The goal of this study was to further understanding of the ecology and propagation of an important wild food resource (Vatovaea pseudolablab (Harms.) Gillett of the community of Loodokilani, Kajiado District Kenya and by extension, contribute to its sustainable use. / Vatovaea pseudolablab is found in occasional, yet distinct patches in Lookidalani and these patches may be associated with a particular soil-water regime. The associated soils are moderately developed, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2, Munsell) clayloams, with small (5.61 mm), angular blocky aggregates. The patches were moderately covered (30%) with medium-sized stones (9.5 cm). / Woody and leafy cuttings from wild stock were collected and rooted easily using a minimum of technological inputs. Roofing percentages were better under the hotter and drier conditions in Kilinito. / In conclusion, the data gathered for this study were analyzed within the framework developed by Amold et al. (1985) for evaluating sustainable use strategies for indigenous plants. The low densities of V. pseudolablab found within the patches coupled with the high grazing pressure make it unlikely that wild resources could sustain higher usage. / This study highlights some of the greatest methodological problems facing ethnobotanical, and related, research in pastoral communities. More attention should be directed towards developing research methodologies to further our understanding of wild food plants in pastoral communities.

No description available.

The under-representation of women in positions of leadership in primary schools is common in many developing countries, raising issues of equity, social justice and sustainable development. Studies on gender and leadership have revealed that a number of barriers existed for women seeking positions of educational leadership. This includes social-cultural factors, the expectations of the society, as well as women’s perceptions of themselves, and of leadership. This study was concerned with the representation of women in leadership positions in Kenya’s rural primary schools. In particular, it explored the educational leadership experiences of women working in schools in the rural areas within Kajiado County. It sought strategies to enhance the participation of women in leadership roles in rural primary schools. The data were primarily gathered by means of qualitative methods. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with fifteen female head teachers drawn from public primary schools. Unstructured observation was done during visits to the schools, and during the interviews, field-notes were taken. The women gave rich descriptions of the various aspects of their work-lives within the context of sharing the challenges and strengths experienced in their careers. Secondary data were gathered by means of research, where the researcher reviewed the existing literature on women and leadership. The data that were collected were analyzed, categorized, synthesized and interpreted. The findings were presented in rich descriptions, which also included anecdotes from the participants. The key findings revealed administrative challenges, which included the grievances of the parents, limited resources, issues with accountability, time-management and the handling of difficult teachers. Personal challenges included wavering self-confidence, problems with trying to balance work and social lives, as well as home-work conflicts. The findings revealed the participants’ inadequate preparation for their leadership roles, and society’s initial skepticism on women’s school leadership. The study also revealed women’s reluctance to take up leadership positions, as was evidenced by their reluctance in applying for the positions.The study found that the participation of women in primary school leadership positions could be enhanced by means of attractive remuneration, effective mentoring, positive role-models, programmes for the preparation for leadership, and the assurance of limited geographical movement on promotion. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Education Management)

The under-representation of women in positions of leadership in primary schools is common in many developing countries, raising issues of equity, social justice and sustainable development. Studies on gender and leadership have revealed that a number of barriers existed for women seeking positions of educational leadership. This includes social-cultural factors, the expectations of the society, as well as women’s perceptions of themselves, and of leadership. This study was concerned with the representation of women in leadership positions in Kenya’s rural primary schools. In particular, it explored the educational leadership experiences of women working in schools in the rural areas within Kajiado County. It sought strategies to enhance the participation of women in leadership roles in rural primary schools. The data were primarily gathered by means of qualitative methods. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with fifteen female head teachers drawn from public primary schools. Unstructured observation was done during visits to the schools, and during the interviews, field-notes were taken. The women gave rich descriptions of the various aspects of their work-lives within the context of sharing the challenges and strengths experienced in their careers. Secondary data were gathered by means of research, where the researcher reviewed the existing literature on women and leadership. The data that were collected were analyzed, categorized, synthesized and interpreted. The findings were presented in rich descriptions, which also included anecdotes from the participants. The key findings revealed administrative challenges, which included the grievances of the parents, limited resources, issues with accountability, time-management and the handling of difficult teachers. Personal challenges included wavering self-confidence, problems with trying to balance work and social lives, as well as home-work conflicts. The findings revealed the participants’ inadequate preparation for their leadership roles, and society’s initial skepticism on women’s school leadership. The study also revealed women’s reluctance to take up leadership positions, as was evidenced by their reluctance in applying for the positions.The study found that the participation of women in primary school leadership positions could be enhanced by means of attractive remuneration, effective mentoring, positive role-models, programmes for the preparation for leadership, and the assurance of limited geographical movement on promotion. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Education Management)

Between 1980 and 2000, mortality rates of children under the age of five and maternal mortality ratios declined across sub-Saharan Africa. During the same period, Kenya's mortality rates continued to rise until 2005 when the Kenyan Ministry of Health (MOH) introduced the Kenya Essential Package for Health (KEPH) in an effort to reverse its declining health indicators. The KEPH defined six service delivery levels which included the new community level, also known as level one. The Ministry of Health's plan for delivering services at the community level, known as the Community Health Strategy (CHS), called for the creation of Community Health Workers (CHWs) which the MOH hoped would produce the expected outcomes of the CHS. CHWs would be trained volunteers that were both members of the community they would serve, and selected by their community. Their training would allow them to recognize health problems, provide basic first aid, refer patients with serious problems to health facilities, conduct surveys, maintain records, provide education, and distribute supplies. In 2010, the Division of Community Health Services released an evaluation of the relevance, efficiency, and sustainability of the community health strategy. Their results showed that CHWs could produce many of the CHS's expected outcomes. In 2013, researchers from the Boston University School of Public Health and Moi University resolved to conduct a cross-sectional study for the Kenyan Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation to assess the effectiveness of the CHWs in Kajiado County. The county faced numerous health challenges and an overburdened health system. Data collection was completed over a seven-day period in June of 2013 by fourteen teams. Data was collected from 12 communities located in the areas of Rombo, Entonet, and Central Divisions of the Loitokitok sub-county within Kajiado County in rural South Kenya. Six of the selected communities had CHWs mobilized and were the intervention communities. Six communities had no registered CHWs and served as the controls. Eligibility to participate in the study was limited to permanent members of randomly selected households that housed at least one child less than five years of age and no active CHWs. Mothers of children less than five years of age were the preferred respondents. The primary and secondary outcomes were selected to address as many of the CHS's expected outcomes as possible. In an effort to compensate for the study's cross-sectional design, results were analyzed by stratifying them by each community's proximity to a hospital, the time since the CHW's last visit, and the respondent's knowledge of their CHW's name. Data was collected from 316 households, half of which were from intervention communities, and was entered into CSPro 5.0 before being exported to EpiInfo 7.1.1 for analysis. Analysis of the results suggests that the Community Health Strategy has been largely ineffective at producing its expected outcomes in Kajiado County as communities with active community health workers typically did not fare significantly better than non-CHW communities. The CHS was not entirely unsuccessful however, as mothers in CHW communities were significantly more likely to give birth at a health facility (PR: 1.41; CI: 1.15-1.72) than in non-CHW communities. Results also indicated that a community's proximity to a hospital could be a confounder in the relationship between a community's CHW status and health outcomes. The success of CHWs may have been masked by their tendency to visit households with worse health indicators more frequently.

No description available.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Michigan State University. Dept. of K-12 Educational Administration, 2008. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Mar. 30, 2009) Includes bibliographical references (p. 172-182). Also issued in print.