A Hidden Resource: Household-led Rural Water Supply in Ethiopia

Self supply as a strategy for WASH is defined as "improvement to water supplies delivered largely or wholly through user investment usually at household level." The two research studies reported on in this paper examined self supply in rural Ethiopia, gaining insights on the performance of existing family wells, factors that affect the decision of families to build their own wells and the way they use them, and elements of the enabling environment that can be targeted to promote self supply

Household food insecurity and mental distress among pregnant women in Southwestern Ethiopia : a cross sectional study design

Background: There are compelling theoretical and empirical reasons that link household food insecurity to mental distress in the setting where both problems are common. However, little is known about their association during pregnancy in Ethiopia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to examine the association of household food insecurity with mental distress during pregnancy. Six hundred and forty-two pregnant women were recruited from 11 health centers and one hospital. Probability proportional to size (PPS) and consecutive sampling techniques were employed to recruit study subjects until the desired sample size was obtained. The Self Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20) was used to measure mental distress and a 9-item Household Food Insecurity Access Scale was used to measure food security status. Descriptive and inferential statistics were computed accordingly. Multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate the effect of food insecurity on mental distress. Results: Fifty eight of the respondents (9 %) were moderately food insecure and 144 of the respondents (22.4 %) had mental distress. Food insecurity was also associated with mental distress. Pregnant women living in food insecure households were 4 times more likely to have mental distress than their counterparts (COR = 3.77, 95 % CI: 2.17, 6.55). After controlling for confounders, a multivariate logistic regression model supported a link between food insecurity and mental distress (AOR = 4.15, 95 % CI: 1.67, 10.32). Conclusion: The study found a significant association between food insecurity and mental distress. However, the mechanism by which food insecurity is associated with mental distress is not clear. Further investigation is therefore needed to understand either how food insecurity during pregnancy leads to mental distress or weather mental distress is a contributing factor in the development of food insecurity

Major Factors That Affect Female Teachers’ Participation in School Leadership: The Case of Public Primary Schools in Jimma Town

The purpose of this study was to assess the major factors that affect female teachers‟ participation in primary school leadership in Jimma Town. With this, an attempt was made to forward possible solutions for this problems. To conduct this study, descriptive survey method was employed. The participants of this study were 104 teachers selected by using simple random sampling techniques. Out of this, female teachers constitute 53 whereas the remaining 51 are male teachers. The 6 school principals, 5 Town Education Officials, and 4 Women and children affairs office holder were also involved in the study. The data were collected by using questionnaire, interview and document analysis. Both quantitative and qualitative data analysis were employed in order to reach at results. The findings of the study revealed; higher officials make gender bias while selecting school leader; lack of special support to females to win competition for leadership position in the education system of the town; they were strong in making decision; females are less participated as both heads and deputy head teachers: females have capability to lead primary school; men consider women as their equal counterparts; females assume that they will not be successful in leading school; females do not have plan and set their promotion goals to be school leader. Some of the challenges which could hinder women representation in educational leadership were for instance, pressure of home responsibilities, men dominance of management position, unclear promotion procedures. In the finding, the participants of the study also justified the following as the possible solution for the factors that affect women representation in leadership. These are providing training for women(Mentoring), gender awareness campaign, gender fairness in school leadership position, fighting traditions that hinder the progress of women, ,discourage societal discrimination, change family traditional structure(societal support), sensitize society to accept women leadership, women should be self-confident women's self -motivation.Jimma Universit

Challenges Encountered by Students with Visual Impairment in the Exclusion of Mathematics Education

The integration of students with visual impairment in learning mathematics in school constitutes one of the major challenges in Ethiopia. Most of the educational curriculum is oriented towards the use of the eyesight. To give insight into the situations of challenges faced by blind/visually impaired students due to the exclusion of mathematics education. The study employed a qualitative research approach and purposive sampling technique. From 25 participants 15 of them participated in an interview and 10 participated in focus group discussion guided by semi-structured instruments. Interviews focus group discussion and the key informant interview was employed to get relevant and sufficient data. Accordingly, the thematic data analysis procedure delineated was used. The study was carried out at Sidist kilo campus in Addis Ababa University. Multifaceted challenges encountered by blind/visual impaired students due to the exclusion of math education. Individual’s attitudinal or institutional barriers, the existing exclusive curriculum and the use of assistive technology could be an impediment to learn mathematics and its related fields. The result confirmed that the majority of the participants revealed that due to the exclusion of learning mathematics, they are encountered with marginalization from different fields at the university. Ministry of education, the regional educational bureau, schools, and teachers will consistently implement a dependable inclusive for mathematics education and provision of necessary support for the needs of blind students in learning mathematics

Analysis of Factors Affecting Smallholder Farmers’ Access to Formal Credit in Jibat District, West Shoa Zone, Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, among other things, lack of finance is one of the fundamental problems hampering production, productivity and income of rural farm households. Since access to institutional finance is very limited, the majority of the poor are forced to search financial services through informal channels. This study is concerned with analysis of factors affecting smallholder farmers’ access to formal credit. As credit is one of the most important factors required for smallholders input utilization, it is important to have sustainable agricultural development. A two stage sampling method was employed. A total of 148 farm households were selected randomly using probability proportional to size. Descriptive statistics and logit model were used for analyzing quantitative data. The output from the study indicates that 51 (34.5 per cent) of the sampled farm households were formal credit users, whereas the remaining 97 (65.5 per cent) were non-users. It was also found out that credit access to female headed households is still limited and the difference between the wealth groups in accessing credit from the formal sources was also statistically significant. Farmers acknowledge group lending that solves the problem of collateral requirement by lending institutions, controls misuse of borrowed funds and minimizes the risk of default and they also recognize the provision of saving services by microfinance institutions. The maximum likelihood estimates of the logistic regression model show that Frequency of contact Development Agents, physical distance of farmers from lending institutions, family size, farm size, experience in credit use from the formal sources, Sex of household head, education level of household head, participation of households in extension package program, attitudes towards Risk, farmers’ perception of Loan repayment period, farmers’ perception of Lending procedures, lack of opportunity to take a second loan , and membership of farmer’s multipurpose cooperatives were important factors influencing formal credit use of smallholder farmers. Therefore, policy aimed to accelerate agricultural development in the area could be successful if these factors and problems are taken into consideration to access credit from the formal financial sources. Based on the findings of the study and personal observation of the situation in which the analysis of factors affecting smallholder farmers’ access to formal credit systems are found, some recommendations are forwarded Keywords: access to formal credit, input utilization, logistic regression model and Ethiopia

Cold stratification complements cold water in enhancing the germination of Juniperus procera seeds

Enhancing seed germination is a fundamental step for conservation of plant genetic resources but less is understood specifically for endangered native and endemic tree species in the tropics.We examined how cold stratification and application of different treatments impact the germination of Juniperus procera seeds. We collected seeds from nine different altitudes of Managesha forest, Oromia region, Ethiopia. The seeds were stored in gene bank at -10oC for four years for cold stratification as a dormancy breaking method. We employed three treatments: cold water, 70oC hot water and 100 ml of 1% H2O2 to setup germination experiment in completely randomized design with four replications (50 seeds each). The germinated seeds were counted every fifth day until no more germinated seeds were observed. We analyzed data using two-way ANOVA and the significant for mean difference among altitudinal gradients was computed with Tukey HSD tests. The germination percent from cold stratified and moistened in cold water was higher than either from control, soaking in 70oC hot water or applying 1% H2O2 solution. Moreover, the germination percent varied among the altitudinal gradients for all the three treatments. At some altitudes, the germination was higher or lower consistently throughout control and the three treatments. The variations in altitudinal gradient and the associated environmental factors have triggered the differences in germinability of J. procera seeds. Our overall results suggest that cold stratification can complement cold water to break the dormancy and enhance the germination of J. procera seeds

Climate Change and Human Population Increase Impacts on Swayne's Hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus swaynei) Conservation in Senkele Swayne's Hartebeest Sanctuary, Ethiopia

Swayne s hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus swaynei) is an endangered endemic antelope found in Ethiopia. The only viable population found in Senkele has been threatened by anthropogenic activities. Contemporary climate change together with an alarmingly increasing human population is becoming a principal conservation challenge worldwide. Therefore, assessing the extent of impacts of these contemporary factors on local protected areas is crucial to find ways to mitigate such impacts. This study evaluated the impacts of climate change and human population increase on the hartebeest conservation in Senkele Swayne s hartebeest Sanctuary. Some socioeconomic, environmental and the hartebeest behavioural components were integrated in the study. Precipitation, temperature, flight initiation experiments and questionnaires data were collected during the summer of 2014. There was a fast human population growth rate (reached more than 42% within ten years), characterized by high level of illiteracy, agriculture dominated livelihood with presence of a large cattle population. Livestock grazing remains the principal conflict source in the sanctuary, and it is more intensified by longer drought periods and absence of alternative foraging places. The hartebeests are imposed to high level of disturbance by local people. However, the absence of lethal activities, and the frequent contact between hartebeest and local people have allowed them to adapt the presence of local people. In flight distance experiments, they showed higher flight distance to strangers than to local people. Precipitation of all months showed either increasing or decreasing trends, and the annual precipitation showed an insignificant decline trend from 1984 2013. Months from December to January showed a significant decline trends with high variation. The seasonal lag and decline in precipitation amount together with an increase in temperature, affected the rain-fed dependent livelihood of local people. Moreover, such climatic variability has a potential to distress the physiology of the hartebeest. The accelerated demographic and environmental changes in the area are escalating challenges to conservation of an already endangered antelope. Fine-tuned and incentive-based approaches have been implemented to minimize human impacts, however, far from bringing the significant conservation tips. An urgent conservation measurement is needed from local and global conservation communities to ensure the survival of this antelope