Small and medium enterprises operating within the agriculture sectors are important entities because of their contribution to the economy. This study's objective was to investigate the factors that influence the performance of agricultural SMEs within the Khomas region. This study adopted the inductive approach in the quest to explore factors which influence the performance of agricultural SMEs in the Khomas region. The study adopted the exploratory design qualitative methods in collecting and analysing data. The population of this study consists of 43 enterprises engaging in agricultural activities on a small-scale basis. Using the convenience sampling method, the researcher identified ten (10) individuals of which seven (7) were farm owners and three (3) were farm managers for participation in the study. The researcher conducted face-to-face interviews with the identified participants using an interview schedule as the data collection tool. The researcher analysed qualitative data through qualitative content analysis. From the analysis, the study concluded that lack of support, lack of formal planning and lack of expertise negatively influence the performance of agriculture SMEs within the Khomas region in Namibia. Financial limitations and the inability of the agricultural SMEs to secure and manage financial resources also have a negative impact on the performance of agricultural SMEs, which leads to their poor performance. The study, however, reveals that agricultural SMEs contribute to economic development through job creation, food production and infrastructure development, and that makes their effective performance significant to the economy. Hence, the study proposes recommendations for the government to provide support to agricultural SMEs, the training of agricultural SMEs to ensure that they have the desired expertise to perform their farming activities, as well as how to manage business operations and create a market for locally produced agricultural products. The study further recommends that agricultural SMEs adopt formal planning to facilitate the effective allocation of resources, as well as track their progress. Implementation of the recommendations would enhance the performance of agricultural SMEs and increase their ability to contribute to economic development.

Thesis (MComm (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / This study seeks to analyse the critical factors that influence the success and failure of Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Namibia in the Khomas Findings of the study indicate that there is a problem of business failure in the Khomas Region. Although business owners of successful and unsuccessful businesses recognise the support from the government, most unsuccessful business owners feel that the lack of proper governmental assistance is still one of the most critical factors that led to failure. Finally the major recommendation of the study highlights the issue that the government should come up with strategic measures (such as business incubators) that will prolong the survival of SMEs. Region. To achieve this, the objectives of this study are to confirm whether there is a problem of business failure in Namibia in the Khomas Region. This will be done by identifying the causes of the problems and to search for practical solutions, given the causes of the problems. It is important that the problems associated with business success and failure be understood. Through an analysis of theoretical information and empirical results it is possible to establish how to facilitate more innovative and effective development that is much needed in developing countries, such as Namibia. From the literature it became clear that there are numerous advantages and disadvantages associated with operating an SME. There will be always disadvantages for which we may never find solutions. Despite this, it is evident that SMEs are crucial for the development of any country, as they offer benefits such as subcontractors for larger organisations, economic growth and employment generation. Data were colleted from respondents by means of forty structured questionnaires (twenty for successful firms and twenty for unsuccessful firms) consisting of 23 questions (plus three open-ended questions). Nineteen of the questionnaires were returned of which twelve were from successful firms and nine from unsuccessful firms. The sample was drawn from a list of all the SME owners in Namibia in the Khomas Region.

Magister Public Health - MPH / Objective: The study aim was to measure the operational effectiveness of a single dose Nevirapine for PMTCT programme among infants aged six weeks in Khomas region of Namibia.Methods: This was a retrospective record review quantitative study based on a descriptive approach. The record review aimed at measuring operational effectiveness through the distribution of certain variables among HIV exposed infants including the socio economic variables such as age, sex and the breast feeding practices of their mothers. A total of 451 HIV positive mothers and their infant pairs` record registers were reviewed in two hospitals of Khomas region, Namibia.Results: A total of 451 PMTCT mothers’ records for the year 2007 (median age 29 years) were reviewed in the Katutura and Windhoek Central hospitals of Namibia.. The HIV prevalence among infants aged six weeks or more out of the total 167 tested was 5% (95%CI, 0.9 -3.7). Conclusion: The findings from this study shows that although the rate of PMTCT in tested infants was low, registers for maternity and infant follow up are extremely poorly completed with the vast amounts of missing information making it difficult to assess programme effectiveness and monitor programme outcomes. PMTCT programme registers and routine monitoring and evaluation data need to be strengthened.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In a stable economic environment and enabling macro economy, such as Namibia, a small and medium enterprise (SME) sector is vital for the growth and sustainability of the economy. Although several studies have been conducted on SMEs, to the best of the researcher's knowledge, no single study has been conducted with regard to SME development in Namibia with emphasis on the Khomas region. The aim of this study was to explore the progress made, during the last decade in minimising constraints faced by SMEs in key developmental areas, such as access to finance, sound management, business processes, marketing and strategic alliances. In order to adequately address these key developmental areas the research sought to address the following questions: What strategies should SMEs adopt in terms of management, finance, marketing and networking in order to ensure their future viability? What is the institutional capacity from the sample of 50 SMEs in the Khomas region? What are the likely capital and recurrent cost implications with respect to traders wanting to form alliances in the Khomas region? What potential problems are likely to emanate from the SMEs' venturing into the export processing enclave? The government of Namibia, in 1997, recognised the important role SMEs can play in the country's socio-economic development. A number of policy documents were issued to give clear definitions of small businesses and to stipulate government programmes intended to ensure that conditions are favourable and enabling for SMEs' growth in Namibia. This research study explores the impact of the process of development since the passing of the Government SME Policy in 1997. Furthermore, this research looked at policy documents on SMEs, national development plans (NDPs), millennium development goals (MDGs), other developmental goals and government policies relevant to SME development in Namibia. The analysis indicates that the majority (74%) of SMEs in the Khomas region are involved in general dealing, like footstalls, detergent makers and the service industry. According to the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI 1997: 29), lack of finance is widely regarded as one of the major obstacles to the development of more advanced small businesses. Most of the SMEs do not have sufficient funds to venture into capital intensive programmes like manufacturing activities. As a result, general dealing becomes a better option since it does not require large sums of money to start operating or to expand current operations. Financial institutions have stringent collateral requirements; therefore access to finance is regarded as a major limiting factor for SME growth in the Khomas region. The survey also concluded that most SME owners act as sole proprietors and try to perform all business operations by themselves. They usually fail to keep financial records, due to ignorance of its importance. As a result most SMEs do not know how much money they have used or profits made. This research investigated, concluded and made recommendations on the factors that have assisted or impeded SME development in Namibia, with emphasis in the Khomas region.

The teaching of abstract concepts requires higher cognitive thinking skills and thus presents a challenge for most subjects in the curriculum, in particular, science subjects. Teachers often complain that they struggle to develop higher cognitive skills in learners in such topics. As a result, learners fail to understand science concepts and then complain that science is boring and hence lose interest in the subject. The main reason for this study was to investigate how Grade 7 Natural Science teachers mediate the learning of abstract topics, in particular, atoms and molecules which are regarded as the building blocks in chemistry. This study further sought to develop a teaching unit of work on atoms, molecules and the Periodic Table in partnership with the participating teachers, in order to help improve teaching and learning of the topic. The study is located within an interpretive paradigm. Within this paradigm, a qualitative case study approach was adopted whereby two Grade 7 Natural Science teachers in the Khomas Region were the research participants. This approach enabled me to seek for answers beyond the obvious classroom experiences by using document analysis, semi-structured interviews and classroom observation (which were video-taped and transcribed). The theoretical frameworks underpinning this study focused on mediation of learning and social constructivism as expounded by Vygotsky, in conjunction with Shulman’s pedagogical content knowledge. Hence, emphasis was placed on the teaching strategies used by teachers, such as elicitation of prior knowledge during the lessons, language used, interaction of learners and ways how teachers deal with the challenges faced by them in the mediation of learning. An inductive analysis to discover patterns and themes was applied during the data analysis process. The themes were further turned into analytical statements to interpret the data. The validation process was achieved by using a variety of data gathering techniques. I watched the videotaped lessons with the observed teachers and I made use of member checking in the form of stimulated recall interviews and transcripts of the interviews. Thus, a summary of discussions were given back to the respondents to verify their responses and check for any misinterpretations. Different chapters of my study were given to colleagues to read through as a means of the validation process. Herein lies the importance of a critical friend in qualitative research. The findings of the study revealed that concepts of high cognitive demand should not be oversimplified when introduced to learners, as learners might find it difficult to define and conceptualise concepts as they do not have proper insights into the concepts. The findings further illuminated that teachers should develop a strong subject content knowledge as well as pedagogical content knowledge to have the best strategies in place to mediate learning of this topic. The study concludes, with Phase 2, that the exposure of and cooperation between teachers plays an indispensable role in their professional development. Essentially, this enables teachers to make use of different teaching styles as they scaffold learners in the process of making sense of, in particular, abstract science concepts. Finally, this study recommends that teachers need to engage in on-going professional development opportunities and be equipped with suitable learning support and other necessary physical resources, as a way of motivation and to be in a position to deal with all the many challenges they have to face during the mediation of learning.

Magister Public Health - MPH / Primary Health Care (PHC) services in Namibia are based on the principles of equity,availability, accessibility, affordability of services, and community participation and empowerment. According to the Namibian Constitution and the National Health Policy,all Namibians should have equal access to public health services at no cost to the patient.The government places a high premium on the involvement of communities in PHC through communication, consultation and respectful interaction between health workers and patients and communities in the interests of quality service delivery. Services provided at PHC facilities include immunisations, antenatal care, post-natal care, family planning, health education, tuberculosis and malaria treatment, outreach services, antiretroviral treatment (ART), and the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission(PMTCT) programme. Numerous complaints have been received from patients relating to patients' admissions at clinics, long waiting hours, over-crowded facilities, poor communication between patients and nurses, and non-availability of some medications and medical officers at some of the PHC facilities.This study investigated patient satisfaction and the reasons for reported poor nursepatient relations at PHC facilities in Khomas region in Namibia. The objectives of the study were to describe patient’s perceptions concerning quality of service delivery at PHC clinics, to explore factors related to the clinic environment that might influence perceived quality of care and to describe the nature of nurse-patient relations. Methodology A descriptive, qualitative study was conducted among randomly selected patients (15) and registered nurses (5) at five purposively selected PHC clinics in Khomas region, in the Windhoek district. Five sisters-in-charge from the designated facilities were interviewed as key informants.Data was collected through key informant interviews and focused interviews with nurses and patients, respectively. Data on the participants’ experiences and perceptions of using the health services, as well as factors influencing nurse-patient relations and patient satisfaction was collected. Interview data was recorded on audiotape and transcribed verbatim. Data from key informants was captured in field notes. Thematic analysis of transcribed data was conducted.Results Low patient satisfaction with services was confirmed as a key problem facing four out of the five health facilities visited in Khomas region. Patient dissatisfaction was mostly related to the long waiting times, which in turn, was caused by increased patient numbers as a result of the escalating HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis (TB) epidemics, ART roll out and increased immigration to Windhoek. Other factors attributed to low patient satisfaction were poor communication between health providers and patients, nonavailability of family planning and immunisation services, and frequent stock-outs of some prescribed medicines.ConclusionsThe findings of this study support the need to rethink nurse-patient relations for greater patient satisfaction and quality of service delivery in the public Primary Health Care facilities in Khomas region. Greater care should be taken to inform patients about service days and the staffing limitations at health facilities, and to educate and empower patients for self-care. Communication strategies should target negative perceptions about service delivery at PHC clinics in the communities. In-service training in areas like case management, different PHC disciplines and communication skills are needed to improve the competency of nurses. In addition, motivation of nurses needs to be addressed through recognition and appreciation from management in order to avoid frustrations and negative attitudes towards patients. Motivation of nurses can be improved by paying attention to their work environment and the physical structure of health facilities.

Domestic violence is an endemic problem in Namibia and may be the most underreported form of violence against women and men, girls and boys residing in the country [Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS), 2014:295]. Domestic violence, takes many forms, including physical aggression (hitting, kicking, biting, shoving, restraining, slapping, or throwing objects) as well as threats, rape, other forms of sexual and emotional abuse, controlling or domineering behaviours, intimidation, stalking, and passive or covert abuse (e.g., neglect or economic deprivation). Victims of rape and gender-based violence (GBV), however appear to face significant challenges in accessing healthcare support services. It is against this background that this study was conducted. The main goal of this study is to explore and describe the challenges faced by survivors of rape in the Khomas region of Namibia in accessing health and support services. The study utilised a qualitative research approach, which was applied research, as it focused on problems faced in the practice of identifying and seeking to address the challenges faced by rape survivors in the process of trying to heal from the trauma of rape. The phenomenological design was deemed appropriate for this study since it dealt with some sensitive issues regarding personal experiences of violence and reaction to it. The study was therefore exploratory and descriptive in nature an unstructured one-onone interviews were used to collect data. Findings from the study showed that rape survivors in the Khomas region of Namibia face many challenges in accessing healthcare support services which relate to the problems that they face as a result of the rape, as well as to the nature of support that they get from healthcare centres, the police, the community as well as their socioeconomic circumstances. Close collaboration is required between relevant stakeholders such as healthcare workers, police, communities, the legal justice system and policy makers. This will assist in the development of more effective policies and the building systems and institutions that are more effective in offering support to survivors of rape. It is therefore recommended that service delivery to support survivors of rape be improved in such a way that it becomes more accessible and survivor friendly. / Mini Dissertation (MSW (Healthcare))--University of Pretoria, 2019. / Social Work and Criminology / MSW (Healthcare) / Unrestricted

There have been tremendous economic developments in all parts of the world including developing nations. One of the major drivers of these developments has been from the Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs). These businesses have enabled many nations to create employment, resulting in an increase in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In as much as SMEs have well documented benefits, they also require many support, capital and business skills. This has led to the establishment of SME incubation centres where start-ups are hosted and trained to have the business skills. However, despite the incubation initiatives, SMEs still fail to grow and always have challenges. At times, the challenges are not finance related but lack of proper business strategies. This could be addressed by considering business models. This dissertation considers the initiatives that have been taking place on SMEs. A case study of SMEs in Namibia within the Khomas region is used. A mixed research approach was adopted. Specific research methods used were interviews and observations with questionnaires being used as the instruments to gather the required information. SMEs from the Bokamoso Entrepreneurial Centre in Windhoek were selected for the research population. One of the popular Business Model Canvas tools was used as a sample of a guide in data collection, where SMEs engaged were to indicate how they apply certain categories of the canvas. Results show that SMEs engaged do not have specific business models they are applying. However, there were many elements and understanding of the categories from the business model canvas. At the same time, SMEs mentioned incorporating technologies in their businesses and using ICTs to reach customers and make an effort to cut on the cost of bringing in stock. It was also clear that SMEs work independently and have long working hours when they are to meet specific orders. It was concluded that SMEs’ needs are different and that it may be difficult to use one business model. However, a mixture of a few business models could be combined to cater for the changing environment and address business needs. The Business Model Canvas could be applied for the Namibian SMEs but there is need to consider some other business models such as cutting out the middleman, business partnership models and bricks and clicks models. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)

The inadequate housing allowance, rental allowance, taxable subsidies and housing shortages in developing countries are some of the challenges of the 21st century. Namibia is no exception. The study is aimed at figuring out whether government actions and interventions are meant to address homelessness challenges for low-income households. Furthermore, the research problem is broadened to gain insight on the effects from four countries’ housing policies as covered in the study; namely Namibia, Botswana, Nigeria and South Africa. The literature review undertaken proved that Botswana and South Africa have the best housing allowance schemes for public servants below management cadres, and have already successfully addressed public housing problems in their respective countries. Other findings of the study are; land shortage for housing development, housing affordability problems, escalating prices for building materials, lack of intergovernmental relations systems, unemployment and low incomes. Several recommendations include; to assist the Namibian government to emulate good examples of Botswana and South Africa, especially by providing land free of charge to its citizens (in the case of Botswana), solve financial institutions’ attitude of denying low-in-come earners loans, review housing allowances, rent allowances and subsidies every two years, increase government/member contribution ratios to either 50 percent or 100 percent due to high inflation rates. Stop distorting housing market prices by property developers and come up with a housing pricing policy for Namibia. / Public Administration / M.A. (Public Administration)

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / "This study is guided by theories about educational policy implementation and their implications for teaching. These theories underline the notion that educational reform is a progress and it iv comes in cycles. According to Tyack and Cuban (1995), the first cycle (policy talk) is for diagnosing problems and for advocacy of solutions. It is followed by policy action; then actual implementation of the plan. The implications for these theories therefore imply that teachers play an important role in any educational reform and as such should be involved in any decision making and policy implementation in order to make any change in education a worthwhile process (Fullan, 2001; Helsby, 1999; Tyack and Cuban, 1995). This study focused on the implementation of the policy document Towards education for All: A development brief for education, culture, and training and its implications on mathematics teachers at secondary schools. The policy document highlights the main features of Learner-Centered approaches. Therefore, the aim of the study is to investigate how mathematics teachers implement Learner-Centered Education in Mathematics classrooms in Namibia..."