Africa is experiencing a rapid urbanisation and the major cities of the continent are currently the fastest growing cities in the world. This phenomenon is especially visible in Kampala, Uganda; which is one of the fastest growing cities in Africa. The rapid development, with people moving from rural to the urban areas, poses new challenges and opportunities for the construction sector which has become the second largest employer in Uganda. However, the construction sector is still young and developing. To contribute to the development of the sector, this thesis set out to be a study of construction project management practices in the country. Field studies were conducted in Kampala to explore the current practices of project managers active in the construction industry. The findings from the field studies where later analysed and compared with secondary data collected on Western construction management practices. Project management is a well standardised practice that has established itself as a vital component of construction projects in the Western part of the world. The theories and practices mostly originate from USA and the U.K and rely on stable settings of social environment, politics and economy. Standards are accepted and followed by the majority of practitioners in the Western part of the world. However, if these theories are valid and applicable in Africa has been questioned. Therefore, the research aimed towards finding how Western theories and practices of construction management have been adapted by the Ugandan industry. Furthermore, study whether the practices of Ugandan managers could be improved with implementation of Western construction management methods. The study found that the profession of project management in the Ugandan construction industry are relatively new but is getting more and more established and appreciated. The mentality within the construction sector is, to a wide extent, orientated towards short term benefits. Clients’ interests in maximising short term profits often result in quality issues. This correlates with the troublesome past of Uganda and the scattered poverty; people are trying in any way to make as much money as possible. The issue involves a large scale of corruption in the construction industry, where even governmental officials are involved. The construction sector has problems regarding lacking competence of actors. Combined, these issues are affecting the quality outcomes of projects and make them difficult to manage. Western construction management theories and practices are adapted by Ugandan managers, however, to a minimal extent in terms of complexity to fit, what is believed to be, the development level of the industry. Actors are micromanaged with a task-oriented mentality and separated though hierarchic boundaries. Projects are divided between several actors usually completing their part individually which lead to inconsistencies and managerial problems. We believe there is urgent need of education within professions in the industry in order to raise the overall competence. Regulations and standardisations regarding construction and employment policies need to be implemented starting from government level. Actors need to co-operate, learn from each other and grow together.

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A research report proposal submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Architecture (Professional). January, 2019 / In recent years, research studies have shown an increase in stress levels especially among people living in cities. Clear links have been established correlating wellbeing with the environment. Studies show that urban environments increase tendencies of unhappiness and stress among people. This study identifies inefficiency in systems that facilitate mobility as one of the causes of stress among city users. It recognises mobility as a core component of any system that facilitates the efficient flow of things between points. Inadequacy in systems of mobility can therefore cripple a system by preventing the free movement of things from one point to another. Like so many developing cities, the urban environment of Kampala, the capital of Uganda that is undergoing rapid urbanisation and often unchecked development faces challenges regarding mobility. In Kampala, majority of the population either walk or rely on public transportation and yet the inadequate infrastructure and systems of mobility denies them the right to freely and easily access and navigate their city. This both directly and indirectly results in physical and psychological stress in city users leading to frustrations and financial losses and consequently prevents wellbeing. The study focuses on the Old Taxi Park which is the most frequently used public transportation facility for daily short trips around the city of Kampala. Recognising that the failing state of infrastructure and inadequate systems of organising the movement of vehicles and people in and around the park render it one of the black spots that contribute to and often escalate the problems regarding mobility presents the Old Taxi Park as a suitable site for a project to address the city’s navigational challenges. This is aimed at mitigating stress among the people who engage with the city. The project thus proposes a revamp of the Old Taxi Park to facilitate efficient movement of people within Kampala. In order to further enhance wellness, the project draws on the healing and restorative power of nature. Although nature has been linked to improved well being, having been found to have numerous restorative benefits especially for people who constantly interact within densely inhabited fast paced settings, the city centre of Kampala which has the highest population density and fastest pace of life in the entire city critically lacks instances where people can interact with and so benefit from the nurture of the elements of nature. Therefore this research project takes an approach of reintroducing various elements of nature to the urban fabric through the design of the transportation hub and how it integrates with Kampala’s urban fabric. The main objectives for the project are hence to promote efficiency in the systems of mobility and to reintroduce nature within the urban sphere in order to promote wellness for the people who interact with the concrete jungle that was once the City of Seven Hills / MT 2019

The purpose of this dissertation is to evaluate the current state of literature surrounding childhood and child agency, and how dominant notions of these concepts result in practical implications pertaining to the nature of the participation of former child soldiers in post-conflict reintegration programmes. As the literature and practice surrounding children in post-conflict environments currently stands, there is a recurring preoccupation with traditional notions of childhood which uphold notions of innocence, vulnerability, and dependency, with only minimal attempts to conceptualise child agency as a crucial factor once the guns have been put down. This ultimately results in former child soldiers being dealt with as objects to be secured, as opposed to fully-fledged participants and agents in their own reintegration processes. This research thereby seeks to answer the question: “How would the formulation of a normative framework of child agency alter the orientation of post-conflict reintegration programmes in the future?” The researcher will engage the matter of child agency in post-conflict reintegration through a critical lens, both in terms of the literary and conceptual foundations contributing towards current narratives, as well as the current state of reintegration programmes as they target former child soldiers in northern Uganda. The qualitative approach of a critical literature review, followed by a critical analysis of the case of northern Uganda, will be employed as the key methods of this research. The literature to be used will be purposively sampled secondary sources. This mini-dissertation upholds the position that, in order for post-conflict reintegration programmes to be successful in their endeavour to reintegrate former child soldiers, children should not be rendered as peripheral actors in these processes. Rather, they should be present as key participatory agents in their own right. / Mini Dissertation (MSS)--University of Pretoria, 2020. / Political Sciences / MSS / Unrestricted

Thesis advisor: Paul Cichello / Domestic violence affects women of all socioeconomic and educational backgrounds across the world. It violates fundamental human rights and also has significant economic costs including a loss of human capital formation. This study seeks to understand the impact of a mother's experience of domestic violence on her children's early childhood development and educational outcomes in Uganda. It uses data from the 2016 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey and employs a two-stage least squares instrumental variables approach. The instrument used is whether or not the woman's mother experienced domestic violence. Results are not precisely estimated but they suggest that experiencing domestic violence increases the incidence of low socioemotional development in women’s 3-to-5-year-old children while it decreases the incidence of low cognitive development. This suggests that living in a household with violence causes children to have worse social and emotional early childhood development while it improves their cognition and/or independence. Results from the educational models suggest that exposure to domestic violence increases a child’s likelihood of being enrolled in school as well as his overall years of educational attainment. Taken together, results suggest that children in homes with domestic violence might cope by becoming more independent. / Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2019. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Departmental Honors. / Discipline: Economics.

Reports from the World Health Organization (WHO) indicate tremendous advancement in the fight against HIV/AIDS infection through prevention, provision of high-quality treatment options, and psychosocial services to infected and affected individuals and communities. However, there is still a considerable number of new infections occurring among children, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Researchers highlight the benefits of HIV status disclosure to children. Yet, there is limited research concerning the ways counselors navigate the process of status disclosure to children with an HIV diagnosis. The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of counselors regarding status disclosure to children living with HIV in Uganda, and to determine their self-identified training needs. I utilized a phenomenological qualitative research method and conducted individual interviews using a semi-structured interview protocol with 10 counselors from three HIV care centers in the central region of Uganda. Findings indicated six overarching themes including: (1) counselors' roles and responsibilities, (2) impact of age in the disclosure process, (3) motivations for disclosure, (4) challenges and barriers, (5) counselor preparations and trainings for disclosure, (6) and post-disclosure interventions. Study results highlight the critical role played by counselors during the HIV status disclosure process and the need for additional training and support to enable counselors to effectively support children and their caregivers. There is a need to further examine the effectiveness of current HIV status disclosure procedures and post-disclosure support interventions utilized by counselors within HIV care centers in Uganda.

The purpose of this study is to assist planners and scientists in assessing the economic implications of the USAID-funded Integrated Pest Management-Collaborative Research Support Program (IPM CRSP) research activities. The study presents a framework and a set of procedures for documenting, evaluating and communicating aggregate economic impacts of IPM technologies within targeted areas and across agro-ecological regions. Performing an economic impact assessment involves consideration of many factors, from the adoption patterns of IPM technologies to the level of benefits and costs producers and consumers can reap from their adoption. Adopting the framework and procedures outlined in this study will help ensure that economic benefits of IPM CRSP activities are consistently and comprehensively evaluated and documented. The assessment process involves identifying and defining alternative pest management strategies, data and information collection, and analytical procedures. Two case studies are carried out to demonstrate the functionality and practical nature of the framework. Partial budgeting and ex-ante economic surplus analysis are employed to estimate the aggregate benefits of IPM CRSP strategies in Bangladesh and Uganda. In Bangladesh, an altered schedule of hand weeding in cabbage production and Neem leaf powder as an insecticide for eggplants were selected for assessment. In Uganda, the maize variety Longe-1 and seed dressing with Endosulfan for management of bean fly and root rot on beans, are evaluated. Also, a Geographic Information System (GIS) is used to project the transferability of IPM CRSP strategies beyond the primary sites. Data on production, consumption, prices, price elasticities for demand and supply, and experiment costs are gathered and refined to derive aggregate benefits for each country. Expert questionnaires were developed to determine adoption rates, and to elicit information about yield and cost changes due to the adoption of these technologies. Agro-ecological and socio-economic data were collected to facilitate the spatial framework and examine adoption rate patterns. The GIS analysis gives insight into the spatial dimension of economic analysis and complements the effort of the IPM CRSP to globalize its activities. The research findings show that the IPM practices investigated gave a substantial amount of benefits discounted over thirty years to both consumers and producers. This study has shown that IPM CRSP-induced pest management practices in Bangladesh and Uganda are viable and more profitable production practices than existing farmer practices. Efforts to promote the adoption of these technologies will likely result in more efficient production and greater economic rewards for the farmers, consumers, and in turn for the country as a whole. Finally, the study presents recommendations for further research relating to gender and cross-border trade issues to strengthen the functionality of the framework. / Master of Science

Approaches to projects and development have undergone considerable change in the last decade with significant policy shifts on governance, gender, poverty eradication, and environmental issues. Most recently this has led to the adoption and promotion of the sustainable livelihood (SL) approach. The adoption of the SL approach presents challenges to development interventions including: the future of projects and programmes, and sector wide approaches (SWAPs) and direct budgetary support. This paper `Review of development interventions and livelihood approaches in Uganda¿ is the fourth in the series of the project working papers. This is the output of a literature review and series of interviews on development interventions in Uganda. / Department for International Development

Approaches to projects and development have undergone considerable change in the last decade with significant policy shifts on governance, gender, poverty eradication, and environmental issues. Most recently this has led to the adoption and promotion of the sustainable livelihood (SL) approach. The adoption of the SL approach presents challenges to development interventions including: the future of projects and programmes, and sector wide approaches (SWAPs) and direct budgetary support.This paper `A livelihoods-grounded audit of the AIDS/STD programme in Uganda¿ the thirteenth in the series of project working papers. / Department for International Development

Improper pesticide use on crops causes adverse effects on humans, livestock, crops and the environment. Integrated pest management practices emphasize minimal use of pesticides in controlling pests, and their adoption by farmers can reduce the use of pesticides and their adverse impacts. The introduction of IPM CRSP activities in Uganda to institutionalize IPM methods focused on priority crops in the country. This study analyzed adoption of eight IPM technologies on cowpea, sorghum and groundnuts. Low levels of adoption (<25%) were found with five of these technologies while three technologies had high adoption levels (>75%). Results indicate that farmers' participation in on-farm trial demonstrations, accessing agricultural knowledge through researchers, and prior participation in pest training were associated with increased adoption of most IPM practices. Size of farmer's land holdings did not affect IPM adoption suggesting that IPM technologies are mostly scale neutral, implying that IPM dissemination may take place regardless of farmer's scale of operation. Farmers' perception of harmful effects of chemicals did not influence farmers' decisions in regard to IPM technology adoption despite their high knowledge of this issue, suggesting that these farmers did not consider environmental and health impacts important factors when choosing farming practices. Farmers' managerial capabilities were not important in explaining cowpea IPM technology adoption. / Master of Science