yes / In 2012 Steven Mintz argued that the history of childhood matters, since it has context-specific implications. This paper outlines the historical construction of childhood, in general, and specifically in Ghana, and presents how childhood construction impacts on children’s participation in Ghana. The paper argues that the cultural value underpinning childhood construction in the Ghanaian context - i.e. unidirectional respect from children and young people to adults at all times - has implications for children’s participation, as it limits children and young people’s willingness to participate in decision-making forums. The paper concludes that by such cultural ideology any participatory effort that includes children, young people and adults together may be counterproductive and thus likely to fail.

yes / It is argued that “individuals do not automatically become free and responsible citizens but must be educated for citizenship” (The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, 2003, cited in Leisha, 2012:55). Hence adults’ promotion of young people’s civic engagement is intended to educate young people to become active citizens. This assumes a deficit, or lack of caring by young people about issues in their country or community. However, young people’s sense of belonging and motivations to participate in civic activities are different from that of adults. This paper discusses research with young people involved in two participatory initiatives in Ghana, to examine their motivations for engaging in the projects. The study found that in addition to demonstrating that they are active citizens by engaging in the projects, the young people were also motivated by other self-interest reasons. There was however a marked gender difference in their reasons for participating in the projects. It was observed that the motivations given by the young people reflected gender stereotype of masculinity and femininity. The paper concludes that by understanding what motivates young people to engage in civic activities and other decision-making forums, participatory opportunities that emphasise young people’s interests and motivations could be created in order to sustain their participation.

Thesis advisor: Marilyn Cochran-Smith / Changes in climate are being experienced by people globally, and increasingly pushing into school science. Educators struggle to make sense of the critical thinking and agency youth will need to face such changes. To this end climate change curriculum, teaching and learning in schools has garnered significant attention in educational research in the last decade. This is particularly important given that formal education is viewed as an important canvas for building the capacity of young people. However, curriculum materials are mostly understudied and taken for granted. In addition, there is also a paucity of scholarship from the global South with respect to climate change education. To address the need for climate change education as well as inclusion of international perspectives, this dissertation presents an analysis of climate change content in select textbooks and supplementary educational materials from Bangladesh, California & Ghana, and three widely different jurisdictions. Using a cultural politics framework, I explored the following questions related to climate change content in textbooks and supplementary materials: (1) How is climate change portrayed in select official/state approved textbooks (2) How is climate change portrayed in supplementary materials? (3) What are the similarities and differences the textbooks and supplementary materials? Using a classical content analysis approach, I show that the content in all three textbooks acknowledged the contributions of human activity to climate change, for example discussing the primary role of human activity to the warming of the planet. However, there were some distinct differences when it came to discussions around the scientific consensus on climate change. While Bangladesh fully noted the scientific consensus, California presented mixed messaging and Ghana did not reference the scientific consensus at all. The textbooks from the three jurisdictions included local and global climate change impacts and policy solutions. My analysis also showed that the two supplementary materials from the United States used different frames to challenge each other’s messaging. And while Heartland Institute cast doubt on the scientific consensus, the Paleontological Research Institution embraced it. Lastly, the United Nations, as an exemplar of content intended for an international audience, was constructed similar to the textbooks in attempting to balance local and global perspectives on climate policy solutions. Importantly, I argue that textbooks and supplementary materials need to provide robust content that attends to the context-specific complexity of climate change. I discuss cultural influences on climate change education. Finally, I conclude with recommendations for the inclusion of more localized ideas on climate change impact and policies / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2022. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Teacher Education, Special Education, Curriculum and Instruction.

BACKGROUND: The child mortality is relatively high in a middle income country such as Ghana. Great achievements have been accomplished in order to reduce the under five mortality rate, likewise reach the millennium development goal to reduce child mortality. The nurses´ role to carry the capacity to face these challenges becomes a great part of their work. AIM: The aim of the study was to illuminate the experiences of nurses caring for ill children in Ghana and to gain a better understanding of the Ghanese perspective of important factors in pediatric care. METHOD: A qualitative method with semi structured interviews was performed. Five interviews were conducted with nurses at one pediatric ward in Ghana. The data was analysed using content analysis, Halldorsdottir´s theory was used as a raster throughout the paper. RESULTS: Two categories were identified and represent the results, Qualities and Strengths and Obstacles. The categories were found to be encompassed by nine subcategories, Feelings, Improvisation, Attitudes, Empowerment, Collaboration, Workload, Difficulties in the Nurse-Patient relationship, Contradictory experiences and Environmental challenges. CONCLUSION: The findings in this study suggest that the nursing care is largely affected by different factors in the nurses’ daily work. This can result in both a positive and negative impact on the nurse, patient and their relationship. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Describing how nurses experience work in pediatric nursing care can contribute with a better knowledge of important factors in global nursing. / BAKGRUND: Barnadödligheten är relativt hög i ett medelinkomstland som Ghana. Stora framsteg har gjorts för att minska dödligheten, likaså uppnå millenniemålet att minska barnadödligheten. Sjuksköterskornas roll att inneha kapaciteten för att bemöta dessa utmaningar blir en stor del av deras arbete. SYFTE: Syftet med studien var att belysa sjuksköterskors erfarenheter av att vårda sjuka barn i Ghana, samt att få en bättre förståelse av viktiga faktorer i pediatrisk omvårdnad från ett ghanesiskt perspektiv. METOD: En kvalitativ metod med semi strukturerade intervjuer utfördes. Fem intervjuer utfördes med sjuksköterskor på en pediatrisk avdelning i Ghana. Datan analyserades genom en innehållsanalys och Halldorsdottirs teroi användes som ett raster löpande genom rapporten. RESULTAT: Två kateorier identifierades och representerar resultatet Kvalitéer och Styrkor samt Hinder. Kategorierna omfattas av nio subkategorier, Känslor, Improvisation, Attityder, Empowerment, Samarbete, Arbetsbörda, Svårigheter i sjusköterske- och patientrelationen, Paradoxala upplevelser samt Hinder i miljön. SLUTSATS: Resultatet i den här studien föreslår att omvårdnaden till stor del påverkas av olika faktorer i sjuksköterskans dagliga arbete. Detta kan resultera i både en positiv och negativ påverkan för sjuksköterskan, patienten och deras relation. KLINISK BETYDELSE: Genom att beskriva hur sjuksköterskor upplever arbetet inom pedriatitisk vård kan detta bidra till större kunskap om viktiga faktorer inom omvårdnad globalt.

Thesis (D. Litt. et Phil.)--University of South Africa, 2002.

This study sought to analyse the role of foreign aid in poverty alleviation and economic development of Ghana from 1957 to 2008. Literature related to the study on foreign aid and economic development was reviewed to get an insight into the views of other writers on the topic under study. The study adopted both primary and secondary sources of data to examine the concept of foreign aid, poverty reduction and economic development in Ghana. The study collected data using qualitative interviews consisting of open- and close-ended questions from the field. Content analysis involving the use of existing materials by researchers and the analyses of data originally collected by others was also relied on as a complement to the primary sources in the study. The study found that donor aid is not well coordinated in Ghana because of the proliferation of donor agencies in the country. Though aid is provided to the Ghanaian economy to address poverty and economic development challenges, the study found that foreign aid did not achieve the set objectives because of poor management of donor resources. This study, therefore, recommends that the informal economy should be promoted with funding from microfinance as an alternative to donor-driven development to effectively harness the natural resources in the country for development. / Development Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Development Studies)

Background: In Ghana, many women die every year due to preventable causes related to pregnancy and child birth. Several national strategies have been made to improve women’s access to essential maternal health care. Still there is a significant inequality in the number of women attending to maternal health care in between different parts of the country. An important determinant that affects women’s utilization of the subsidized maternal health care is the quality of health care, including the health providers’ attitudes to their patients. Aim: The aim of this study was to describe nurses’ experiences of interacting with women in a maternal health care context within primary care in Ghana. Method: Five qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted at three different primary health care clinics. Content analysis was used to analyse the data. Results: Three main-themes, patient compliance, building trust and nursing strategies and ten sub-themes were identified. Conclusion: Although the nurses expressed a desire to have more women attend maternal health care, they seemed unaware of how their own behaviour might contribute to the current underutilization. A hierarchical power imbalance within the nurse-patient interactions, where the patients were perceived and treated as subordinate passive receivers of the nurses’ expertise, was identified. The nurses’ lack of critical approach towards their own actions might be at the source of this underutilization. Suggestion for further research: The authors recommend further studies to explore nurses’ ability to allow self-reflective critical thinking and also how implementation of a more patient-centred approach in Ghana would affect the quality of health care. / Bakgrund: Varje år dör många kvinnor i Ghana på grund av förebyggbara komplikationer relaterade till graviditet och förlossning. Flera nationella strategier har genomförts i syfte att ge fler kvinnor tillgång till nödvändig mödrahälsovård. Trots det råder en signifikant skillnad i andel kvinnor som söker mödrahälsovård mellan olika delar av landet. En viktig faktor som påverkar utnyttjandet av den subventionerade mödrahälsovården är vårdkvaliteten, inklusive vårdpersonalens bemötande. Syfte: Syftet med denna studie var att beskriva sjuksköterskors erfarenheter av bemötande av kvinnor i en mödrahälsovårdskontext inom primärvården i Ghana. Metod: Fem kvalitativa semistrukturerade intervjuer genomfördes vid tre olika primärvårdskliniker. Innehållsanalys användes for att analysera insamlad data. Resultat: Tre huvudteman, patientföljsamhet, bygga förtroende och omvårdnadsstrategier och tio underteman hittades i resultatet. Slutsats: Trots att sjuksköterskorna uttryckte en vilja att få fler kvinnor att nyttja tillgänglig mödrahälsovård så verkade de omedvetna om hur deras eget agerande skulle kunna bidra till att kvinnorna väljer att inte söka vård. En hierarkisk maktobalans inom sjuksköterskornas vårdrelation med patienterna framträdde genom intervjuerna, där patienterna sågs och bemöttes som underordnade, passiva mottagare av sjuksköterskornas expertis. Sjuksköterskornas brist på kritiskt förhållningssätt till egna insatser kan göra att de oavsiktligt arbetar emot sina egna mål. Förslag på fortsatta studier: Ytterligare studier för att utforska sjuksköterskors förmåga att tillämpa kritiskt tänkande rekommenderas samt vilken nytta det skulle vara för kvaliteten på omvårdnaden om ett mer patientcentrerat förhållningssätt implementerades inom vården i Ghana.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Parental loss and orphanage placement can be stressful and can negatively influence the well-being of children. However, few studies have been conducted on the psychological well-being of Ghanaian orphans placed in orphanages. As a result, the impact of orphanage placement following parental loss in Ghana is not well understood. The present study aimed to explore the psychological functioning and experiences of orphaned children placed in orphanages in comparison to non-orphaned children in Accra, Ghana. A mixed-method design with elements of both quantitative and qualitative approaches was used. For quantitative data, questionnaires were used to source information pertaining to quality of life, stress (symptoms of depression and anxiety), problems experienced during the month, coping strategies, perceived social support, perceived self-efficacy and resilience. For qualitative data, follow-up interviews with selected orphaned participants were used to delve into participants’ experiences of placement in an orphanage. Purposive sampling was used to select participants who were aged between seven and 17 years. The sample comprised 100 orphaned children, placed in four orphanages, and 100 non-orphans sampled from two public schools in Accra. The quantitative data were analysed using the t-test, the chi-square test, Pearson product-moment correlation analyses, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and regression analyses. The qualitative data were analysed through content and thematic analyses. The results revealed that orphaned children showed more anxiety symptoms than non-orphans but both groups of children presented with high levels of depressive symptoms. The predominant problems for both groups of children were problems with school and relationship problems with peers and caregivers. However, for orphaned children, relationship problems with peers were commonly cited whereas for non-orphans, problems cited were relationship difficulties with caregivers. Despite the heightened emotional distress, orphaned children reported high levels of self-efficacy and resilience as well as stronger perceptions of available support from friends than non-orphans. Non-orphaned children perceived significantly stronger support from families than orphaned children. Regression analyses also revealed that for orphaned children, anxiety and support-seeking coping emerged as significant predictors of qualify of life whereas depression emerged as a significant predictor of quality of life for non-orphaned children. Self-efficacy emerged as a significant positive predictor of resilience for orphaned children whereas self-efficacy and perceived social support emerged as significant positive predictors of resilience for non-orphans. The results of the thematic analyses of the follow-up interviews with selected orphans also revealed that orphanage placement evoked both negative and positive experiences. While orphanages provided structure, nurturance, a safe home environment and avenues for positive peer relationships that engendered a sense of belonging, they were also associated with financial constraints and relationship problems with peers and caregivers. In addition, the Christian-religious orientation of the orphaned children appeared to foster orphans’ well-being. The present study provided evidence that both the orphaned and non-orphaned children were vulnerable to psychological distress. Therefore, interventions should be effected to both groups of children. Furthermore, the study showed that orphanages provided sanctuary and nurturance to orphans who lack parental care and could be considered as a viable form of orphan care in Ghana. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Ouerverlies en weeshuisplasing veroorsaak stres en kan die welstand van kinders negatief beïnvloed. Min navorsingstudies is egter gedoen oor die psigologiese welstand van Ghanese weeskinders wat in weeshuise geplaas word. Die gevolg is dat die impak van weeshuisplasing ná ouerverlies nie goed in Ghana verstaan word nie. Die studie is daarop gemik om die psigologiese funksionering en ervarings van kinders wat ouerloos gelaat en in weeshuise in Accra, Ghana, geplaas word, te ondersoek en dit met dié van nieweesgelate kinders te vergelyk. ’n Gemengdemetode-ontwerp met elemente van beide kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe benaderings is gebruik. Vraelyste is vir die kwantitatiewe data gebruik ten einde inligting te bekom oor lewenskwaliteit, stres (simptome van depressie en angs), daaglikse streswekkers of stressors, behartigingstrategieë, waargenome sosiale steun, waargenome selfbedrewendheid en veerkrag. Vir die kwalitatiewe data is opvolgonderhoude met geselekteerde weesgelate deelnemers gevoer ten einde die deelnemers se geleefde ervarings van plasing in ’n weeshuis indringend te bekyk. Doelgerigte steekproefneming is gebruik om deelnemers tussen die ouderdom van sewe en 17 jaar oud te selekteer. Die steekproef het bestaan uit 100 weesgelate kinders wat in vier weeshuise geplaas is, en 100 nieweesgelate kinders wat as steekproef uit twee openbare skole in Accra geneem is. Die kwantitatiewe data is ontleed met gebruikmaking van die t-toets, die chi-kwadraattoets, Pearson-produkmomentkorrelasieontledings, asook eenrigting-variansie- (VARO) en regressieontledings. Die kwalitatiewe data is aan die hand van inhouds- en tematiese ontledings geanaliseer. Volgens die resultate toon weesgelate kinders meer angssimptome as nieweesgelate kinders, terwyl beide groepe kinders met hoë vlakke van depressiewe simptome presenteer. Die oorheersende daaglikse stressors by beide groepe kinders is probleme by die skool, asook verhoudingsprobleme met die portuurgroep en sorggewers. Wat die weesgelate kinders betref, word verhoudingsprobleme met die portuurgroep egter as die mees algemene probleme aangevoer, terwyl nieweesgelate kinders verhoudingsprobleme met sorggewers aandui. Afgesien van die verhoogde emosionele nood, toon weesgelate kinders hoë vlakke van selfbedrewendheid en veerkrag, asook sterker persepsies van beskikbare bystand deur vriende, as wat die geval is by nieweesgelate kinders. Nieweesgelate kinders neem beduidend sterker bystand van families waar as wat die geval is by weesgelate kinders. Regressieontledings dui ook aan dat angs en bystandsoekende behartigingsgedrag by weesgelate kinders as beduidende voorspellers van lewensgehalte presenteer, terwyl depressie as ’n beduidende voorspeller van lewensgehalte by nieweesgelate kinders presenteer. Selfbedrewendheid presenteer as ’n beduidende positiewe voorspeller van veerkrag by weesgelate kinders, terwyl selfbedrewendheid en waargenome sosiale bystand as beduidende positiewe voorspellers vir veerkrag, by nieweesgelate kinders presenteer. Volgens die resultate van die tematiese ontledings van opvolgonderhoude met geselekteerde weeskinders, ontlok weeshuisplasing beide negatiewe en positiewe ervarings. Weeshuise skep struktuur, koestering, ’n veilige tuisomgewing en kanale vir positiewe portuurgroepverhoudings, en gevolglik ’n gevoel van samehorigheid, ofskoon hierdie instansies ook met finansiële beperkings en verhoudingsprobleme met portuurgroepe en versorgers verbind word. Verder blyk dit dat die Christengeloof-oriëntasie van die weesgelate kinders die welstand van die weeskinders bevorder. Die aangebode studie lewer bewys dat sowel die weesgelate as die nieweesgelate kinders kwesbaar is vir psigologiese nood. Gevolglik word intervensies vir beide groepe kinders aangedui. Die studie toon verder dat weeshuise ’n toevlugsoord en versorgingsplek bied vir weeskinders wat nie ouerlike sorg ontvang nie, en dat dit as ’n lewensvatbare vorm van weeskindsorg in Ghana beskou kan word.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Mobile penetration in Ghana and the rest of Western Africa is reaching maturity. Mobile operators are looking for ways to complement their traditional revenue streams, as they cannot merely rely on voice and short message service (SMS) income anymore. Mobile value-added services are a good addition to the portfolio, bringing much needed services like transactional banking, commerce, information and entertainment, insurance, and health information services to mobile users that had difficult to no access to the above services until recently. South African mobile value-added services (VAS) companies that have a good relationship with market leading mobile providers, like MTN, have the opportunity to tap into the Ghanaian market as these services predominantly consist of mobile financial services products with limited functionality. Other specific services like agriculture, health, entertainment and insurance have been identified as mobile subscriber needs in the Ghanaian market. The benefit that South African mobile value-added companies have is that they already have developed similar well-functioning value-added services for the local market where comparisons with the Ghanaian market dynamics can be found. These companies can tailor them to the specific needs and requirements of the market in Ghana, saving them time and having the much-needed first mover advantage with regards to new or better mobile VAS in this market. Ghana is seen as the most stable country in the West African region and ease of doing business is good in comparison with neighbouring countries like Nigeria. Ghana is therefore a good entry point for South African mobile VAS companies in the West African market to truly scale their business model. The researcher chose to investigate the opportunities and best ways to enter this market by interviewing a project manager and managing director of a leading mobile value-added services company doing business in emerging economies, including Ghana. Questionnaires were also sent to employees working for various mobile VAS employers with extensive experience in the research and development of mobile VAS in these markets. The researcher derived information on the difficulty of doing business in Ghana; the current available VAS in the Ghanaian market; factors that hinder business growth in this market specifically; drivers of success; the importance of partnering with leading mobile operators like MTN to be successful; how the South African business model can be compatible; South African and other African trends that will most likely overflow to Ghana; together with the size data-enabled VAS which will form part of the portfolio of products that mobile VAS companies can offer and be market ready for in the near future. The findings of the researcher can be used as a starting framework to further investigate and determine specific market size and to conduct in-depth market analysis of the needs and requirements of mobile subscribers with regards to mobile VAS in Ghana with the vision of moving into the rest of Western Africa.

<p>This thesis was based on a larger international comparative study called the ROSE (Relevance of Science Education) project. The study investigated the affective factors pupils perceive might be of relevance for the learning of science and technology using the ROSE survey questionnaire, and was aimed at providing data that might form part of an empirical basis for local adaptation of the science curriculum.</p>