Access to safe drinking water is an important health factor in many developing countries. Studies have shown that unsafe drinking water and poor sanitation practices leads to diarrheal disease, which is one of the leading causes of death of children under five in developing countries. Provision and proper use of household water filters have been shown to effectively improve health. This thesis is focused on the refinement and validation of algorithms for data collected from pressure transducer sensors that are used in household water filters (the Vestergaard Frandsen LifeStraw Family 2.0) deployed in Rwanda by the social enterprise DelAgua Health. Statistical and signal processing techniques were used to detect the use of the LifeStraw water filters and to estimate the amount of water filtered at the time of usage. An algorithm developed by Dr. Carson Wick at Georgia Institute of Technology was the baseline for the analysis of the data. The algorithm was then refined based on data collected in the SweetLab at Portland State University, which was then applied to field data. Laboratory results indicated that the mean error of the improved algorithm is 11.5% as compared with the baseline algorithm mean error of 39%. The validation of the algorithm with field data yielded a mean error of 5%. Errors may be attributed to real-world behavior of the water filter, electronic noise, ambient temperature, and variations in the approximation made to the field data. This work also presents some consideration of the algorithm applied to soft-sided water backpacks.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Nowadays, members of the global community from various arenas are committed to promoting social development and removing the obstacles of all kinds of social ills that have been undermining the quality of people's lives, such as: poverty, social conflicts, HIV/AIDS, injustice and violence. Is this feasible? If yes, how can we proceed to the full realisation of human development? This study made a close examination of the case of Rwanda, and compared it with that of South Africa, with which Rwanda shares various historical and psychosocial realities such as colonisation, and the need for reconciliation and reinforcement of communal solidarity in order to proceed with and hasten the development process. The orientation of the study is centred on the hypothetical question: "Why and how can social work be used as a means of addressing social problems and promoting social development in Rwanda?" The study, basically of a qualitative nature, constitutes both library and field-based research. Accordingly, the literature and the empirical investigation were used as key methods to realise the goals and objectives stated. In the empirical study, a triangulation of data gathering techniques, namely interviews, focus group discussions and direct observations, was given the primary emphasis. By this means, enriched information from both South Africa and Rwanda permitted various insights into crucial socio-economic challenges, social development agents, the preferred approaches for social development and the working conditions of social workers. The latter conditions were usually described as being very difficult and trying. Overall, the research findings show that: + There is a serious need for social development both in South Africa and Rwanda in order to respond to the legacies of their pasts - especially to the upheavals of apartheid and the genocide respectively (i.e. poverty, mistrust, social disintegration) - as well as to a range of other social ills such as HIV/AIDS, violence and unforeseen factors; + The developmental approach, well espoused by the South African government which chose to incorporate it in national policies, particularly in the White Paper for Social Welfare (1997), is the most suited to foster the attainment of social development; • Social work, using community work as the preferred method, is amongst the key professions at the forefront of the operationalisation of social development and hence, of the promotion of improved social welfare conditions; • Empowerment, particularly of vulnerable people, is a key to social change; • Social work, while moving towards a developmental approach - as developmental social work - needs to consolidate its position by contributing effectively to development instead of continuing to focus on individual cases Itherapies. • Introduction of social work training at the National University of Rwanda (NUR) is a positive omen for the stimulation of social development in the country; • There is a particular need to update the social work curriculum in Rwanda. Lastly, specific recommendations are given. The main recommendation is that efforts to conduct a comprehensive war against social problems be unified. In terms of social work, it is important that social work professionals be given more consideration and more stimulation. Conducive working conditions must be also created for them, especially at local level. Social workers, in tum, have to stand their ground, and work in good partnership with other professionals and social development agents for the good of all people, with special focus on the disadvantaged. For Rwanda in particular, it is recommended that a national welfare policy be set up urgently to strengthen social work education at university, and that, in the process, reference be made to experienced countries such as South Africa. In this regard, educators must ensure that new graduates will effectively become catalysts for social development. This requires a good fit of theory and practice during the training process. Above all, it is advisable for Rwanda to promote community work practice through the community development model. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Sosiale ontwikkeling is 'n hedendaagse prioriteit by lede van die globale gemeenskap uit verskeie gebiede. Hulle streef daarna om die struikelblokke van verskeie sosiale wantoestande wat mense se lewensgehalte ondergrawe - bv. armoede, sosiale konflik, MIVNIGS, ongeregtigheid en geweld - te verwyder. Is so-iets haalbaar? Indien ja, hoe kan ons voortbeweeg na die volle verwesenlikking van menslike ontwikkeling? Rwanda en Suid-Afrika het albei te kampe met historiese en sosiaal-psigiese realiteite soos kolonialisme, 'n behoefte aan sosiale versoening en aan die versterking van gemeenskapsolidariteit ten einde sosiale ontwikkeling te bevorder en versnel. Hierdie studie sentreer om die vraag: "waarom en hoe kan sosiale probleme in Rwanda aangepak en sosiale ontwikkeling bevorder word deur middel van maatskaplike werk?" Hierdie basies kwalitatiewe studie is op beide bronnestudie en veldwerk gegrond. Gevolglik was die gebruik van beskikbare literatuur en empiriese navorsing die sleutelmetodes om bg. doelwitte te bereik. Wat betref die empiriese studie is 'n drievoudige tegniek gebruik, nl. onderhoude, fokusgroep-besprekings en direkte waarnemmg. Verrykte inligting uit beide Suid-Afrika en Rwanda het dit dus moontlik gemaak om verskeie insigte m.b.t. kemvraagstukke betreffende sosio-ekonomiese uitdagings, sosiale ontwikkelingsagente, gewenste benaderings tot sosiale ontwikkeling en die werksomstandighede van maatskaplike werkers - wat gewoonlik as erg moeilik en uitputtend beskryf word - te bereik. Oor die algemeen bewys die navorsingsresultate die volgende: • Beide Suid-Afrika en Rwanda ondervind 'n ernstige behoefte aan sosiale ontwikkeling om op die erfenis van hul verlede te reageer (veral die omwentelings van apartheid en volksmoord, respektiewelik) - d.w.s. armoede, wantroue en sosiale verbrokkeling, en daarby nog MIVNIGS, geweld en ander onvoorsiene faktore. • Die ontwikkelingsentriese benadering word duidelik geïllustreer deur die Suid- Afrikaanse regering, wat 'n nasionale beleid vanuit hierdie oogpunt aangepak het - soos veral spreek uit die Witskrif vir Sosiale Ontwikkeling ["White Paper for Social Development"] (1997). Hierdie is die mees gepaste benadering tot sosiale ontwikkeling. • Maatskaplike werk (veral d.m.v. gemeenskapsinisiatiewe) is een van die sleutelberoepe m.b.t. die operasionalisering van sosiale ontwikkeling en die gevolglike verbetering van sosiale welsynstoestande; • Bemagtiging, veral van kwesbare persone, is die sleutel tot sosiale transformasie; • Maatskaplike werk behoort, terwyl dit na 'n ontwikkelingsentriese benadering (d.m.v. maatskaplike ontwikkelingswerk) beweeg, breedweg tot sosiale ontwikkeling by te dra, eerder as om op individuele gevalle ofterapieë te fokus; • Die instelling van opleiding in maatskaplike werk by die Nasionale Universiteit van Rwanda (NUR) is 'n goeie teken wat dui op sosiale ontwikkeling van hierdie land; • Daar is veral 'n behoefte daaraan om die Rwandese kurrikulum vir maatskaplike werk te moderniseer. Laastens word spesifieke aanbevelings gemaak. Dit word veral aanbeveel dat verskillende pogings om sosiale wantoestande aan te pak, saamgesnoer moet word. In terme van maatskaplike werk is dit belangrik dat professionele maatskaplike werkers meer aandag en aanmoediging behoort te kry. Daar moet ook aandag gegee word aan hul werksomstandighede, veralop plaaslike vlak. Op hul beurt moet maatskaplike werkers hulleself laat geld, in samewerking met ander beroepslui en bydraers tot sosiale ontwikkeling - tot voordeel van alle burgers, en met 'n fokus op sosiaal-benadeelde persone. Vir Rwanda in die besonder word aanbeveel dat 'n nasionale welsynsbeleid dringend in werking gestel word om universiteitsopleiding in maatskaplike werk te verstewig, na die voorbeeld van lande soos Suid-Afrika wat ondervinding van so 'n proses het. In hierdie verband moet opvoeders verseker dat nuwe graduandi effektiewe katalisators van sosiale ontwikkeling sal wees. Om dit te bewerkstellig word goeie passing tussen teorie en praktyk benodig. Dit is veral raadsaam dat maatskaplike werk in die praktyk deur die gemeenskapsontwikkelingsmodel gerugsteun sal word.

La thèse « Motivations d’engagement politique des femmes parlementaires rwandaises » a pour objectif principal d’apporter un éclairage sur le parcours politique des femmes parlementaires au Rwanda, notamment en identifiant leurs motivations à la base de leur engagement. Pour y parvenir, des entrevues de type semi-directif ont été effectuées entre octobre et novembre 2011 auprès de 11 députées et sénatrices. Les résultats de recherche démontrent que les femmes s’engagent en politique selon les trois principes de justice de Nancy Fraser: la reconnaissance, la redistribution et la représentation. Deux autres motivations se rajoutent, soit les mesures institutionnelles et la reconstruction du pays. Plus précisément, les parlementaires désirent pallier les injustices sociales, économiques et politiques liées au genre et à l’ethnie. Cette thèse est une contribution à la capacité de la science politique d’analyser les rôles des femmes au sein des parlements des pays non occidentaux et autoritaires.

Dans les années 2000, pour assurer son développement, le Rwanda revoit sa stratégie agricole en prenant un virage coopératif majeur. Parallèlement, les critiques internationales des pratiques « néocoloniales » de développement rural provoquent un changement vers des approches plus participatives. Ces deux bouleversements entraînent des changements considérables dans les communautés rurales rwandaises, où naissaient des centaines de coopératives agricoles. Le mouvement grassroots (développement par le bas) et la méthode ÉRP (évaluation rurale participative) favorisent le renforcement des capacités de la société civile et sa participation aux projets, comme l’ont voulu les organisations partenaires au projet Développement agricole coopératif au Rwanda. La littérature et l’expérience coopérative sur le terrain nous enseignent comment s’articule la participation locale, du point de vue des partenaires CCA (Association des coopératives du Canada) et UGAMA-CSC (Centre de service aux coopératives du Rwanda). Mais, qu’en est-il du point de vue de la population bénéficiaire? C’est en menant 27 entrevues semi-dirigées, individuelles et anonymes, auprès de membres réguliers ainsi que les chefs de zone et les professionnels impliqués dans les coopératives, que l’étudiante-chercheure a voulu répondre à la question de recherche suivante : dans le Rwanda agricole, où œuvrent différents acteurs de développement sur un même projet, comment s’articule le processus de participation locale aux yeux de la population bénéficiaire ? La recherche offre un regard rétrospectif sur la participation de la population ciblée par le projet, ainsi que le pouvoir qu’elle a exercé à travers les différentes étapes du dit projet. Son objectif secondaire est d’améliorer ce processus pour des projets futurs en tirant des apprentissages. La participation qui est présentée dans la théorie n’est pas toujours calquée intégralement dans la pratique et les processus de prises de décisions ne revêtent pas toujours le caractère démocratique prétendu. Dans un contexte culturel unique, la signification de la participation peut être interprétée de façon bien différente, dépendamment de la position que l’on occupe dans la hiérarchie locale. L’analyse des réponses permet de dégager des recommandations issues de ces acteurs qui sont souvent cloîtrés dans le bas de l’échelle, où la prise de parole n’est pas la plus facile d’accès.

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal.

The purpose of this research is to investigate how the Rwanda NEPAD e-schools project is achieving its objectives, in order to draw lessons for policy. Case studies of three NEPAD e-schools were conducted to explore the integration of ICT in schools. This qualitative research was based on semi-structured interviews with Ministry of Education staff, school personnel and students, as well as a review of policy documents. The literature review identified a number of factors that hinder the use of ICT, which factors were also evident in the research findings. It was found that greater support is required to overcome the barriers, including lack of policy, teaching and learning, funding, access, training and professional development, curriculum content, technical support, time and attitudes towards ICTs. The analysis of the position in these e-schools offers lessons for policy and practice in Rwanda and with regard to the NEPAD e-schools programme on the continent. Ministries of Education in African countries should align ICT in education policy with other education strategic and operational policies to ensure that ICT initiatives are in line with national developmental goals and objectives.

MSc (Med), Child Health Community Paediatrics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand / Objective: To identify determinants for the utilisation of delivery services by pregnant women in Rwanda, considering individual and demographic, socioeconomic and health service factors. Design: A secondary data analysis of the third (2005) Rwandan Demographic Health Survey (RDHS III) was conducted. Women who had at least one live birth during the fiveyear period prior to the survey were included in the analysis. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were undertaken. Results: A total of 5235 participants fulfilled the study eligibility criteria and were included in the analysis. Although more than 90% of participants attended an antenatal service, only 30% delivered at a health facility. The predictors of a home delivery were higher parity (OR=5.01, 95% CI: 4.11-6.31 for parity of 6 or more), place of residence (OR=1.86, 95% CI: 1.55-2.23 for rural women), lower household wealth (OR=4.37, 95% CI: 3.43-5.56 for the poorest quintile), lower education level (OR=3.61, 95% CI: 2.73-4.76 for no education), none or one antenatal care visit (OR=3.62, 95% CI: 2.76-4.74 for one antenatal care visit) and the lack of antenatal counselling about pregnancy complications (OR=1.83, 95% CI:1.40-2.40). Conclusion Utilisation of maternal health services, particularly health facility delivery services, remains low in Rwanda. The promotion of at least four standard antenatal care visits, as well as efforts targeting specific risk groups, such as higher parity, rural and less educated women living in poorer households are critical if the country wishes to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity.

The aim of this research is to explore the regulation of interconnection in Rwanda by investigating whether the current interconnection regime has ensured fair and reasonable interconnection rates that can enhance efficiency and effective competition. A qualitative research approach was used and the data were collected using semi-structured interviews and documentary analysis. The findings reveal that although RURA adopted a cost-based interconnection approach to ensure a fair and reasonable interconnection rate, its poor implementation resulted in an inefficient level of fixed and mobile interconnection rates. The study found an inconsistent application of the regime by incumbents, lack of sufficient regulatory capacity and lack of clear and comprehensive policy instruments. More recently, RURA is making efforts towards adopting a new regime to address the current interconnection rate issues in Rwanda. This study demonstrates that the current interconnection rate regime requires extensive rethinking about appropriate costing models and regulatory capacity, in order to enhance market efficiency and promote effective competition.

Thesis advisor: André Brouillette / Thesis advisor: Margaret Eletta Guider / Modern Rwandan history is indubitably linked to the history of the Catholic Church in Rwanda. Contemporary historians agree on the fact that Bishop Classe is an indispensable historical figure in that shared history. They differ however when it comes to the interpretation of his role. This thesis aimed to show the impact of Classe’s decisions on the Catholic Church in Rwanda and above all its indigenous clergy, as an entity that belonged to the pioneers of modern Rwandan intelligentsia which was likely to influence the rest of the people. It has also sought to understand the influence of Catholic clergy, on traditional Rwandan society, colonial Rwanda, and Rwanda as an emergent, independent nation. / Thesis (STL) — Boston College, 2018. / Submitted to: Boston College. School of Theology and Ministry. / Discipline: Sacred Theology.

Over the last two decades, following a long history of mass violence in Burundi and Rwanda, transitional justice (TJ) efforts were deployed in the two countries. Observing, particularly after the 1994 Rwandan genocide, that cycles of violence had devastated these two nations, a number of international organisations encouraged and financed socio-political and judicial responses with the aim of building sustainable peace in the region. The gacaca courts have been at the centre of the TJ process in Rwanda, and the negotiations over a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) remain the key focus in the Burundian TJ process. The local contexts have not been the sole influence on the design and implementation of the initiatives: the consolidation of TJ as a field of practice on a global level has also been of paramount importance. Under scrutiny in this thesis is the ‘battlefield' in which TJ practitioners argue about the past, a battlefield created by the frictions between the universal TJ discourse, the resulting technocratic aid practices and the often silenced, but highly politicised negotiations and implementation on the ground. My research establishes that while TJ practitioners disseminate a positive discourse designed to help societies emerging from violence, their practices are actually embedded in trenchant hierarchical structures and tensions from the violent past. I argue that their efforts, delivered through performative and technocratic work, too often ignore the hierarchical social and political structures in which they operate. Furthermore, the assumption that their technical work can fix dysfunctional states results not only in a silencing of the social and political dynamics in play, but also demonstrates a form of imperialism and colonialism, leading to the reproduction of multi-layered unequal structures, paternalistic behaviours towards beneficiaries, privileging of implementers over supposed beneficiaries, and the repetition of counter-effective practices. These efforts and silences have the potential to exacerbate the issues rather than to alleviate them. This analysis engages with two academic debates: first, the questionable capacity of ‘professionalised' and ‘universalised' TJ mechanisms to deal with past crimes; and, second, whether aid practices can effectively contribute to ‘sustainable peace', ‘development' and ‘democracy' in post-conflict contexts. My analysis is driven by the following research questions: Why is the role of practitioners and their everyday crucial to understanding TJ processes? How does the professionalisation of aid and TJ shape the practices of TJ in Burundi and Rwanda? How and why do frictions between academic theory, policy discourse and everyday practice of TJ impact on outcomes on the ground? In conclusion, my research illustrates the way in which TJ professionalised practices constitute a battlefield, with “ongoing struggles in the battle for the nature and direction of the transition” being a metaconflict ‒ a “conflict about what the conflict is about”, in which TJ victors tilt all transitional mechanisms “towards an end point for transition that approximates” to their “battlefield goals” (Bell 2009). Within these everyday battles, TJ practitioners are playing a crucial role in the implementation of TJ. Through the dissemination of their expertise, they act as ‘brokers' and ‘translators' of the TJ toolkit approach. They, particularly the most powerful practitioners, produce interpretations and offer “scripts into which others can be recruited for a period” (Lewis and Mosse 2006, 13). As Norman Long (1992, 275) points out in looking at development actors, their professional practices constitute a “knowledge battlefield” in relation to “the issues of conflicting loyalties, of negotiation over ‘truth' claims, of battles over images and contesting interests.” Describing how TJ practitioners work around policy and practice in Rwanda and Burundi, I demonstrate how the gacaca law and the Burundian TRC law, and their policy frameworks and implementing activities, have all been created around the same global discourse. But the actual negotiations of specific prescriptions and implementation have led to very different practices being moulded around different dynamics of power by actors and organisations involved in these processes. Whereas these dynamics are but natural, silencing them behind technocratic knowledge, however, has severe implications. In contrast to most of the TJ literature making reference to civil society and international donors, my research underlines the role and consequences of their everyday politics, through which the directions of the TJ agenda are decided and implemented. Building on social anthropology and development studies, I underline the entanglement formed between TJ and aid, and bring attention to unattended effects of TJ practices, including how power has a play in policy implementation and how unequal relations are reproduced. Doing so, I expand the critical TJ scholarship and the calls for ‘localising transitional justice', as well as developing the understanding of the limitations of TJ processes in Rwanda and Burundi.