Master of Public Health - MPH / Background: The repercussions of being HIV positive coupled by the complications of antiretroviral therapy are likely to cause distress, emotional and psychological problems particularly among children infected by the virus. The limited support services for children experiencing distress intensify the urgency to address this challenge. Despite the availability of social workers and nurses' interventions currently in place, the number of children in need of psychological care continues to increase. This is particularly true at Deborah Retief Memorial (DRM) hospital, one of the main antiretroviral therapy facilities in Kgatleng district, Botswana. Method: The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the perceptions of social workers, nurses and caregivers on key factors contributing to psychological distress of HIV positive children. A descriptive, exploratory qualitative study design that employed the use of in-depth interviews was used to conduct this study. Participants included four caregivers of HIV positive children who seek antiretroviral therapy at DRM hospital Infectious Diseases Control Clinic, together with five nurses and two social workers who worked in the same clinic. Conventional content analysis was used to analyse the in-depth interview transcripts. Results: Perceived psychological stressors for HIV positive children included disclosure of HIV status, orphanhood, social problems, lifelong treatment, stigma, poor caregiver-child relationship and lack of caregiver‟s love, care and support. However the caregivers did not fully understand the psychological distress the HIV positive children were experiencing, hence were unable to recognize it in these children. The study highlighted that major challenges faced by the health-workers included lack of qualified personnel, lack of adequate knowledge and skills, and a non-conducive working environment required to effectively assist children with psychological distress. The findings also indicated the need for education and support of caregivers and HIV positive children by the educators, family and health-worker systems. Conclusion: The profile of key stressors of psychological distress, the challenges and support needs suggested by the participants in this study can provide a framework for improving the existing services for HIV positive children with psychosocial problems. This information is important for use in training nurses and social workers involved with children with psychological behaviours.

Please read the abstract in the 00front part of this document / Thesis (DPhil (Information Science))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Information Science / unrestricted

Botswana Ash (Pty) Ltd which is situated in Sua Pan, north east Bostwana, is one of Africa's largest suppliers of salt and soda ash. For a number of years, the company has been experiencing problems which have resulted in the final soda ash product being contaminated and discoloured. The problems experienced at Sua Pan have been reported also to occur in other salt works all over the world. It has been suggested that contamination in many salt works could be possibly be due to the microbial activity by halophilic algae and bacteria that grow in the solar ponds. This study was undertaken to investigate the nature of the contaminating organic compounds present in the brine, to identify the compounds, and to establish how these components vary during the various stages of the soda ash processing. For this study, two sets of brine samples were used; the first set was collected before the summer rains and the second set was collected after the summer rains. Solid bicarbonate and soda ash samples were also used. Extractions, desalting, UV and HPLC analysis and oxidative biotransformations using four enzymes, were used for developing profiles and characterizing the brine components. From these studies, we were able to confirm that the components of the brine are organic in nature. A thorough study of one of the compounds isolated,from solid bicarbonate and soda ash was conducted using UV, HPLC, IR, NMR, HPLC-MS, GC-MS and TLC. The results of these analyses, show that the. isolated compound was benzyl butyl phthalate which is generally regarded to be humic in nature. This compound was found to be present in all the brine samples collected after the summer rains including the well brine, suggesting this compound occurs naturally and is not formed during the processing.

In this investigation an attempt was firstly made to define, describe and explicate the phenomenon of HIV/AIDS providing a basis for understanding the multidimensional nature of HIV/AIDS in terms of its history, key characteristics, etiology, consequences, preventative and care strategies. Secondly, culture and cultural practices in general were investigated after which the characteristics, functions and elements of culture were studied. Hereafter, the researcher further investigated the situation of HIV/AIDS and cultural practices of the Batswana in Botswana through a literature study. The aim of the study was to establish the influence of cultural practices of the Batswana on the transmission of HIV/AIDS in Botswana. Three research questions were formulated for the study. The research questions included: (a) What are the current nature and prevalence of cultural practices of the Batswana in relation to the transmission of HIV/AIDS in Botswana? (b) To what extents do these cultural practices contribute to the spread of HIV/AIDS? (c) What can be done to prevent the problem of HIV/AIDS in relation with cultural practices of Batswana people in Botswana? The selected research approach for the study was the combined quantitative- qualitative approach and the type of research, was identified as applied research. An exploratory research design was selected to reach the objectives of the study, namely: (a) To conduct the investigation within a theoretical based framework by undertaking a literature review on HIV/AIDS as a social phenomena, culture and cultural practices in general and the culture of the Batswana specifically. (b) To explore through an empirical study, the nature and prevalence of cultural practices of Batswana in relation to the transmission of HIV/AIDS in Botswana (c) To provide conclusions regarding the cultural practices of the Batswana in relation to the transmission of HIV/AIDS in Botswana. (d) To make recommendations for culturally appropriate behaviour-change strategies for Batswana in Botswana in an attempt to decrease the spread of HIV/AIDS. Qualitative data through focus group discussions (22 females and 26 males) was collected. The sample thus included 48 respondents. The empirical research findings confirmed that it is acceptable in Botswana that men can have multiple relationships even after marriage. This includes polygamy, which is still part of the Batswana culture. Children are very important therefore the use of condoms is unacceptable. Prevention strategies do not take cultural practices into consideration. The empirical findings based on quantitative data collected through a structured interview schedule with 66 respondents revealed that the two statements: (a) “ A man is like a bull and should not be confined to one pasture” and (b) “Men are the only persons who can go to the cattle post and this puts women in subordinate positions” are part of the Batswana culture. These behaviours contribute to the spread of HIV. Alcohol consumption is also a contributory factor to the transmission of HIV. The family should take responsibility in educating the children about HIV/AIDS. The aim of the study and study objectives were achieved and a detailed presentation of recommendations are included in this research report. / Thesis (DPhil (Social Work))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Social Work / unrestricted

Peacekeeping operations were started by the United Nations following the collapse of the collective security system which was hinged on the cooperation of the major powers as proposed in the United Nations Charter. The United Nations Charter however does not give a definition of peacekeeping, making it difficult for nation states and various agencies to delineate the limits of Peacekeeping. However, the Charter provides a comprehensive number of platforms in which different kinds of threats pertaining to international peace and security may be dealt with. In the backdrop to this, peacekeeping endeavours have over the years come to be defined as Chapter six and a half, descending between Chapter six and Chapter seven of the United Nations Charter. The Charter reveals that the purpose of the United Nations is to maintain International Peace and Security (United Nations 1985:6). As a member of the International Community and its commitment to Peace and International Security, Botswana is obliged to take part in International interventions aimed at bringing peace, security and stability to Africa and the rest of the world. To this end the government of Botswana is always ready to release and deploy peacekeepers anywhere such calls are made by regional bodies such as the UN, AU or SADC. (Muyakwabo, 2013:2). The intervention of the BDF in the Somali civil war of 1992-1994 is a classic example of Botswana’s commitment to International Peace and Security. In response to the call by UN to assist Somalis, Botswana deployed a battalion sized BDF contingent of Peacekeepers to the United Nations Operation in Somalia (UNOSOM) to help bring peace and security to the nation of Somalia. (Bachelor, Kingman and Lamb 2000:21). This research study is an exploratory investigation into the experiences of the first Botswana Defence Force Peacekeepers who were deployed in the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Somalia (UNOSOM) 1993-1995. Seventeen peacekeepers were interviewed who have participated in both UNOSOM I and UNOSOM II. A thematic analysis of the text was undertaken, in which themes emerged to document and highlight the difficulties that the peacekeepers experienced in Somalia. Narratives from the transcribed interviews were reviewed with the participants and logical analysis by the researcher provided further clarification of the data to understand the experiences of the peacekeepers. The peacekeepers’ descriptions of the situations they faced on the ground provided a new way into understanding the intricacies of traditional peacekeeping. Three fundamental themes emerged: the importance of peacekeeping education and training; the importance and need of logistical support, personal and contingent preparation; and the way forward in ensuring successful and effective peacekeeping by African armies.

Knowledge is now regarded as the most important resource surpassing other resources like land and capital. It is a foregone conclusion that knowledge flows out of organizations through various ways such as resignations, retirement and death yet, it does not seem as if organizations are employing strategies to retain such a vital component of production and service delivery. This study investigated the knowledge retention strategies in three Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) public broadcasting organizations of the South African Broadcasting Corporation in South African (SABC), the Department of Broadcasting Services (DBS) in Botswana and the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) in Zimbabwe. The aim of this study was to establish how knowledge is captured and retained at such organizations. The objectives of the study were; to find out the types of strategies the three broadcasting organizations employ to capture and retain knowledge; establish how the three broadcasting organizational cultures enable knowledge acquisition, transfer, sharing and retention; establish the role of ICTs as tools and enablers of knowledge retention, creation, transfer and sharing in the three broadcasting organizations; and to propose recommendations on the best strategies for retention of knowledge in the three public broadcasting organizations as well as suggest areas for further and future research. v The study used the survey method and employed the triangulation design for data gathering. Data were collected from three SADC public broadcasting organizations. The population sample comprised 240 professional staff including 38 managers from different sections of the broadcasting organizations. The researcher collected data by administering a questionnaire to staff, interviews with managers and observations. Documentary analysis was also conducted in order to supplement data and fill in gaps. The researcher was mainly interested in gathering data that would give a comprehensive picture about knowledge retention methods in broadcasting organizations. There were four main findings. First, knowledge management as a relatively new concept and practice has not yet been properly embraced in the public broadcasting organization system in order to capture and retain knowledge that is acquired and generated in the organizations. There are no measures put in place in the organizations to retain the knowledge to ensure that once those who hold vital tacit knowledge are gone, the knowledge may still be available and accessible. Second, the study established that the respective organizational cultures impede on organizational knowledge retention. The study established that there was no culture of knowledge sharing. It also emerged that employees were not free to share their knowledge because of government regulations, prevailing political contexts, mistrust and general lack of incentive to share knowledge. Third, the study established that the organizations have no strategies or systems in place to capture the experts‟ knowledge or the knowledge of experienced staff and vi those approaching retiring age. The Human Resources Departments hold exit interviews that cover issues purely to do with why the person is leaving the organization instead of recording the work experiences and expertise of the departing employees. Fourth, the study revealed that the public broadcasting organizations still lag behind in collaborative and communicative technologies that facilitate knowledge transfer and sharing of tacit knowledge but retention of knowledge generally. The study also found that, some of the organizations studied did not have internet connectivity and websites were not yet functional, which hampered acquisition and sharing of knowledge for retention purposes. The importance of this study is that it has made a contribution and provided literature on knowledge retention strategies for public broadcasting corporations as part of knowledge management practice. On the basis of these findings the study recommended the following: appointment of knowledge management officers, establishment of Communities of Practice, encouraging knowledge sharing between employees, introduction of joint programmes with other broadcasting organizations by managers and their supervision of mentoring programmes; organizations to facilitate acquisition of information and communication technologies that enable knowledge management

Thesis ( MPH.) -- University of Limpopo, 2015 / The purpose of the study was to find out factors associated with occupational stress among nurses working in clinics in Gaborone. The study was conducted in Gaborone district targeting all primary healthcare clinics. The specific focus was drawn to all registered nurses working in clinics in Gaborone. The objective of the study was to investigate factors associated with occupational stress among nurses working in clinics in Gaborone. A quantitative study was carried out in this study. A sample of 106 respondents was used in the study. Purposive sampling was employed to select respondents that were included in the study. Data was collected through a self-administered questionnaire which comprised of close and open ended questions. Informed consent was obtained from the participants who participated in the study. The study revealed that a higher percentage (74%) of nurses have ever experienced occupational stress. The results also revealed that females 80 percent respondents experienced stress compared to their male counterparts. The results also show that all of the respondents mentioned that they had experienced stress related to work. Respondents also mentioned that work relationship, shortage of staff, and workload contribute to stress among the nurses. On the other hand, the results of the study also found that staff welfare issues also contribute to stress among the nurses. These include lack of recognition, no personal growth, lack of support and unfriendly work environment. From the results most of the respondents indicated that there are no interventions dealing with stress in the workplace therefore the study recommends that interventions in the workplace needs to be introduced to address occupational stress among the nurse. Furthermore there is a need to create wellness programs, reduce work overload and motivate staff by promotions and other means in order to increase level of job satisfaction.

The study sought to investigate on the learning support provision for learners with visual impairment at a senior secondary school in Botswana. The objectives of the study were to describe and explain the learning support provided to the learners with visual impairment at the school and to suggest ways for improving the learning support services to the learners. The study is qualitative in nature. The target population was the school community and its stakeholders. Data was collected using document study, interviews and observation. Qualitative data analysis was employed extensively through descriptions. The research study findings established that there are a variety of learning support programmes provided to learners with visual impairment at the school to enhance their understanding of the academic material. The learning support programmes range from counselling, guidance, advisory, consultancy, assessment, physical orientation of the environment, the school curriculum, tactile orientation of graphically presented learning materials to mention but a few. However, these learning support programmes are not adequate and effective enough to help the learners perform better academically. The shortage of human and material resources especially in the recent past has negatively influenced the performance of learners with visual impairment. There are also main areas of weaknesses such as lack of adequate stakeholder consultation and involvement in the planning and implementation of special educational programmes. The study recommends that partnership between the school and its stakeholders be improved. It is also important that the entire school community and stakeholders be involved in thoughtful, carefully researched learning support programmes. Large class sizes, imbalances in resource provision, counselling services and low production rate of learning and teaching materials at the Resource Centre all need serious attention. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

In recent years a Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS)-network of more than 50 reference stations (with more on the way) have been set up extending over the whole southern African country of Botswana. This has opened up for new and improved possibilities of implementing the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) technique in surveying practice. Cadastral surveying, the demarcation and registration of plots in a land registry, in Botswana is characterised by non-uniform methods with the lack of standardised documents. Authorities in Botswana already include the GNSS technique in the cadastre process but guidelines remain to be formulated. This research aims to establish a suggestion to new guidelines for GNSS measurements in cadastral surveying in Botswana by adapting international guidelines to Botswana use. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews conducted with personnel at different surveying institutions in Botswana together with a literature study of three existing international guidelines and scientific articles concerning GNSS and cadastral surveying. The international guidelines of choice were from Sweden, Australia and the United Kingdom (UK). During the process a thorough review of challenges and potentials of introducing new guidelines were. The results show that the surveying community in Botswana is facing several challenges at the moment. The challenges was categorised within three groups. The first group named ‘challenges related to the lack of standards’ contains challenges such as the lack of unity throughout the sector and the fact that it is difficult to refer to what is right and wrong. The second group, ‘technological challenges’, contains challenges such as infrastructural faults and the shortage of modern instruments. The last group of challenges ‘institutional challenges’ describes problems associated to inadequate cooperation and resistance towards change. There are also several potentials to talk about that Botswana would be able take part of if guidelines were introduced. Among them were improved educational systems and consistency within the sector. / Under de senaste åren har ett stödsystem för satellitpositionering satts upp i ett nätverk av mer än 50 referensstationer (med fler på väg) runt om i Botswana i södra Afrika. Detta har öppnat upp för nya och förbättrade möjligheter att implementera satellitnavigation i lantmäteriutövning. Fastighetsregistrering, det vill säga utmarkering och registrering av tomter i ett register, i Botswana kännetecknas av icke-konsekventa metoder reglerade av bristfälliga riktlinjer. Myndigheter i Botswana använder redan satellitnavigation inom fastighetsregistrering men riktlinjer inom ämnet återstår att formuleras. Målet med den här uppsatsen är att etablera ett förslag till riktlinjer för tillämpningen av satellitnavigering inom fastighetsregistrering i Botswana genom att anpassa internationella riktlinjer till en Botswansk version. Data till den här undersökningen samlades in genom semistrukturerade intervjuer som hölls med personal från olika aktörer inom lantmäterisektorn i Botswana ihop med en litteraturstudie av tre redan existerande internationella riktlinjer och vetenskapliga artiklar inom satellitnavigering och fastighetsregistrering. De valda riktlinjerna kom från Sverige, Australien och Storbritannien. Under arbetets gång gjordes en utförlig redogörelse av utmaningar och potentialer som är relaterade till introduktionen av nya riktlinjer. Resultaten visade att lantmäterisektorn i Botswana står inför flera utmatningar. Dessa grupperades efter tre sorters utmaningar. Första gruppen döptes till ”utmaningar relaterade till bristen av riktlinjer” och innehöll utmaning som dålig enhetlighet inom sektorn och att det är omöjligt att referera till vad som är rätt och fel inom mätning. Andra gruppen, ”teknologiska utmaningar”, innehöll utmaningar som undermålig infrastruktur och avsaknaden av tillräckligt många moderna instrument. Sista gruppen av utmaningar ”institutionella utmaningar” beskriver problem som är associerade till bristfälligt samarbete och motstånd mot förändring. Det finns även flera potentialer att prata om som Botswana skulle kunna ta del av om riktlinjer skulle bli introducerade. Bland dessa var ett förbättrat utbildningsystem och enhetlighet inom sektorn. / Minor Field Study, SIDA

Illiteracy continues to be a major problem in developing countries. Botswana as an emerging economy with consumers of different literacy levels has no escape for this problem. This study puts the spotlight on consumer illiteracy in Botswana focusing specificallyon purchasing behaviour of functionally illiterate consumers; the problems encountered in the market place and coping strategies used when purchasing food. To elicit relevant information a quantitative research design and survey techniques using a structured questionnaire was used to gather information. Potential respondents were conveniently sampled in Gaborone and surrounding areas in Botswana (N=200) and women aged between 25 and 65 years formed the sample group. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics and inferential analysis. From the discussion and the interpretation of the results of the sample of the survey it became clear that certain elements of retailers‟ marketing mix product, price, place, promotion and processes were the most important factors that influenced younger women‟s‟food purchases. Salespeople are apparently of lesser importance to influence consumers. The results indicated that functionally illiterate consumers mainly purchased food products from supermarkets and informal traders but also patronised other retail outlets occasionally. The study further revealed that consumers are vulnerable in the market place as they encountered problems during market place navigation, specifically in terms of too much information; difficulties in computing prices reduced by percentages; crowded places, and advertisements tempting them to buy. These problems seemed to negate the use of coping strategies. The study has contributed to the limited literature on the food purchasing behaviour of functionally illiterate consumers. Retailers will gain insight on how to deal with functionally illiterate consumers in the market place and find ways of making the market place more consumer friendly. / Dissertation (MConsumer Science)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / gm2014 / Consumer Science / unrestricted