania. Descriptive and multivariate probit models were used to analyse data collected from 357 randomly selected bean farmers from Mbeya Rural and Mbozi districts. Results revealed gender differences in farmers' vulnerability to production shocks, with higher frequencies of women and young farmers reporting climate change-related constraints than men. Adverse effects of climate change were more pronounced and gender-differentiated at the production level than at post-harvest and marketing levels where significantly more women and young farmers were more affected than men. Men dominated climate-adaptation decision-making processes at the household level because of their ownership and control over access to land, and access to agricultural support services. Enhancing inclusive gender access to land and group-based approaches to information dissemination would be relevant in enabling men, women and young farmers effectively respond to the effects of climate change