Journal articles on the topic 'Non-governmental organizations – South Africa – Limpopo'

In this paper, we discuss NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) and NPOs (Non-Profit Organizations) in general and focus on the advertising strategy NGOs should undertake. More specifically, we compare and contrast the NGO history in South Africa and China, its corresponding past advertising, and implications for advertising strategy for Chinese NGOs going forward. This includes a discussion of a key issue of the efficacy of advertising that evokes emotion, and how it can be a “mixed-blessing.” It is suggested that the advertising strategy of South African NGOs can usefully inform NGOs in China.

AbstractThere is an awareness of the need for “access to technology,” and there are several initiatives by government, non-governmental organizations and other community development programs to fulfill this demand. The digital divide is, however, not only a matter of access; the challenge is also to empower people to become proficient computer users, even those with general literacy backlogs. People should become actively involved in order to stay computer literate. Demographic aspects such as age, gender, education and socio-economic status affect usage patterns and the gratification gained from Internet usage. The long-term solution to solve the problem of the digital divide is to uplift the socio-economic standard of a community.

Around the world, especially in low- and middle-income countries, national regulatory authorities are struggling with registration backlogs and the affordability of medicines. This paper draws on the example of cancer biosimilars in South Africa to illustrate how non-governmental organizations can help regulatory authorities decide which registration applications to prioritize by providing information on clinical need, cost-benefit analysis and insight into the potential for cost reduction through biosimilar competition.

Abstract The fourth industrial revolution (4IR) marks the new, advanced era of development in humankind, and globally countries are in the process of ensuring their citizenry’s readiness. In South Africa, various governmental departments, organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and non-profit organisations (NPOs) are making efforts, through their plans, talks and actions, to attain this status for all her people, particularly women in rural areas. However, the development of women in the rural areas for empowerment remains a concern in developing countries. Consequently, there is a dire need to ensure the developmental status for women in rural areas in the advent of the 4IR, and this paper seeks to demonstrate that information and knowledge may be instrumental in empowering women in rural areas to strive in the 4IR. Accordingly, information and knowledge are a critical resource contributing to the empowerment of women in rural areas for their development. An exploratory question is raised to determine whether South Africa is ready for Fourth Industrial Revolution. The outcome of this paper will contribute to the body of knowledge advocating the importance of information and knowledge in the empowerment of women in rural areas. Significantly, it will generate insights for policymakers on the important role of information and knowledge for women’s development.

Over the last 20 years, developing countries have witnessed the increased role of non-governmental actors such as health industry associations and umbrella organizations in the diffusion and governance of health innovation. Utilizing extensive interviews with actors in the Indian and South African health industries, this paper argues that, in a context of emerging pluralism – i.e., a dynamic context of bargaining between competing (public and private) interests and values – these associations constitute public actors that play dual roles in the politics of innovation and development. Specifically, not only do they engage downstream by diffusing knowledge to their respective health innovation systems in order to achieve common objectives, they also engage upstream with their governments to co-develop policies and regulations. This dual role of health industry associations and umbrella organizations makes them less neutral politically but more effective institutionally, and their innovative and political role should be seriously taken into account in the healthcare sector.

On April 23, 2021, Erita Lee Acham Chen presented Arts Education: An Unexpected Tool in the Quest for a Safer World at the 2021 CASIS Generation Z Congress. The presentation was followed by a moderated question and answer period. Key points of discussion included the current situation for township youths in South Africa, how performing arts non-governmental organizations (NGO) have provided vulnerable youths with a safe place, and how the skills learned in these programs have had a positive impact on their lives.

Freshwater supply is essential to life on Earth; however, land use activities such as mining and agriculture pose a significant danger to freshwater resources and the wellbeing of aquatic environments. This study temporarily assesses the water quality characteristics of Mutangwi River. Physicochemical parameters (pH, temperature, total dissolved solids (TDS), salinity, electrical conductivity (EC), and turbidity) were determined in situ using an Extech multimeter and turbidity meter. The concentration of the selected metals (Mg, Cr, Fe, Cd, Mn, Pb, Ca, and Na) were analysed using an Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. Membrane filtration method was used to analyse microbiological parameters (Escherichia coli and Enterococci). The physicochemical water quality parameters as well as basic anions (fluoride, phosphate, sulfate, nitrate, and chloride) determined complied with the regulatory guideline of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the South Africa National Standards (SANS). Some of the trace metals (Mn, Ca, Fe, and Mg) were found below the guideline values, while others (Pb and Cd) exceeded the threshold limit. The counts for E. coli (814.5–2169 cfu/100 mL) and Enterococci (333–9396 cfu/100 mL) in the study did not comply with the regulatory guidelines. The water quality status using the water quality index (WQI) indicated that on the average, the water quality from Mutangwi River is poor (WQI > 100). The hazard quotient through ingestion exposure did not exceed the threshold limit of 1, for adults and children. This implies that there is no potential non-carcinogenic health risk from trace elements via ingestion of drinking water for children and adults. However, cancer risk for adults and children was computed in relation to Cd and Pb levels and exceeded the threshold limit 10−4, indicating a possible carcinogenic risk. Water from the river should be adequately treated prior to domestic and agricultural use.

Background Public health practitioners have little guidance around how to plan for the sustainability of donor sponsored programs after the donor withdraws. The literature is broad and provides no consensus on a definition of sustainability. This study used a mixed-methods methodology to assess program sustainability factors to inform donor-funded programs. Methods This study examined 61 health facilities in the Western Cape, South Africa, supported by four PEPFAR-funded non-governmental organizations from 2007 to 2012. Retention in care (RIC) was used to determine health facility performance. Sustainability was measured by comparing RIC during PEPFAR direct service (20072012), to RIC in the post PEPFAR period (2013 to 2015). Forty-three semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with key informants. The qualitative data were used to examine how predictor variables were operationalized at a health facility and NGO level. Results Our qualitative results suggest the following lessons for the sustainability of future programs: Sufficient and stable resources (i.e., financial, human resources, technical expertise, equipment, physical space) Investment in organizations that understand the local context and have strong relationships with local government. Strong leadership at a health facility level Joint planning/coordination and formalized skill transfer Local positive perceived value of the program Partnerships Conclusion Sustainability is complex, context dependent, and is reliant on various processes and outcomes. This study suggests additional health facility and community level staff should be employed in the health system to ensure RIC sustainability. Sustainability requires joint donor coordination with experienced local organizations with strong managers before during and after program implementation. If the program is as large as the South African HIV effort some dedicated additional resources in the long term would be required.

Financial inclusion has recently become an issue of concern the world over for governments, policymakers, non‑governmental organizations (NGOs), and financial and non‑financial institutions alike. McKinnon (1973) and Shaw (1973), in seminal presentations, brought the world’s attention to the importance of an effective financial system for economic development. In recent years, there has been growing theoretical and empirical works showing the strong linkages between financial development with economic growth and poverty alleviation. After conducting statistical analysis using Stata version 14 for Windows with a multivariate binary logistic regression modeling technique applied, this paper tested and concluded that there is a statically significant relationship between educational levels on the one‑and and income levels on the other on the probability of one having a mobile banking account in South Africa. From a policy perspective, this information will assist policymakers in making more informed decisions with respect to education, and from the banking fraternity point of view it will help, them in the developments of products that are more in line with the population’s education and income levels.

Gender representativity in political and managerial positions in local government in general and women empowerment in particular remain contentious issues. Although an extensive statutory and regulatory framework for gender equality was established and despite the fact that specific equity targets are set, it is evident that much more needs to be done to facilitate women empowerment in the local government sector. The purpose of this article is to reflect on findings of an empirical survey conducted amongst female politicians, managers, and experts in the local government sector with the aim to design the parameters of a competency framework for women empowerment. The results support the fact that a women empowerment competency framework should incorporate various dimensions and elements, notably sector-specific job requirements, registered gender-based formal programs in the tertiary education sector, as well as content of women empowerment initiatives taken by non-governmental organizations.

The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa 1996 describes its government as national, provincial and local sphere which are distinctive, interdepend and interrelated. The national and provincial government, by legislative and other measures must support and strengthen the capacity of the municipalities (Local Government) to manage their affairs, to exercise power and to perform their functions. Towns across the world make relationships with other towns. International relation is a complex field, its practice and scope involves numerous role players whether in government or non-governmental organizations. City of Tshwane is like other towns which seek investment opportunities for its citizens. City of Tshwane has several relations with different countries. The paper seeks to examine the impact of the relations, whether they are beneficial for the city or not. For the purpose of this paper, the study used qualitative research approach. The views and opinions of the officials were directly and indirectly captured by means of interviews and observations. The study adopted the use of data triangulation approach.

This article analyzes the recently formed transnational networks of Islamic education between Turkey and Africa south of the Sahara through the study of the neglected case of Erenköy Cemaati. The expansion of the schools affiliated with Erenköy Cemaati cannot be divorced from Turkey’s Africa strategy and the growing importance of education within it since the late 2000s. Although Sufi orders and state institutions historically represent two divergent and conflicting streams of Islamic education in Turkey, the analysis of Erenköy Cemaati’s schools in Africa south of the Sahara reveal their rapprochement in novel ways. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork in Turkey, Tanzania, and Senegal, this article shows that the complex relations between the Turkish state and Sufi orders in the field of education in Africa are facilitated by a constellation of non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Situating ethnographic data in historical context, it argues that the Islamic schools of Erenköy Cemaati are produced by the overlapping processes of the NGOization of Sufi orders in response to earlier state repression in Turkey and the NGOization of education in the wake of the neoliberal restructuring in Africa. While contributing to our understanding of post-coup Turkey and its evolving relations with Africa south of the Sahara, this article provides at the same time a new window into the NGOization of Islamic education on the continent.

BACKGROUND: Despite decreasing incidence of TB in South Africa, people with TB continue to be missed by facility-based case-finding interventions, and agricultural workers suffer disproportionately from limited access to services. We implemented two community-based active case-finding strategies to engage agricultural workers and assessed the cost of these interventions.METHODS: We summarized costs for two interventions – one led by enrolled nurses and one by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) – from April 2017 to December 2019, and calculated cost per person reached by services, screened for TB, identified as having TB and started on TB treatment. We performed Mann-Kendall tests of monotonic trend and conducted a sensitivity analysis of intervention costs.RESULTS: The enrolled nurses-led implementation started 442 people on TB treatment at a cost of US$118 per person, with decreasing trend in costs over the implementation period (P = 0.005). The NGO-led intervention started 160 people on treatment at a cost of US$554 per person, with decreasing trend in costs over the implementation period (P = 0.004).CONCLUSION: Community-based case-finding strategies find TB patients who would be missed by the health system. These strategies should be scaled up to close the missing cases gap in South Africa and to meet UN targets for ending TB.

The 10th BRICS Academic Forum, consisting of scholars, think tanks and non-governmental organizations from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, took place in Johannesburg, South Africa on 28–31 May 2018. The event was hosted jointly by the BRICS Think Tank Council (BTTC) and the South African BRICS Think Tank (SABTT) with the support of the South African government and the National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences (NIHSS) as the SABTT custodian and coordinator. Under South Africa’s direction as chair of BRICS, participation at the Academic Forum was extended to other African countries as part of the Africa Outreach Initiative: Angola, Burundi, Ethiopia, Gabon, Namibia, Uganda, Togo, Rwanda and Senegal accepted invitations. Participants commended the efforts made by China during its turn as chair of BRICS to promote BRICS cooperation and suggested working together to strengthen the three-wheel-driven areas of economy, peace and security, and people-to-people exchanges. For the final four days of May, Johannesburg became a vibrant intellectual capital offering for the Academic Forum participants much debate and discussion, plenary sessions and side events all united under the theme “Envisioning Inclusive Development Through a Socially Responsive Economy.” The 2018 Academic Forum focused on the topics most important for the BRICS group ranging from peace and security, energy, gender relations and health to regional integration. The Forum was a complete success with broad consensus and submitted a list of recommendations for the consideration of the leaders of BRICS.

ANY INVESTIGATION OF POLITICAL OPPOSITIONS IN THE ASIA-PACIFIC must necessarily begin, if not end, with the obvious. First of all, there is the evident weakness of political oppositions in much of this part of the world today — whether we focus on the commonly capitalized ‘Opposition’ denoting ‘a political party opposing, and serving as a check on, the party in power’ (Webster's, italics added), or on the more variegated lower case ‘alternative oppositions’ often associated with so-called ‘non-governmental organizations’ of some sort or another. To a considerable extent, therefore, this question involves the compounded difficulty of not merely explaining the careers and conditions of manifest political groupings and their respective trajectories but also, significantly, of retrieving the historical traces, lived experiences and collective memories of oppositions displaced — whether by means of incorporation or of exclusion. Secondly, despite its remarkable recent rise in political, financial and academic discourse, ‘the Asia-Pacific’ remains a highly elusive — and eminently elastic — conception in terms of historical, economic and cultural content. Significantly, for the present discussion, no ‘wave’ of regime transitions comparable to those witnessed in other regions — Southern Europe, Latin America, Eastern Europe and Tropical Africa — can be discerned across the countries encompassed within ‘the Asia-Pacific’.

Abstract Associations between different forms of malnutrition and environmental conditions, including water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), contribute to poor child health, nutritional status and physical growth. The primary responsibility for the provision of water and sanitation, as a basic service and human right, lies with the State, as such, a number of stakeholders are involved. Despite relatively high levels of WASH infrastructure coverage in South Africa, enteric infections and stunting remain high for a middle-income country. The aim of this study is to elucidate the landscape of WASH in South Africa in relation to nutritional status of children under the age of 5 years in the South African, Gauteng and City of Johannesburg contexts. The authors detailed the national and provincial public sector departments and through purposive sampling proceeded to map the various departments and associated policies that are responsible for the provision of WASH facilities, as well the nutritional status of children. Of the six policies identified for review, three mentioned WASH, nutrition and children; however, none explicitly linked WASH to nutritional status in children. An in-depth review and analysis of these three crucial policy documents was conducted. Finally, a set of expert interviews were conducted and a consensus development conference convened, with experts at the intersection between WASH and nutritional status. The authors found that the public sector would benefit from better integration of the concept of WASH into their policy, planning and implementation frameworks. The WASH sector should emphasize the role in which WASH plans consider the impact of WASH on the nutritional status of children. The various public sector departments involved in WASH service provision, and other WASH stakeholders, including community-based organizations, non-governmental organizations and intergovernmental organizations, should be involved in the decision-making of the nutrition sector.

Abstract This paper examines the role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in service provision with a special focus on Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. First, it reviews the conceptual and taxonomic issues in NGOs. It then proceeds to examine the performance of NGOs in some countries. The paper notes the increased relevance of NGOs in many countries. It, however, argues that any expectation that the NGOs will supplant the state in service provision is likely to be utopian. It contends that just as we have government failure and market failure, we can also have third sector failure. The paper argues for an appropriate balance between the state and NGOs in meeting the needs of the poor. It concludes that while it may be necessary to continue to strengthen the private sector and the third sector, it would be useful to continue to inquire into how the state can be effective.

BackgroundIn sub-Saharan Africa, there is a growing awareness of the burden of paediatric surgical diseases. This has highlighted the large discrepancy between the capacity to treat and the ability to afford treatment, and the effect of this problem on access to care. This review focuses on the sources and challenges of funding paediatric surgical procedures in sub-Saharan Africa. MethodsWe undertook a search for studies published between January 2007 and November 2016 that reported the specific funding of paediatric surgical procedures and were conducted in sub-Saharan Africa. Abstract screening, full-text review and data abstraction were completed and resulting data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software. ResultsThirty-five studies met our inclusion criteria and were reviewed. The countries that were predominantly emphasized in the publications reviewed were Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Ghana and Uganda. The paediatric surgical procedures involved general paediatric surgery/urology, cardiac surgery, neurosurgery, oncology, plastics, ophthalmology, orthopaedics and otorhinolaryngology. The mean cost of these procedures ranged from 60 to 21,140 United States Dollars (USD). The source of funding for these procedures was mostly out-of-pocket payments (OOPs) by the patient’s family in 32 studies, (91.4%) and medical mission/non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in 21 (60%) studies. This pattern did not differ appreciably between the articles published in the initial and latter 5 years of the study period, although there was a trend towards a reduction in OOP funding. Improvements in healthcare funding by individual countries supported by international organizations and charities were the predominant suggested solutions to challenges in funding.ConclusionWhile considering the potential limitations created by diversity in study design, the reviewed publications indicate that funding for paediatric surgical procedures in sub-Saharan Africa is mostly by OOPs made by families of the patients. This may result in limited access to some procedures. Coordinated efforts, and collaboration between individual countries and international agencies, may help to reduce OOP funding and thus improve access to critical procedures.

Emerging highly transmissible viral infections such as SARS-CoV-2 pose a significant global threat to human health and the economy. Since its first appearance in December 2019 in the city of Wuhan, Hubei province, China, SARS-CoV-2 infection has quickly spread across the globe, with the first case reported on the African continent, in Egypt on February 14th, 2020. Although the global number of COVID-19 infections has increased exponentially since the beginning of the pandemic, the number of new infections and deaths recorded in African countries have been relatively modest, suggesting slower transmission dynamics of the virus on the continent, a lower case fatality rate, or simply a lack of testing or reliable data. Notably, there is no significant increase in unexplained pneumonias or deaths on the continent which could possibly indicate the effectiveness of interventions introduced by several African governments. However, there has not yet been a comprehensive assessment of sub-Saharan Africa’s (SSA) preparedness and response to the COVID-19 pandemic that may have contributed to prevent an uncontrolled outbreak so far. As a group of early career scientists and the next generation of African scientific leaders with experience of working in medical and diverse health research fields in both SSA and resource-rich countries, we present a unique perspective on the current public health interventions to fight COVID-19 in Africa. Our perspective is based on extensive review of the available scientific publications, official technical reports and announcements released by governmental and non-governmental health organizations as well as from our personal experiences as workers on the COVID-19 battlefield in SSA. We documented public health interventions implemented in seven SSA countries including Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Cameroon, Zambia, South Africa and Botswana, the existing gaps and the important components of disease control that may strengthen SSA response to future outbreaks.

Emerging highly transmissible viral infections such as SARS-CoV-2 pose a significant global threat to human health and the economy. Since its first appearance in December 2019 in the city of Wuhan, Hubei province, China, SARS-CoV-2 infection has quickly spread across the globe, with the first case reported on the African continent, in Egypt on February 14th, 2020. Although the global number of COVID-19 infections has increased exponentially since the beginning of the pandemic, the number of new infections and deaths recorded in African countries have been relatively modest, suggesting slower transmission dynamics of the virus on the continent, a lower case fatality rate, or simply a lack of testing or reliable data. Notably, there is no significant increase in unexplained pneumonias or deaths on the continent which could possibly indicate the effectiveness of interventions introduced by several African governments. However, there has not yet been a comprehensive assessment of sub-Saharan Africa’s (SSA) preparedness and response to the COVID-19 pandemic that may have contributed to prevent an uncontrolled outbreak so far. As a group of early career scientists and the next generation of African scientific leaders with experience of working in medical and diverse health research fields in both SSA and resource-rich countries, we present a unique perspective on the current public health interventions to fight COVID-19 in Africa. Our perspective is based on extensive review of the available scientific publications, official technical reports and announcements released by governmental and non-governmental health organizations as well as from our personal experiences as workers on the COVID-19 battlefield in SSA. We documented public health interventions implemented in seven SSA countries including Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Cameroon, Zambia, South Africa and Botswana, the existing gaps and the important components of disease control that may strengthen SSA response to future outbreaks.

Emerging highly transmissible viral infections such as SARS-CoV-2 pose a significant global threat to human health and the economy. Since its first appearance in December 2019 in the city of Wuhan, Hubei province, China, SARS-CoV-2 infection has quickly spread across the globe, with the first case reported on the African continent, in Egypt on February 14th, 2020. Although the global number of COVID-19 infections has increased exponentially since the beginning of the pandemic, the number of new infections and deaths recorded in African countries have been relatively modest, suggesting slower transmission dynamics of the virus on the continent, a lower case fatality rate, or simply a lack of testing or reliable data. Notably, there is no significant increase in unexplained pneumonias or deaths on the continent which could possibly indicate the effectiveness of interventions introduced by several African governments. However, there has not yet been a comprehensive assessment of sub-Saharan Africa’s (SSA) preparedness and response to the COVID-19 pandemic that may have contributed to prevent an uncontrolled outbreak so far. As a group of early career scientists and the next generation of African scientific leaders with experience of working in medical and diverse health research fields in both SSA and resource-rich countries, we present a unique perspective on the current public health interventions to fight COVID-19 in Africa. Our perspective is based on extensive review of the available scientific publications, official technical reports and announcements released by governmental and non-governmental health organizations as well as from our personal experiences as workers on the COVID-19 battlefield in SSA. We documented public health interventions implemented in seven SSA countries including Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Cameroon, Zambia, South Africa and Botswana, the existing gaps and the important components of disease control that may strengthen SSA response to future outbreaks.

Plastic pollution in the aquatic environment has recently gained worldwide attention. Meanwhile, intensive research activities have been initiated in this environment; however, the effects and consequences of the plastic pollution are not fully known and have to be better understood. To facilitate information exchange between different global regions, the German Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG) and the International Centre for Water Resources and Global Change (ICWRGC) organized a Summer School entitled "Plastics in Marine and Freshwater Environments" in July 2017. In preparation for the course, a questionnaire was sent to all participants coming from Asia (India, Philippines), Africa (Egypt, Liberia, Nigeria, South Africa), Latin America (Brazil, Mexico), and East, South and Southeast Europe (Bosnia-Herzegovina, Italy, Romania, Russia (European part), Serbia, Slovenia). The outcomes of this survey and discussions during the Summer School concerning micro- and macroplastics, especially in rivers and the oceans, reveal that countries are aware of the problem and that first measures have been conducted, especially initiated by Non-Governmental Organizations and authorities. In general, few data are available regarding plastics in rivers and the disposal into the oceans. However, the issue has progressively permeated whole society's awareness of the importance of education as a key element in solving the plastic problem. The majority of the countries include the subject already in the curriculum of primary schools. Moreover, regulations exist, especially regarding waste, but have to be better implemented and enhanced.

Background: Worldwide more than 20 million low birth weights occur annually with the incidence of 15 to 20%, majority of this occur in low- and middle-income countries and 95.6% occur in developing nations. Its regional estimate was 28% in South Asia, 13% in sub-Saharan Africa and 13% in least developed countryObjective: To assess factors associated with low birth weight among newborns in Jugal Hospital, Harari Regional State, Ethiopia.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among newborns in Jugal hospital, Ethiopia from June 01 to July 10, 2019. Systematic random sampling technique was used to select the study subjects. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with low birth weight among newbornsResults: The magnitude of low birth weight was 19.53%. Women who had previous history of low birth weight had 5.21 times higher odds ratio of delivered low birth weight baby than their counterparts [AOR = 5.21, 95% CI: (1.5-14.2)], and pregnant women who delivered before 37 weeks of gestational age had 4.8 times higher odds ratio of delivered low birth weight neonates than those delivered at term [AOR = 4.8, 95% CI: (1.3-10.4)]Conclusion: The prevalence of low birth weight in Harar, Jugal Hospital was 19.53%. Low birth weight in the previous pregnancy and gestational age 37 weeks, and showed significant association with birth weight neonates. Governmental and non-governmental organizations working on maternal and child health should focus on identified factors in order to tackle the problem of birth weight.

In South Africa, exploiting economic opportunities in the handicraft sector could create livelihood and employment for ordinary citizens living in rural areas. The potential contribution of handicraft small enterprises to sustainable livelihoods and poverty alleviation is yet to be fully exploited. It is also regarded as a sector with great growth potential, but the degree of support provided to the handicraft sector is low. The study aims to evaluate the socioeconomic factors influencing the viability of handicraft small businesses operating in KwaZulu-Natal. Data collection was drawn from a stratified random sample of 196 handicraft practitioners operating in different areas of KwaZulu-Natal Province with a structured questionnaire. Data analysis was performed with the STATA statistical package. The results obtained from the study have shown that 84 enterprises (42.86%) were not viable, whereas 112 of the 196 handicraft enterprises (57.14%) were viable. The percentage of overall correct classification for this procedure was equal to 77.96%. Percentage sensitivity for the fitted logistic regression model was equal to 60.71%. Percentage specificity for the fitted logistic regression model was equal to 82.14%. The p-value obtained from Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test was equal to 0.0884 > 0.05. This indicates that the fitted logistic regression model is fairly well reliable. The findings from the analysis showed that two factors significantly influenced the viability of handicraft enterprises. These two factors were the belief that handicraft business could sustain the handicraft practitioner, and the level of support for handicraft businesses from non-governmental organizations is decreasing. AcknowledgmentSouth Africa SarChi Chair, Nation Research Fund and Department of Science and Technology, South African, for providing funding for this research.

Introduction Value chains in their entirety, within the South African context, have not been the focus of much research thus far. A plethora of research has been done on the various actors within the value chain, but the rest of the value chain has not been identified and depicted. Failing to understand and describe the entire value chain of polyethylene terephthalate plastics has led to many unanswered questions and misunderstood impacts on the plastics waste economy. Purpose The purpose of the study was to document and depict the value chain and its activities within the polyethylene terephthalate waste economy in South Africa, which, according to the available literature, has not been done before. The documentation of the value chain and its activities will assist in identifying the possibilities of job creation within the waste economy, which could impact the diversion of waste from the landfill. Method A qualitative research approach with an exploratory research design was followed, and the data collection was done by means of a workshop. The participants in the workshop included captains of industry, entrepreneurs, academics, government, environmental groups and environmental non-governmental organizations. The workshop was recorded audio-visually, and concepts and discussions were documented for this purpose. All information was transcribed and documented in a final document. Results The value chain and its activities were documented. Conclusion The information collected is a starting point for more research within the waste economy, as the process will be followed with other waste streams. Job creation gaps have been identified and further research has started creating a better understanding of the value chain, which will influence policy.

The rapid spread of the fall army worm ( Spodoptera frugiperda) across sub-Saharan Africa, and now South Asia, has created surprise and distress to the smallholder farmers of both regions who face hunger and economic stress because of this pest. There has been high-quality support from the international agricultural information sector, but there has also been advice that may not be applicable to the farming systems of smallholder farmers. That comment arises from lessons learned from involvement with a similar pest outbreak of a related pest species in India starting in the mid-80s. Post-rainy season groundnut (peanut) Arachis hypogaea is a high-value crop in the coastal region of Andhra Pradesh. Changes in the management of tobacco crops to the North of the groundnut belt resulted in invasions of Spodoptera litura. The groundnut farmers responded by applying a wide range of insecticides that did nothing to protect their crops from further defoliation. Scientists from the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) initiated research that enriched the knowledge of this crop–pest relationship. For instance, they showed that groundnut plants could withstand close to complete defoliation with little loss in yield. Farmers also learned that the cessation of their insecticide regime allowed natural enemies of the caterpillars to take over the management of the pests. They were showed how to enhance the populations of the coccinellids and the birds that were the key predators. ‘Citizen Scientists’ led this process. Non- and quasi-governmental organizations took over the extension process. They were provided with ongoing personal and technical support, for instance, the provision of definitive facts about the high levels of insecticide resistance, encouraging cultural control techniques, and of exploiting natural enemies, including entomopathogens. The involvement of the ICRISAT team later extended into the groundnut fields of South East Asia.

What has been the role of politics within and around the community telecentres (TCs)? The background is the depoliticized international discourse that has accompanied ICT4D policies. The focus is on multi-purpose TCs run by non-governmental organizations, equipped with computers and internet connectivity, tasked to implement public ICT-to-the-poor policies. Specifically, the article discusses the differences of technical-social functionality of such TCs within the same country and policy context. The assumption is that empowerment, particularly of the local operating organization and its personnel, is a key factor. The strategy is to combine stakeholder and power analysis to assess the extent of empowerment by exploring a multi-dimensional framework for understanding power relations. Four TCs in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, were studied over a two-year period of repeated visits of intensive fieldwork of participatory observation and interviews. The research found that big differences existed between the TCs in terms of empowerment. Changes in power relations are necessary, although not sufficient, conditions for a community TC to function in the way desired. Moreover, three stages of empowerment are suggested, highlighting the Operating Organization, the TC manager/staff and the TC users, respectively. The article concludes by reflecting on the analytical-theoretical framework for power relations.

Organic and fair trade campaigns bring water sustainability onto public agendas, such as for example in the cotton/textile sector. Armedangels, a German company, advertises its t-shirts by arguing that their production requires only 1/10th of the water required in conventional production. This article studies the ambitions of such corporate agenda-setters. Methodologically, we develop a framework that contains six criteria and nine indicators, which allow us to code and assess the certification standards. In addition, we conducted semi-structured interviews, group discussions, and participatory observations in order to better understand whose agendas certification is promulgating. The criteria encompass the social and environmental dimensions of water sustainability. Our cases include Naturland (a private organic standard), the European Union (EU) Organic Regulation (a public organic standard), the Fairtrade Labeling Organization (FLO) (a fair trade initiative), and the Fair for Life (FFL) standard (an organic and fair trade standard). Our study also looks at the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) and Cotton made in Africa (CmiA), which are two multi-stakeholder initiatives that operate on the conventional market in cooperation with non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The findings demonstrate that organic and fair trade companies rightly present themselves as water policy entrepreneurs. However, crucial aspects of water sustainability remain hidden. In particular, there is a cleavage between the environmental agendas of organic movements and NGOs that are represented in certification and the urgent social water problems in the Global South.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy is associated with maternal and infant health. However, in South Africa, where 20% to 35% of pregnant women report experiencing IPV, antenatal care rarely addresses violence. Little research has explored how clinic staff, community members, or pregnant women themselves view IPV. We conducted formative, qualitative research with 48 participants in urban Johannesburg. Focus group discussions with pregnant women ( n = 13) alongside qualitative interviews with health providers ( n = 10), managers and researchers ( n = 10), non-governmental organizations ( n = 6), community leaders ( n = 4), and pregnant abused women ( n = 5) explored the context of IPV and health care response. Data were analyzed using a team approach to thematic coding in NVivo 10. We found that pregnant women in the urban Johannesburg setting experience multiple forms of IPV, but tend not to disclose violence to antenatal care providers. Providers are alert to physical injuries or severe outcomes from IPV, but miss subtler cues, such as emotional distress or signs of poor mental health. Providers are uncertain how to respond to IPV, and noted few existing tools, training, or referral systems. Nevertheless, providers were supportive of addressing IPV, as they noted this as a common condition in this setting. Providers and managers considered the safety and well-being of mother and infant to be a strong rationale for the identification of IPV. Pregnant women were receptive to being asked about violence in a kind and confidential way. Understaffing, insufficient training, and poorly developed referral systems were noted as important health system problems to address in future interventions. South African patients and providers are receptive to the identification of and response to IPV in antenatal care, but require tools and training to be able to safely address violence in the health care setting. Future interventions should consider the urban South African antenatal clinic a supportive, if under-resourced, entry point for improving the health of pregnant women experiencing violence.

Field-based research programs offer students a singular opportunity to understand that today there are no simple scientific, economic or socio-political answers to the complex questions facing governments, communities, and local organizations. Through their research, students can gain a first-hand appreciation that decision making in the real world is a mix of all these disciplines, and that they have a vital role to play in participating in this process. According to the most recent Open Doors report (2006), issued by the Institute of International Education, about 206,000 US students studied abroad in 2004/5. While about 55% studied in Europe, an increasing number studied in other host countries around the world. Social science and physical science students comprised about 30% of all US study abroad students in this period. While study abroad programs encompassing a field research component are still in the minority, an increasing number of home institutions and field-based providers are supporting and conducting these types of programs. As the student papers in this Special Issue of Frontiers demonstrate, there is high quality work being produced by undergraduates in settings as diverse as France, Thailand, Kenya, South Africa and Mali. For these students this opportunity was likely a new experience, involving living and studying in international settings; dealing with language and culture differences; matriculating in programs operated by host country universities, independent program providers, or their home institution’s international program; and learning how to conduct research that meets professional standards. Much has been written and discussed regarding pre-departure orientation of US students studying abroad, along with studies and evaluations of the study abroad experience. Less discussion and research has focused on the experiences of the on-site faculty and staff who host students and incorporate field-based research into their courses and programs. These courses and programs involving student research include the following types: • International university-based research, in which the student conducts research on a topic as part of a course or term paper; • Independent field-based research, in which the student identifies a topic, organizes the project, and conducts the field work, analysis, write-up, etc. for an overall grade; • Collective field-based research, in which students, working under the guidance of a professor (either US or international), conduct a research project as part of a US-based course, or complementary to the professor’s research focus; • Client-focused, directed, field-based research in which the research conducted is in response to, or in collaboration with, a specific client ranging from an NGO, to a corporation, to an indigenous community, or a governmental agency. The purpose of this article is to describe some of the issues and challenges that on-site faculty and staff encounter in preparing and supporting US undergraduate students to conduct formal research projects in international settings in order to maximize their success and the quality of their research. The perspectives described below have been gathered through informal surveys with a range of international program faculty and staff; discussions with program managers and faculty; and through our own experience at The School for Field Studies (SFS), with its formal directed research model. The survey sought responses in the following areas, among others: preparing students to conduct successfully their field-based research in a different socio-cultural environment; the skill building needs of students; patterns of personal, cultural, and/or technical challenges that must be addressed to complete the process successfully; and, misconceptions that students have about field-based research. Student Preparation Students work either individually or in groups to conduct their research, depending on the program. In either case on-site faculty and staff focus immediately on training students on issues ranging from personal safety and risk management, to cultural understanding, language training, and appropriate behavior. In programs involving group work, faculty and staff have learned that good teamwork dynamics cannot be taken for granted. They work actively with students in helping them understand the ebb and flow of groups, the mutual respect which must be extended, and the active participation that each member must contribute. As one on-site director indicates, “Students make their experience what it is through their behavior. We talk a lot about respecting each other as individuals and working together to make the project a great experience.” Cultural and sensitivity training are a major part of these field-based programs. It is critical that students learn and appreciate the social and cultural context in which they will conduct their research. As another on-site director states, “It is most important that the students understand the context in which the research is happening. They need to know the values and basic cultural aspects around the project they will be working on. It is not simply doing ‘good science.’ It requires understanding the context so the science research reaches its goal.” On-site faculty and staff also stress the importance of not only understanding cultural dynamics, but also acting appropriately and sensitively relative to community norms and expectations. Language training is also a component of many of these programs. As a faculty member comments, “Students usually need help negotiating a different culture and a new language. We try to help the students understand that they need to identify appropriate solutions for the culture they are in, and that can be very difficult at times.” Skill Building Training students on the technical aspects of conducting field-based research is the largest challenge facing most on-site faculty and staff, who are often struck by the following: • A high percentage of students come to these programs with a lack of knowledge of statistics and methods. They’ve either had very little training in statistics, or they find that real world conditions complicate their data. According to one faculty member, “Statistics are a big struggle for most students. Some have done a class, but when they come to work with real data it is seldom as black and white as a text book example and that leads to interpretation issues and lack of confidence in their data. They learn that ecology (for example) is often not clear, but that is OK.” • Both physical and social science students need basic training in scientific methodology in order to undertake their projects. Even among science majors there is a significant lack of knowledge of how to design, manage and conduct a research project. As a program director states, “Many students begin by thinking that field research is comprised only of data collection. We intensively train students to understand that good research is a process that begins with conceptualization of issues, moves into review of relevant literature, structures a research hypothesis, determines indicators and measurements, creates the research design, collects data, undertakes analysis and inference. This is followed by write-up in standard scientific format for peer review and input. This leads to refining earlier hypotheses, raising new questions and initiating further research to address new questions.” Consistently, on-site faculty have indicated that helping students understand and appreciate this cycle is a major teaching challenge, but one that is critical to their education and the success of their various field research projects. • The uncertainty and ambiguity that are often present in field research creates challenges for many students who are used to seeking ‘the answer in the book.’ On-site faculty help students understand that science is a process in which field-based research is often non-linear and prone to interruption by natural and political events. It is a strong lesson for students when research subjects, be they animal or human, don’t cooperate by failing to appear on time, or at all, and when they do appear they may have their own agendas. Finally, when working with human communities, student researchers need to understand that their research results and recommendations are not likely to result in immediate action. Program faculty help them to understand that the real world includes politics, conflicting attitudes, regulatory issues, funding issues, and other community priorities. • Both physical and social science students demonstrate a consistent lack of skill in technical and evidence-based writing. For many this type of writing is completely new and is a definite learning experience. As a faculty member states, “Some students find the report writing process very challenging. We want them to do well, but we don’t want to effectively write their paper for them.” Challenges The preceding points address some of the technical work that on-site faculty conduct with students. Faculty also witness and experience the ‘emotional’ side of field-based research being conducted by their students. This includes what one faculty member calls “a research-oriented motivation” — the need for students to develop a strong, energized commitment to overcome all the challenges necessary to get the project done. As another professor indicates, “At the front end the students don’t realize how much effort they will have to expend because they usually have no experience with this sort of work before they do their project.” Related to this is the need for students to learn that flexibility in the research process does not justify a sloppy or casual approach. It does mean a recognition that human, political, and meteorological factors may intervene, requiring the ability to adapt to changed conditions. The goal is to get the research done. The exact mechanics for doing so will emerge as the project goes on. “Frustration tolerance” is critical in conducting this type of work. Students have the opportunity to learn that certain projects need to incorporate a substantial window of time while a lengthy ethics approval and permit review system is conducted by various governmental agencies. Students learn that bureaucracies move at their own pace, and for reasons that may not be obvious. Finally, personal challenges to students may include being uncomfortable in the field (wet, hot, covered in scrub itch) or feeling over-tired. As a faculty member states, “Many have difficulty adjusting to the early mornings my projects usually involve.” These issues represent a range of challenges that field-based research faculty and staff encounter in working with undergraduate students in designing and conducting their research projects around the world. In my own experience with SFS field-based staff, and in discussions with a wide variety of others who work and teach on-site, I am consistently impressed by the dedication, energy and commitment of these men and women to train, support and mentor students to succeed. As an on-site director summarizes, essentially speaking for all, “Fortunately, most of the students attending our program are very enthusiastic learners, take their limitations positively, and hence put tremendous effort into acquiring the required skills to conduct quality research.” Summary/Conclusions Those international program faculty and staff who have had years of experience in dealing with and teaching US undergraduates are surprised that the US educational system has not better prepared students on subjects including statistics, scientific report formatting and composition, and research methodologies. They find that they need to address these topics on an intensive basis in order for a substantial number of students to then conduct their research work successfully. Having said this, on-site faculty and staff are generally impressed by the energy and commitment that most students put into learning the technical requirements of a research project and carrying it out to the best of their abilities. Having students conduct real field-based research, and grading these efforts, is a very concrete method of determining the seriousness with which a student has participated in their study abroad program. Encouraging field-based research is good for students and good for study abroad because it has the potential of producing measurable products based on very tangible efforts. In a number of instances students have utilized their field research as the basis for developing their senior thesis or honors project back on their home campus. Successful field research has also formed the basis of Fulbright or Watson proposals, in addition to other fellowships and graduate study projects. An increasing number of students are also utilizing their field research, often in collaboration with their on-site program faculty, to create professional conference presentations and posters. Some of these field-based research models also produce benefits for incountry clients, including NGOs, corporations and community stakeholders. In addition to providing the data, analyses, technical information, and recommendations that these groups might not otherwise be able to afford, it is a concrete mechanism for the student and her/his study abroad program faculty and staff to ‘give back’ to local stakeholders and clients. It changes the dynamic from the student solely asking questions, interviewing respondents, observing communities, to more of a mutually beneficial relationship. This is very important to students who are sensitive to this dynamic. It is also important to their program faculty and staff, and in most cases, genuinely appreciated by the local stakeholders. In essence, community identified and responsive research is an excellent mechanism for giving to a community — not just taking from it. An increasing interest in conducting field-based research on the part of US universities and their students may have the effect of expanding the international destinations to which US students travel. A student’s sociological, anthropological, or environmental interest and their desire to conduct field research in that academic discipline, for example, may help stretch the parameters of the student’s comfort level to study in more exotic (non-traditional) locales. Skill building in preparing for and conducting field-based research is an invaluable experience for the student’s future academic and professional career. It is a fairly common experience for these students to indicate that with all the classroom learning they have done, their study abroad experience wherein they got their hands dirty, their comfort level stretched, their assumptions tested, and their work ethic challenged, provided them with an invaluable and life changing experience. Conducting field-based research in an international setting provides real world experience, as the student papers in this edition of Frontiers attest. It also brings what may have only been academic subjects, like statistics, and research design and methodology, to life in a real-conditions context. On a related note, conducting real field-based work includes the requirement to endure field conditions, remote locations, bad weather, personal discomforts, technological and mechanical breakdowns, and sometimes dangerous situations. Field research is hard work if it is done rigorously. In addition, field work often includes non-cooperating subjects that defy prediction, and may confound a neat research hypothesis. For a student considering a profession which requires a serious commitment to social or physical science field work this study abroad experience is invaluable. It clarifies for the student what is really involved, and it is helpful to the student in assessing their future career focus, as they ask the critical question — would I really want to do this as a fulltime career? US education needs to bridge better the gap between the physical and social sciences. Students are done a disservice with the silo-type education that has been so prevalent in US education. In the real world there are no strictly scientific, economic, or sociological solutions to complex, vexing problems facing the global community. Going forward there needs to be interdisciplinary approaches to these issues by decision makers at all levels. We need to train our students to comprehend that while they may not be an ecologist, or an economist, or a sociologist, they need to understand and appreciate that all these perspectives are important and must be considered in effective decision-making processes. In conclusion, education abroad programs involving serious field-based research are not a distraction or diversion from the prescribed course of study at US home institutions; rather, they are, if done well, capable of providing real, tangible skills and experience that students lack, in spite of their years of schooling. This is the reward that is most meaningful to the international program faculty and staff who teach, mentor and support US students in conducting their field-based research activities. As an Australian on-site program director stated, “there are relatively few students who are adequately skilled in these (field research) areas when they come to our program. Most need a lot of instruction and assistance to complete their research projects, but that of course is part of what we’re all about — helping students acquire or improve these critical skills.” This is the real service that these programs and on-site faculty and staff offer to US undergraduates. Paul Houlihan, President The School for Field Studies

The level of illiteracy in South Africa, especially in rural areas, is considered high. Reading clubs are one of the major tools used for improving literacy levels in rural areas. This qualitative study explored the sustainability of reading clubs in rural settings in Limpopo Province, South Africa, with a view to promoting reading. Qualitative data were collected through telephone interviews from five Re-atlegile Book Club members in Dikgale Village of Limpopo Province. Responses were thematically transcribed to obtain an indication of ways in which the reading club is sustained to promote the culture of reading in rural areas. It was found that, despite the large number of learners registered for the book club, there is a lack of reading materials and reading spaces to cater for all children. The participants indicated that they relied extensively on materials received from Nal’ibali, a national reading campaign of the University of Limpopo targeting children and lecturers. It is argued that sustaining book clubs in rural areas requires support from non-governmental organisations (NGOs), but most importantly, from the Department of Arts and Culture (DAC), as it is mandated to provide information services. This study recommends that the DAC, as well as the National Library of South Africa (NLSA), should support book clubs to ensure their sustainability. This could be achieved through book donations, the creation of reading spaces in public libraries, and obtaining funds from outside sources to purchase reading materials for book clubs.

The first Commonwealth Africa Human Rights Conference (CAHRC) took place in Harare, Zimbabwe between 11–14 October 1991 and immediately preceded the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). Organized by three local non-governmental organizations, it brought together participants from 14 Commonwealth African nations together with South Africa. NGOs represented included the African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies (The Gambia); Kituo Cha Sheria (Kenya); the Civil Liberties Organization (Nigeria); the Legal Assistance Centre (Namibia); the Legal Resources Centre (South Africa); Uganda Human Rights Activists; and Women in Law and Development in Africa (Mauritius and Tanzania). The conference was informed that one Nigerian participant, Femi Falana, the President of the National Association of Democratic Lawyers, was prevented by his government from leaving Nigeria. Participants unanimously condemned this action and a communication to this effect was sent to the Nigerian Head of State who was attending CHOGM.

AbstractOver the last 20 years, developing countries have witnessed the increased role of non-governmental actors such as health industry associations and umbrella organizations in the diffusion and governance of health innovation. Utilizing extensive interviews with actors in the Indian and South African health industries, this paper argues that, in a context of emerging pluralism – i.e., a dynamic context of bargaining between competing (public and private) interests and values – these associations constitute public actors that play dual roles in the politics of innovation and development. Specifically, not only do they engage downstream by diffusing knowledge to their respective health innovation systems in order to achieve common objectives, they also engage upstream with their governments to co-develop policies and regulations. This dual role of health industry associations and umbrella organizations makes them less neutral politically but more effective institutionally, and their innovative and political role should be seriously taken into account in the healthcare sector.

Background: Visual impairment and blindness are major health problems worldwide, especially in the rural and remote areas of developing countries. Utilisation of eye care services is essential to reduce the burden of visual impairment and blindness, and it is therefore important that it is monitored.Objectives: The objectives of this study were to determine the level of utilisation of public eye care services and factors that might have influenced their usage in rural communities, Capricorn district, Limpopo Province, South Africa.Method: A population-based cross-sectional study design was used. Participants were residents in selected rural villages located within approximately 5 km of six Government hospitals. Following ethical approval and receipt of informed consent, a questionnaire with closed and open-ended questions was used to collect information on the utilisation of eye care services and factors that might influence utilisation. Descriptive statistics and Pearson’s Chisquare test were used to analyse and compare the data.Results: Many (62.7%) of the respondents had used the government eye care services in the past. Over fifty-nine per cent (59.3%) of them were satisfied with the services. Factors reported to influence utilisation (such as monthly income, knowledge of available services and the need for regular eye tests) were positively associated with utilisation of eye care services in this study (p < 0.05).Conclusion: Utilisation of eye care services was relatively good, but varied significantly between sites. An awareness campaign by government and non-governmental organisations about eye care services may increase utilisation amongst rural communities.

Background: High prevalence of HIV infection has been reported among commercial farm workers in South Africa, but studies of the role of transactional sex in this epidemic is limited. Objective: This study seeks to examine the association between transactional sex and HIV infection among commercial farm workers in South Africa. Methods: This is a cross-sectional secondary data analysis of the Integrated Biological and Behavioural Surveillance Survey by the International Organization of Migration among farm workers in Mpumalanga and Limpopo Provinces, South Africa in 2010. The study included 2,758 sexually active farm workers. The outcome variable was HIV infection while the main explanatory variable was engagement in transactional sex. Other explanatory variables were sex, age, marital status, number of sex partners, food security, recent history of sexually transmitted infection, condom use at last sex with non-regular partner, history of sexual violence and migration status. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were done to obtain unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios of the association between transactional sex and HIV infection. Results: Engagement in transactional sex was common (19%) but not significantly associated with HIV infection (OR 1.1; CI 0.57-2.44). Female sex (1.93; 1.60-2.32), age 25 to 44 years, recent STI (OR 1.37; CI 1.18-1.58) and sexual violence (OR 1.39; CI 1.19-1.63) were significant risk factors for HIV infection. Conclusion: Risky sexual behaviours were common among the farmworker population. HIV prevention interventions should include behavioural change communication and improved access to healthcare for STI and HIV treatment.

Background: Underweight in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected people on antiretroviral therapy (ART) complicates the management of HIV infection and contributes to mortality, whereas overweight increases the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).Aim: The study determined weight status and associated factors in people with HIV infection receiving ART.Setting: Rural primary health care clinics in Dikgale, Limpopo province, South Africa.Methods: A cross-sectional study in which data were collected using the World Health Organization (WHO) stepwise approach to surveillance (STEPS) questionnaire and calculated using WHO analysis programmes guide. Weight and height were measured using standard WHO procedures, and body mass index was calculated as weight (kg)/height (m2). Data on ART duration were extracted from patients’ files. CD4 lymphocyte counts and viral load were determined using standard laboratory techniques.Results: Of the 214 participants, 8.9%, 54.7% and 36.4% were underweight, normal weight and overweight, respectively. Physical activity (OR: 0.99, p = 0.001) and male gender (OR: 0.29, p = 0.04) were negatively associated with overweight. Men who used tobacco were more likely to be underweight than non-tobacco users (OR: 10.87, p = 0.02). Neither ART duration nor viral load or CD4 count was independently associated with underweight or overweight in multivariate analysis.Conclusion: A high proportion of people on ART were overweight and a smaller proportion underweight. There is a need to simultaneously address the two extreme weight problems in this vulnerable population through educating them on benefits of avoiding tobacco, engaging in physical activity and raising awareness of CVD risk.

Collaborative leadership in skills development is fundamental for the success of Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) and state education institutions like Sector Education Training Authorities (SETAs) in promoting sustainable livelihoods and social wellbeing in communities. The purpose of this research was to find out how Nongovernmental Organizations and state education leaders collaborate in building skills, what challenges hamper collaboration and what should be done to improve collaboration. The qualitative research approach was used in this study and nine participants from five organizations were purposely selected and interviewed. The major findings indicated the existence of inadequate collaborative practices between NGOs and educational leaders, exacerbated by recurrent major challenges like disunity or fragmentation amongst NGOs, over dependence on external funding and weak capacity which hampered their sustainability as partners as well as skills developers. This study has not only re-emphasised the need for effective collaborative leadership between NGOs and educational leaders in South Africa, it has also provided suggestions to their numerous challenges.

David Kilcullen is a leading expert on counter-insurgency policy. He served twenty-four years as a soldier, diplomat, and policy advisor for the Australian and United States governments. He was Special Advisor to the US Secretary of State in 2007–2009 and Senior Advisor to General David Petraeus in Iraq in 2007. He has provided advice at the highest levels of the Bush and Obama administrations, and has worked in peace and stability operations, humanitarian relief, and counter-insurgency environments in the Asia-Pacific region, Middle East, South Asia, and Africa. He is a well-known author, teacher, and consultant, advising the US and allied governments, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector. His best-selling books The Accidental Guerrilla and Counterinsurgency are used worldwide by civilian government officials, policymakers, and military and development professionals working in unstable and insecure environments. Mr Kilcullen holds a PhD from the University of New South Wales. He is the founder and CEO of the consultancy firm Caerus Associates.

Achim Steiner is United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Effective as of 1 March 2009, Mr Steiner was also appointed Director-General of the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON). Before joining UNEP, he served as Director-General of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) from 2001 to 2006. His professional career has included assignments with governmental, non-governmental, and international organizations in various parts of the world. In Washington, where he had previously been Senior Policy Advisor of IUCN's Global Policy Unit, he spearheaded the development of new partnerships between the environmental community, the World Bank, and the United Nations system. In South-East Asia he worked as Chief Technical Advisor on a programme for sustainable management of Mekong River watersheds and community-based natural resources management. In 1998 he was appointed Secretary-General of the World Commission on Dams, based in South Africa, where he directed a worldwide programme of work to bring together the public sector, civil society, and the private sector in a global policy-making process on dams and development.

Abstract This article reflects on the Marikana massacre of August 2012, subsequent violent strikes and responses by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as a case study, and provides an analysis about whether these interventions bring transformative change or maintain the status quo in times of crisis. Events associated with Marikana are seen to be embedded in social structures of the time and part of deeper frictions and fractures of social transformation. The role that NGOs might play in this context must be interrogated as to their facilitation or hinderance of such social transformation. Interviews were conducted with representatives of NGOs intervening in Marikana that provided services of humanitarian assistance, and legal and psychosocial interventions and with mine workers and residents of Marikana about their experiences and views of these services. Findings from the study are illustrative of how NGOs were not primarily motivated to bring about lasting, transformative change but rather attempted to address immediate or short-term needs which, while important, did not account for underlying causes of the crises that they set out to address. Both ideological underpinnings of NGOs and structural conditions produced by state and capital impact on outcomes of interventions. Given these limitations, it is argued that there is a need for deep critical interrogation through praxis, for NGOs to intervene differently in times of crisis to bring ‘real’ change and transformation in the lives of those who are marginalized.

There are many visually impaired people all over the world including South Africa, unfortunately, vision rehabilitation services are lacking in many countries. Currently in South Africa, low vision care is offered by a few private optometric practitioners, optometric institutions and non-governmental organizations. Although most of the major Government hospitals in the country provide ophthalmological services to patients, only a few of these provide optometric services and none provides low vision care services yet. There is therefore, a great need to increase vision rehabilitation services in the country. There are plans to introduce optometry sections into government hospitals in every Province of South Africa and these plans include introduction of low vision care as part of the optometric services. There is, therefore a need for information on how to introduce low vision care services into existing optometry facilities in the Government hospitals and those that may be established in the future. The purpose of the article is to discuss how low vision services can be introduced into public eye care facilities. Issues relating to rehabilitation of visually impaired patients, low vision care, infrastructure, equipment, low vision devices and human resources are discussed in this paper. To justify the facility needs, basic information on assessment procedure of low vision patients is included. Also, names and contact details of a few companies supplying low vision devices in South Africa are provided. The contents of this article will be useful to health care managers in the government hospitals; especially those in charge of the optometry services as well as the optometrists who may wish to work in the low vision care sections in Government hospitals.

Background: Parents of children with disabilities have faced difficulties in looking after their children, be it socially, economically and financially. Parents in rural areas are mainly left with a huge burden, as there is a lack of services and support from both the state and non-governmental organisations. Parents in Sekhukhune district, a rural area in Limpopo province of South Africa, face challenges in raising their disabled children related to lack of resources and lack of services at their disposal.Objectives: This study focuses on the experiences and life circumstances faced by parents of children living with different types of disabilities at Lehlaba Protective Workshop in Sekhukhune district of Limpopo province, South Africa.Method: The study consisted of 14 participants who are parents of children living with disabilities. An interview guide with a set of questions was utilised to gather data. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data and themes that emerged were grouped together.Results: Themes that emerged from the data showed that most of the participants had varying understandings on the causes of disabilities to their children. The participants also were of the view that a ‘cure’ for disability was available medically, spiritually or through traditional African medicine. The study also brought the notion of absent fathers, as most men do not want to be associated with children who are disabled. Stigmatisation of the parents was also a theme that the study revealed. The parents are subjected to name labelling as they are viewed to be practising witchcraft or to be paying for their sins they committed.Conclusion: Parents of children with disabilities are in their own battle in raising their children. There is a lack of support structures available for parents of children living with disabilities. There is a lack of legislation available for protecting and promoting the rights of children with disabilities. The researchers concluded that raising a child with a disability is expensive, time-consuming and straining.

Abstract South Africa has a long history of community health workers (CHWs). It has been a journey that has required balancing constrained resources and competing priorities. CHWs form a bridge between communities and healthcare service provision within health facilities and act as the cornerstone of South Africa’s Ward-Based Primary Healthcare Outreach Teams. This study aimed to document the CHW policy implementation landscape across six provinces in South Africa and explore the reasons for local adaptation of CHW models and to identify potential barriers and facilitators to implementation of the revised framework to help guide and inform future planning. We conducted a qualitative study among a sample of Department of Health Managers at the National, Provincial and District level, healthcare providers, implementing partners [including non-governmental organizations (NGOs) who worked with CHWs] and CHWs themselves. Data were collected between April 2018 and December 2018. We conducted 65 in-depth interviews (IDIs) with healthcare providers, managers and experts familiar with CHW work and nine focus group discussions (FGDs) with 101 CHWs. We present (i) current models of CHW policy implementation across South Africa, (ii) facilitators, (iii) barriers to CHW programme implementation and (iv) respondents’ recommendations on how the CHW programme can be improved. We chronicled the differences in NGO involvement, the common facilitators of purpose and passion in the CHWs’ work and the multitude of barriers and resource limitations CHWs must work under. We found that models of implementation vary greatly and that adaptability is an important aspect of successful implementation under resource constraints. Our findings largely aligned to existing research but included an evaluation of districts/provinces that had not previously been explored together. CHWs continue to promote health and link their communities to healthcare facilities, in spite of lack of permanent employment, limited resources, such as uniforms, and low wages.

AbstractThe novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was first reported in Sudan on 13 March 2020. Since then, Sudan has experienced one of the highest rates of COVID-19 spread and fatalities in Africa. One year later, as per 22 March 2021, Sudan had registered 29,661 confirmed cases and 2,028 deaths with a case fatality rate (CFR) of 6.8 %. By 12 December 2020, of the 18 states in Sudan, South Kordofan had the fifth highest CFR of 17.4 %, only surpassed by the other conflict affected North (57.5 %), Central (50.0 %) and East (31.8 %) Darfur States. By late March 2021, just three months from December 2020, the number of cases in South Kordofan increased by 100 %, but with a significant decline in the CFR from 17.4 to 8.5 %. South Kordofan is home to over 200,000 poor and displaced people from years of destructive civil unrests. To date, several localities such as the Nubba mountains region remain under rebel control and are not accessible. South Kordofan State Ministry of Health in collaboration with the federal government and non-governmental organizations set up four isolation centres with 40 total bed capacity, but with only two mechanical ventilators and no testing centre. There is still need for further multi-sectoral coalition and equitable allocation of resources to strengthen the health systems of rural and conflict affected regions. This article aims at providing insight into the current state of COVID-19 in South Kordofan amidst the second wave to address the dearth of COVID-19 information in rural and conflict affected regions.

In November 2018, South Africa published the first National Status Report on Biological Invasions and Their Management (SANBI and CIB 2018). This report represents a milestone for the Republic of South Africa and the world since it is believed to be the first comprehensive national-scale assessment for biological invasions. Moreover, the report is a formal mechanism to increase the connectivity between research, policy, and implementation, and it will be followed by assessments every three years. Data used in the report originated from a range of data sources, including formal and grey data repositories, atlas data, published scientific papers, theses, inputs from experts and practitioners, and management records from government agencies and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). Several important data gaps were identified during data collection and analysis. These data gaps are largely due to a lack of a central data repository, inconsistent species checklists, data transparency, and data interoperability (due in part to a lack of consistent definitions, taxonomic classification, and use of varying data standards). To address these data gaps, the team identified several forms of databases and requested access to the data. The data received required that the team perform a preliminary validation for metadata and data completeness. Parallel to the process of sourcing and validating the data, the team compiled three comprehensive national alien and invasive species checklists, which were then verified and validated by taxonomists. These processes were followed by adopting and developing metrics to prepare data for analyses. The team identified, notwithstanding the numerous data classification schemes available, A Proposed Unified Framework for Biological Invasions (Blackburn et al. 2011), and the Environmental Impact Classification for Alien Taxa (EICAT) Scheme (Hawkins et al. 2015). These two classifications were used to assess the status of species introduction and impact, respectively. Other metrics that were developed include the confidence level metrics to assign the validated data to the indicators and criteria for reviewing area-based invasive species management plans. Finally, the data were used to assess four aspects of the report: pathways of introduction; status of alien species; status of invaded areas; and effectiveness of control measures and regulations. A total of 21 indicators were developed to assess the status of these aspects. In addition, four high-level indicators (one for each aspect) were developed for use in the national suite of environmental indicators on which the Department of Environmental Affairs reports on a regular basis. The next steps include communicating and interpreting the indicators as part of the final report; developing monitoring and reporting systems in an attempt to fill the data gaps; testing and refining the indicators with stakeholders; continuously validating and verifying the alien and invasive species checklists with a wider network of country experts; and building simulation models to assess the inter-relationship and value of indicators.

The BRICS Forum, an independent international organization encouraging commercial, political, and cultural cooperation between Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, was formed in 2011, and these countries have a significant influence on their regional affairs. These nations were hit by COVID-19 at different times, and all adopted home quarantine to reduce the spread of the virus. We present a comparative analysis of actions of psychology and potential outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic in BRICS nations regarding five aspects: psychology in health policies, social roles of psychology, socioeconomic context, actions for the general population, and health professionals during stage 1 of the pandemic, and possible actions in stage 2. Various types of actions were taken by psychologists in BRICS, with different levels of coordinated cooperation with respective governmental and non-governmental organizations, multiple and parallel efforts from different scientific societies, and professional regulatory agencies. Scientific societies have had an important role in coordinating some of these efforts, especially because they congregate the psychologists from different parts of these countries, improving communication and access to key information. The aim of these actions varies from improving situational skills and competences to increase the accessibility of psychological services and provide psychoeducation and telepsychology. We will consider the social importance of these actions within these countries as a global opportunity for psychology to stage in a complex context involving human health. The way psychology in BRICS will face this challenging situation is likely to produce important regional influence, stimulate scientific contribution, and increase the accessibility of psychology.

The Free State and Northern Cape make up some 40% of the land area of South Africa, while being home to only 10% of the total population. Haematology and Oncotherapy outreach clinics were established in Kimberley, Bethlehem and Welkom to provide a more accessible service to the thinly spread population. A previous study showed these clinics to be cost-effective, but we had no idea how the patients experience them. Our aim was to obtain information about the demographics of the patients, the logistical support of the clinics, the medical needs of the patients and how they experience the clinics. This can help us to improve the service. A questionnaire was tested in a pilot study. The demographic questions covered age, sex and ethnicity. The logistical questions dealt with distance travelled to the clinic, mode of transport, length of time as a patient and cost. The medical need questions dealt with type of disease, treatment received, type of doctor seen and origin of referral. The questions about experience covered satisfaction with the service, staff, waiting times and involvement of non-governmental organizations. Of the 95 patients interviewed 42% were from the haematology clinics. The mean age was 59.5 and the male: female ratio was 0.6:1. Forty-six percent of the patients spoke Afrikaans and 31 % spoke South Sotho. The black:white ratio was 1:1. Twenty-eight percent used the government ambulances (of whom 80% were satisfied) and 56% used their own cars. The median payment at a clinic was R20 (R0 to R200). Only 19% of patients were paying privately. Ninety-five percent of the patients were follow-ups, with the median length of follow-up being 24 months (1 to 468). The patients were mainly referred by local hospitals. Twentytwo percent of the patients had chronic haematological malignancies, while 68% had solid tumours. Thirty-seven percent of the patients received drugs to take home and only 6% got intravenous chemotherapy. Consultants saw 44% of the patients. The median waiting time to be seen was 1.5 hours (0 to 5). Consultation time averaged 10 minutes and most patients were satisfied with this. Despite the study’s small size the system of outreach clinics seems to be delivering a satisfactory service. Criticisms were few. However there were suggestions to create better clinic facilities and to shorten the waiting times at the clinic.