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With the invasion of Nigeria by the colonialists and introduction of foreign religions by their missionary counterparts over a hundred years ago, it would appear that the indigenous religious practices and holies, especially in Igboland have fallen Jericho-wise. Alas, this is far from the truth. A deep and careful study of Igboland reveals that notwithstanding the seeming massive conversion to the missionary religions and urbanisation, there still exist substantial vestages and elements of indigenous religious practices, holies and belief system of the people so converted. Evidences abound that the people regularly patronise indigenous worship centres, engaging in indigenous prayers while seeking solutions to the challenges that they confront on a daily basis. The paper makes a finding that the presence of the missionary religions, urbanisation and other agents of change have not provided the people with holistic answers or solutions to their problems, making the people resort to the patronage of indigenous worship and worship centres. The paper makes use of document analysis, interviews and observation as methods of data gathering, anchored on the change theory framework and adopting the qualitative/ethnographic approach in its data analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Group antenatal care (G-ANC) is a promising model for improving quality of maternal care and outcomes in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) but little has been published examining the mechanisms by which it may contribute to those improvements. Substantial interplay can be expected between pregnant women and providers' respective experiences of care, but most studies report findings separately. This study explores the experience and effects of G-ANC on both women and providers to inform an integrated theory of change for G-ANC in LMICs. Methods: This paper reports on multiple secondary outcomes from a pragmatic cluster randomized controlled trial of group antenatal care in Kenya and Nigeria conducted from October 2016—November 2018 including 20 clusters per country. We collected qualitative data from providers and women providing or receiving group antenatal care via focus group discussions (19 with women; 4 with providers) and semi-structured interviews (42 with women; 4 with providers). Quantitative data were collected via surveys administered to 1) providers in the intervention arm at enrollment and after facilitating 4 cohorts and 2) women in both study arms at enrollment; 3–6 weeks postpartum; and 1 year postpartum. Through an iterative approach with framework analysis, we explored the interactions of voiced experience and perceived effects of care and placed them relationally within a theory of change. Selected variables from baseline and final surveys were analyzed to examine applicability of the theory to all study participants. Results: Findings support seven inter-related themes. Three themes relate to the shared experience of care of women and providers: forming supportive relationships and open communication; becoming empowered partners in learning and care; and providing and receiving meaningful clinical services and information. Four themes relate to effects of that experience, which are not universally shared: self-reinforcing cycles of more and better care; linked improvements in health knowledge, confidence, and healthy behaviors; improved communication, support, and care beyond G-ANC meetings; and motivation to continue providing G-ANC. Together these themes map to a theory of change which centers the shared experience of care for women and providers among multiple pathways to improved outcomes. Discussion: The reported experience and effects of G-ANC on women and providers are consistent with other studies in LMICs. This study is novel because it uses the themes to present a theory of change for G-ANC in low-resource settings. It is useful for G-ANC implementation to inform model development, test adaptations, and continue exploring mechanisms of action in future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper evaluated UNICEF's Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) programme in Nigeria with an emphasis on the successes achieved, challenges encountered, and prospects to build on, with a special focus on Anambra State. This evaluation became pertinent given the report on WATER AIDS, which found that 67% of Nigerians lack access to basic sanitation, which has been linked to the prevalence of diarrhea cholera, typhoid and other deadly diseases, especially among children and women. This study employed descriptive survey and documentary research designs and utilised both primary and secondary methods of data collection. Data were analysed using the descriptive analytical method, and the study was founded on the theory of change. The study found that WASH Programme has improved access to safe drinking water in Anambra state, improved awareness and consciousness of hand-washing practice and aided in the elimination of open defecation. Some challenges to the WASH programme encountered include inadequate funding and poor maintenance of hygiene facilities. As a result, we recommend corporate synergic funding to sustain the achieved results, and an inbuilt maintenance and sustainability plan and massive sensitisation exercises by the local governments concerned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Audio Computer-Assisted Self-Interview (ACASI) has become increasingly popular for collecting data on sensitive topics among populations with lower levels of literacy. However, the development of an ACASI tool is an involved process that can be further complicated when working in humanitarian contexts during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study describes the development of an ACASI tool to be used in a family-focused intervention evaluation. Participants included adolescent girls aged 10-14, adolescent boys aged 15-19, and caregivers in Borno State, Nigeria. Data to inform the tool's development were collected using cognitive interviews, ACASI demonstrations, and post-demonstration assessments with adolescent girls, adolescent boys, and caregivers, as well as a focus group discussion with enumerators. Data found high levels of acceptance for the tool and helped identify appropriate visual representations for various answer options to maximize usability. The survey was found to be too long to administer solely through ACASI; the final tool employs a combination of ACASI and computer-assisted personal interview formats. Findings highlight the importance of repeatedly piloting and testing these types of tools to ensure content and language resonate with intended users. However, the steps employed demonstrate that researchers can maintain a commitment to developing high-quality, community-grounded research tools despite challenges germane to humanitarian settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the strong mechanisms in the extension service delivery is the connection between agricultural research, extension and the farmers. The evolving new model of agricultural production and the small number of extension agents question old ways of providing valuable knowledge to farmers. The goal was to define the respondents’ socioeconomic characteristics, classify the types of ICT tools adopted by the respondents and identify factors influencing the adoption of ICT in extension service delivery among the respondents. Primary data were obtained using multi-stage cluster sampling technique, using organized questionnaires administered to 254 respondents. Descriptive and inferential statistics was used. The research used Rogers’ Theory of Innovation Diffusion, Rogers and Burde’s Theory of Social Change. The findings from the study have shown that GSM, radio, television, camera, internet, computer, CD/DVD player and VHS video are the most commonly used ICT components in various aspect of extension work. The multiple regression results reveal that gender, age, level of education and working experience has no significant contribution to ICT adoption while marital status, awareness, accessibility and motivation are the most influential factors influencing the adoption of ICT’s in extension service delivery. The study recommends that government for support the extension organizations with the most commonly used ICT components, ensure adequate awareness and access to ICT’s. The government support and interest will motivate the extension agents to adopt ICT’s tools and technology in extension service delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]