Practices of Relatedness and the Re-Invention of Duol as a Network of Care for Orphans and Widows in Western Kenya

Africa ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 77 (4) ◽  
pp. 517-534 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erick Otieno Nyambedha ◽  
Jens Aagaard-Hansen
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Colonial Period ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Western Kenya ◽  
Community Initiatives ◽  
Collaborative Community ◽  
Aids Pandemic ◽  
Traditional Institutions ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Hiv Aids

AbstractDuol is a term used in reference to traditional Luo life to signify unity and solidarity within a lineage under the authority of the elders. This authority was most prominent in the pre-colonial period, and continued up to independence. It declined steadily under the impact of modernity during the post-independence period. Consequently, the institution oí duol fell into disuse. The emergence of the HIV/AIDS pandemic has renewed the need for unity and solidarity in finding community-based solutions. The original principles of duol are now manifested in a transformed version of duol and similar collaborative community initiatives. This article suggests that efforts to assist communities adversely affected by HIV/AIDS pandemic should base their interventions in the various community-based collaborative initiatives. Traditional institutions, it is argued, may be re-invented in times of turmoil as new forms of relatedness through which human agency is focused to counter serious challenges to rural communities.

scholarly journals THE IMPACT OF THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC ON OLDER ADULTS: FINDINGS FROM A NATIONAL SURVEY OF COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S738-S738
Author(s):  
Kathleen A Cameron ◽  
Lauren E Popham ◽  
Angelica Herrera-Venson
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
National Survey ◽  
National Council ◽  
Opioid Epidemic ◽  
Opioid Misuse ◽  
Strategic Partnerships ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Community Based Organizations ◽  
The Impact

Abstract The National Council on Aging (NCOA) conducted a national survey of community-based organizations (CBOs) in early 2019 to better understand how older adults, people with disabilities, and their caregivers are affected by the opioid epidemic and identify new resources and tools needed by CBOs to better serve their community needs. Specifically, the survey asked about the extent to which CBOs’ service delivery and level of effort has changed as a result of the opioid epidemic; unique issues reported by this population, directly or indirectly resulting from opioid misuse by them or loved ones; how organizations screen and refer older adults and individual with disabilities for support associated with opioid misuse; how organizations may be connecting with local or state initiatives addressing the opioid epidemic, or forming strategic partnerships to respond to emerging client needs; and pinpoint gaps in resources that may help organizations to more effectively respond to these issues. Over 200 organizations, representing urban, suburban and rural communities, responded to the survey and included senior centers, area agencies on aging, Senior Health Insurance Assistance Programs, as well as health care organizations. Seventy percent of organizations report spending more effort to address the needs of older adults/caregivers who are adversely affected by opioid misuse/abuse since 2 years ago. Common health and financial concerns, current strategies related to screening, partnership development, and educational programming as reported by CBOs will be presented. This session will include a discussion of opportunities to assist CBOs address the opioid-related needs of their older adult clients.

scholarly journals Traditional Institutions and Socio-economic Development in Nigeria: A Critical Analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 539-552
Author(s):  
Bolaji Omitola ◽  
Olawale Olufemi Akinrinde ◽  
Adetola Omitola
Keyword(s):  
Alternative Dispute Resolution ◽  
Agricultural Development ◽  
Colonial Period ◽  
Colonial Power ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Colonial Era ◽  
Intelligence Gathering ◽  
Post Colonial ◽  
The People ◽  
Traditional Institutions

Traditional institutions held pre-eminence positions in the pre-colonial societies in Nigeria. The level of order witnessed during this period was a testimony to the invaluable roles played by the traditional rulers in administering their different empires, kingdoms and communities. However, during the colonial era, the position of traditional rulers was compromised as they became mere stooges of the colonial power. The post-colonial period saw the traditional rulers’ roles diminished as they were given advisory roles in previous constitutions and with no single role in the 1999 Constitution. Thus, for the continuous relevance of the traditional institutions, there is a need for re-examination of their roles in the country. This chapter argues for community based developmental roles for the traditional rulers in the country. These include promotion of tourism development, encouraging modern agricultural development, maintenance of peaceful co-existence among the people of their domain and settlers from other parts of the country, providing platform for alternative dispute resolution, monitoring the activities of the various vigilante groups and other unconventional security apparatus in their communities and lastly partnering the security operatives through intelligence gathering within their domains for effective operations of security outfits in serving the people better.

scholarly journals Quality Visual Drop-in centres as a community response

2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sithabile Ntombela
Keyword(s):  
Young Children ◽  
Community Response ◽  
Learning And Development ◽  
Barriers To Learning ◽  
Vulnerable Children ◽  
Aids Pandemic ◽  
Care And Support ◽  
Kwazulu Natal ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Hiv Aids

School going children have a broad range of needs at any given point in time. If these needs are not met, they may experience barriers to learning and development, which can result in the breakdown of the learning process or even total exclusion. Barriers to learning and development affect learners differently, but nothing threatens their development and quality of life in the same way as the impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Young children, because of their dependence on others, are likely to suffer developmental, educational, emotional and physical setbacks, due to the impact of the pandemic. For many, the impact is so great that their access to schooling is threatened as they (and their siblings) struggle to survive. This article discusses literature on how HIV/AIDS intensifies poverty, while in the process marginalising affected and infected children; and it is also concerned with how communities can respond to the needs of these vulnerable children. Particular attention is paid to dropin centres as a sustainable response to the challenges young children face in KwaZulu- Natal. The article concludes that the drop-in centre scheme is a desirable model of care as it employs an environmentally friendly approach that relies on inter-sectoral collaboration to provide care and support for children in need.

A Comparative Analysis of Collaborative Environmental Management of Natural Resources in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Study of Cameroon and South Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 512-532 ◽  
Author(s):  
Regis Musavengane ◽  
Henry Bikwibili Tantoh ◽  
Danny Simatele
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Natural Resources ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Collaborative Management ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Collaborative Community ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Governance Processes

In Africa, rural communities thrive on social capital and tend to have a number of commonalities that force them to share natural, physical and social resources. It has been a trend in sub-Saharan Africa to have either formal or informal collaborative management agreements to manage common pool resources (CPRs) to accommodate different actors and interests. This paper draws lessons from past and contemporary collaborative schemes in Cameroon and South Africa to enhance the practice and governance processes of natural resources in sub-Saharan Africa in order to promote sustainable development. Using research methods inspired by the tradition of participatory research to collect field-based data and complemented by reflections on previous and existing studies, the paper highlights the importance and benefits of participatory democracy as opposed to representational democracy in co-management of natural resources in rural spaces. It further discusses the need to redefine the roles of national and local governments, the youths and women in ensuring effective participation and the essence of unifying the judicial and culture. To guarantee sustainability of collaborative community-based natural resources, the paper emphasises the role and importance of youth and women empowerment. These issues have been discussed within the broader sustainability discourse.

scholarly journals Impact of routine Newcastle disease vaccination on chicken flock size in smallholder farms in western Kenya

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. e0248596
Author(s):  
Elkanah Otiang ◽  
Samuel M. Thumbi ◽  
Zoë A. Campbell ◽  
Lucy W. Njagi ◽  
Philip N. Nyaga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Newcastle Disease Virus ◽  
Disease Virus ◽  
Newcastle Disease ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Significant Benefit ◽  
Flock Size ◽  
Western Kenya ◽  
Household Decision ◽  
The Impact

Background Poultry represent a widely held economic, nutritional, and sociocultural asset in rural communities worldwide. In a recent longitudinal study in western Kenya, the reported mean number of chickens per household was 10, with increases in flock size constrained principally by mortality. Newcastle disease virus is a major cause of chicken mortality globally and hypothesized to be responsible for a large part of mortality in smallholder flocks. Our goal was to determine the impact of routine Newcastle disease virus (NDV) vaccination on flock size and use this data to guide programs to improve small flock productivity. Methods We conducted a factorial randomized controlled trial in 537 households: in 254 households all chickens were vaccinated every 3 months with I-2 NDV vaccine while chickens in 283 households served as unvaccinated controls. In both arms of the trial, all chickens were treated with endo- and ecto parasiticides every 3 months. Data on household chicken numbers and reported gains and losses were collected monthly for 18 months. Results Consistent with prior studies, the overall flock size was small but with increases in both arms of the study over time. The mean number of chickens owned at monthly census was 13.06±0.29 in the vaccinated households versus 12.06±0.20 in the control households (p = 0.0026) with significant gains in number of chicks (p = 0.06), growers (p = 0.09), and adults (p = 0.03) in the vaccinated flocks versus the controls. Household reported gains were 4.50±0.12 total chickens per month when vaccinated versus 4.15±0.11 in the non-vaccinated controls (p = 0.03). Gains were balanced by voluntary decreases, reflecting household decision-making for sales or household consumption, which were marginally higher, but not statistically significant, in vaccinated households and by involuntary losses, including mortality and loss due to predation, which were marginally higher in control households. Conclusion Quarterly NDV vaccination and parasiticidal treatment resulted in an increase in flock size by a mean of one bird per household as compared to households where the flock received only parasiticidal treatment. While results suggest that the preventable fraction of mortality attributable to Newcastle disease is comparatively small relatively to all-cause mortality in smallholder households, there was a significant benefit to vaccination in terms of flock size. Comparison with previous flock sizes in the study households indicate a more significant benefit from the combined vaccination and parasiticidal treatment, supporting a comprehensive approach to improving flock health and improving household benefits of production in the smallholder setting.

scholarly journals The Development of a Community-based COVID-19 Public Health Intervention in Rural Ghana

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shadrack Osei Frimpong ◽  
Moro Seidu ◽  
Sam Kris Hilton ◽  
Yusuf Ransome ◽  
Elijah Paintsil ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Technical Assistance ◽  
Public Health Intervention ◽  
Academic Community ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Parihs Framework ◽  
Community Team ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background: The Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (PARIHS) framework was utilized to design an evidence-based practice, Cocoa360’s COVID Preparedness & Outbreak Prevention Plan (CoCoPOPP), for rural communities in Ghana. Through participatory academic-community team discussion, interactive dissemination, systematic review of evidence about community-based interventions during Ebola, HIV/AIDS, and Influenza outbreaks and effective engagement with local and national stakeholders, CoCoPOPP was developed to be consistent with the PARIHS framework. Methods: Applying the three core elements of the PARIHS framework (evidence, context, and facilitation), the designers developed orientation, logistic needs and planning, and social mobilization. Components of CoCoPOPP also included participant recruitment and training, communication, research, monitoring & evaluation plan, execution, technical assistance, and facilitation. Results: This intervention achieved three (3) main aims: (1) meet a pressing health need during the COVID-19 pandemic in local underserved settings, (2) ensure that the strategy is informed by high-quality evidence from similar interventions in past outbreaks, and (3) evaluate and learn from research on interventions to garner data. Beyond the impact on health outcomes and healthcare services utilization, CoCoPOPP sought to garner data for organizational use and to share insights on pandemic management and control with the Ghanaian government and the broader global health community. Conclusion: The use of evidence-based public health framework, PARIHS, renders CoCoPOPP a replicable community-based model that can be implemented in other rural communities in Ghana and other Sub-Saharan African counties with similar cultural settings.

scholarly journals The acceptability of dietary tools to improve maternal and child nutrition in Western Kenya

2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (10) ◽  
pp. 1823-1833 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nidal Kram ◽  
Sarah Melgen ◽  
Ellah Kedera ◽  
Deborah Kortso Collison ◽  
Jonathan Colton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Breast Feeding ◽  
Child Nutrition ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Dietary Practices ◽  
Western Kenya ◽  
Maternal And Child Nutrition ◽  
Future Work ◽  
The Impact

AbstractObjectiveDietary practices in Kenya often fail to provide adequate nutrition during the first 1000 days of life, from conception to 2 years of age. We developed and qualitatively assessed the acceptability of easy-to-use dietary tools consisting of a marked bowl, slotted spoon and illustrated counselling card to support appropriate dietary practices during pregnancy, exclusive breast-feeding and complementary feeding of children aged 6–24 months.DesignWe conducted qualitative research to assess community acceptability and obtain feedback on the design of the dietary tools.SettingThis research took place in urban and rural communities in Western Kenya.SubjectsWe conducted twelve focus group discussions with community members (mothers, husbands, mothers-in-law, community leaders) and five interviews with government nutritionists to assess acceptability and obtain recommendations on design and delivery of the tools. We conducted 24–28 d of user testing with fourteen pregnant women, fourteen breast-feeding women and thirty-two mothers with infants aged 6–18 months.ResultsTools were positively received by communities. Mothers perceived improvements in their own and their children’s food intakes including quantity, frequency, consistency and diversity. Many attributed perceived own and child’s weight gain and/or increased energy to tool use. A minority reported using the bowl for other activities (n 9) or not using the bowl due to food insecurity (n 5).ConclusionsResults suggest that such tools have the potential to positively impact maternal and child dietary practices. Future work should quantitatively assess the impact on diet and nutrition outcomes and the underlying behavioural domains associated with changes.

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