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Aim: The aim of this discursive paper was to describe and expound on how paediatric nurses will be able to address the needs of children and adolescents through the lens of selected Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Rwanda. Design: A discursive analysis of SDGs relating to the roles of paediatric nurses in the context of Rwanda. Methods: A discursive method using SDGs as a guiding framework is used in this paper. We drew on our own experiences and supported them with the available literature. Results: A collection of contextually relevant examples of how paediatric nurses will be able to address the needs of children and adolescents through the lens of selected SDGs in Rwanda was discussed. The selected SDGs expounded on were: no poverty, good health and well‐being, quality of education, decent work and economic growth, reduced inequalities, and partnerships for the goals. Conclusions: There is no doubt that the paediatric nurses in Rwanda play undeniable key roles in attaining SDGs and their targets. Thus, there is a need to train more paediatric nurses with the support of the interdisciplinary partners. Collaboratively, this is possible in the bid to ensure equitable and accessible care to the current and future generations. Public contribution: This discursive paper is intended to inform the different stakeholders in nursing practice, research, education and policy to support and invest in the advanced education of paediatric nurses for attainment of the SDGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the drivers of improvements in child undernutrition at only the national level can mask subnational differences. This paper aimed to understand the contributions of factors in the enabling environment to observed differences in stunting reduction between districts in Rwanda. In 2017, we conducted 58 semi‐structured interviews with mid‐level actors (n = 38) and frontline workers (n = 20) implementing Rwanda's multi‐sectoral nutrition policy in five districts in which stunting decreased (reduced districts) and five where it increased or stagnated (non‐reduced districts) based on Rwanda's 2010 and 2014/15 Demographic and Health Surveys. Mid‐level actors are government officials and service providers at the subnational level who represent the frontline of government policy. Interviews focused on political commitment to and policy coherence in nutrition, and contributors to nutrition changes. Responses were coded to capture themes on the changes and challenges of these topics and compared between reduced and non‐reduced districts. Descriptive statistics described district characteristics. Political commitment to nutrition was high in both reduced and non‐reduced districts. Respondents from reduced districts were more likely to define commitment to nutrition as an optimal implementation of policy, whereas those from non‐reduced districts focused more on financial commitment. Regarding coherence, respondents from reduced compared to non‐reduced districts were more likely to report the optimal implementation of multi‐sectoral nutrition planning meetings, using data to assess plans and progress in nutrition outcomes and integration of nutrition into the agriculture sector. In contrast, respondents from non‐reduced districts more often reported challenges in their relationships with national‐level stakeholders and nutrition and/or monitoring and evaluation capacities. Enhancing the integration of nutrition in different sectors and improving mid‐level actors' capacity to plan and advocate for nutrition programming may contribute to reductions in stunting. Key messages: Understanding the lens through which policy implementers at subnational levels view multi‐sectoral nutrition strategies and their role in these strategies provides useful information on the facilitators and constraints of implementation for nutrition actions.Differences in leadership and responsiveness to prioritise nutrition at the subnational levels are important in decentralised governance systems where responsibilities in nutrition planning, coordination and implementation shift to mid‐level actors.Mainstreaming nutrition responsibilities across sectors and administrative levels requires investments in capacities to plan, monitor and advocate for multi‐sectoral nutrition programming, including for mid‐level actors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Childhood malnutrition, which is endemic in rural areas of low‐income countries, leads to a host of deleterious outcomes such as poor cognitive development, low educational attainment and lower lifetime wages. Promoting the consumption of eggs among young children has emerged as a promising strategy to combat childhood malnutrition, though pathways to scale remain unclear. In this paper, we evaluate the impact of a social and behaviour change communication (SBCC) campaign combined with a program in which rural families purchased chickens on credit (poultry + SBCC; n = 769) relative to an arm in which families only received the poultry intervention (poultry only; n = 750), using a difference‐in‐difference estimation strategy with propensity score matching. The SBCC consisted of radio messages, in‐person training, text message reminders and posters. We found a relatively modest but statistically significant increase in the number of times per week respondents in the poultry + SBCC arm reported feeding eggs to children of 0.28 (p = 0.02) compared to the poultry‐only arm. The increase in egg feeding, however, was more pronounced for boys (0.42, p < 0.01) than for girls (0.14, p = 0.26). In addition, the campaign increased egg feeding more for those who were already feeding eggs to children (0.63, p < 0.01) than those who were not engaging in those practices at baseline (0.26, p < 0.01). However, the difference in these differences was not statistically significant. Future campaigns should ensure higher saturation of messaging and include specific messaging around the importance of feeding girls as well as boys. Campaigns seeking to scale up egg feeding quickly could potentially target the easier‐to‐reach segment of caregivers who already occasionally feed eggs to children though these might not be the neediest group. Key messages: A multi‐pronged social and behaviour change communication campaign increased egg consumption among young children in rural Rwanda.While the egg consumption gains were modest, the social behaviour change campaign was not fully implemented due to COVID‐19 and other challenges, so it is possible that a more fully implemented campaign could achieve greater impacts.Effects appeared to be most pronounced for boys and those who were already feeding eggs to children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Countries across the world continue to invest in social protection programs with the goal of ending poverty by 2030. It is important to examine these programs to know whether they are serving the purpose of reducing poverty. In Rwanda, the impact of the Vision Umurenge Program (VUP) regarding poverty‐related outcomes has not been consistently revealed. This leads to uncertainty about the program's effectiveness in achieving the stated goals. This paper intends to fill this gap by estimating the impact of the VUP Direct Support on poverty outcomes. It uses the Propensity Score Matching method to compare the effects of the VUP with a counterfactual outcome. The findings show that the program is benefitting households in response to economic risks. However, the scheme is not lifting them above the national poverty lines. The main contribution of the paper is that it uses a novel method using the latest statistics to evaluate the VUP. In addition, it uses the most recent household data. The study provides a significant contribution to evaluation of the effectiveness of anti‐poverty interventions in Rwanda, as well as the Sub‐Saharan region, where the journey towards achieving the goal of reducing poverty is demanding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The density of lightning flashes is quite high in Rwanda and its neighboring countries in Africa. In rural areas of these countries, there are still many clay‐wall houses. Sometimes people in clay‐wall houses are fatally injured by direct lightning strikes to the houses. In this paper, the electric field in a clay‐wall house and the step voltage on the floor, associated with a direct lightning strike to the house, are analyzed using the finite‐difference time‐domain (FDTD) method. Also, the electric field and the step voltage in the same clay‐wall house but with a horizontal air termination conductor connected to buried vertical bar earth conductors or a square ring earth conductor via bare or insulated down conductors are analyzed using the FDTD method. It has been shown that installing these protection systems reduces the inside electric field and the step voltage on the floor particularly if insulated down conductors are employed. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In contrast to their use in warfare and surveillance, there is growing interest in the potential of "drones for good" to deliver societal benefits, for example by delivering medical products and other essential goods. Yet development of medical and commercial delivery has been limited globally by restrictive regulation to protect airspace safety and security. In this paper we examine how certain African countries have become testbeds for new forms of drone infrastructure and regulation, driven by the overlapping interests of governments, drone operators, and international development agencies. In particular we explore the factors that have led to the development of an advanced medical delivery network in Rwanda and contrast that with the closing down of airspace for drones in Tanzania. The paper makes a distinctive contribution to research on the ongoing constitution of dronespace as a sphere of commercial and governmental activity. Rwanda's drone delivery system is seen as the forerunner for the wider enclosure and parcelling up of the lower atmosphere into designated drone corridors that limit the democratic and disruptive potential of drone activity in line with prevailing logics of airspace regulation. In this paper we examine how certain African countries have become testbeds for new forms of drone infrastructure and regulation, driven by the overlapping interests of governments, drone operators, and international development agencies. In particular we explore the factors that have led to the development of an advanced medical delivery network in Rwanda and contrast that with the closing down of airspace for drones in Tanzania. The paper makes a distinctive contribution to research on the ongoing constitution and enclosure of dronespace as a sphere of commercial and governmental activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, has emerged as one of the most serious invasive species in many countries across Africa, Asia and Oceania. The pest is causing extensive damage to maize production and the intensification of pesticide use. In this paper, we examined the effectiveness of three mass‐extension channels (plant health rallies, radio drama and SMS) in enhancing farmers' knowledge and management of FAW and in increasing maize productivity. Applying matching techniques to data from 720 smallholder farmers and 1077 maize plots in Eastern Rwanda, we found that exposure to the information channels is significantly associated with increased knowledge outcomes, including knowledge of the correct identification of FAW and the use of cultural practices as the first resort to pest management. Moreover, the information channels showed positive effects on the adoption of environmentally friendly management practices. Generally, the treatment effects are larger for households exposed to multiple (especially all) channels, indicating complementary effects of the channels. We also found suggestive evidence that the information channels are associated with maize yield increases ranging from 10% to 34%, depending on the channel. Overall, the results imply that multi‐channel information campaigns can be effective in enhancing farmers' knowledge on how to identify and sustainably manage the FAW pest. Our findings also suggest that while there is a growing popularity in the use of digital extension approaches to deliver timely information to farmers in a cost‐effective manner, much greater gains can be achieved if they are combined with other low‐cost face‐to‐face extension methods, such as plant health rallies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we measured Rwandan men's engagement in HIV services based on the UNAIDS 90‐90‐90 targets and assessed factors associated with linkage to HIV services. We analyzed the Rwanda Population‐based HIV Impact Assessment (RPHIA) data for 15‐ to 64‐year‐old males. We conducted bivariate analysis to assess the distribution and association of sociodemographic characteristics with UNAIDS 90‐90‐90 targets. We adjusted multivariable models to understand the effect measurement of associated factors and determine the factors that best predict the achievement of UNAIDS 90‐90‐90. Of 13 780 males aged 15–64 years who participated in the RPHIA and consented to the blood draw and HIV testing, 302 had a positive HIV result, while 301 had valid responses to all variables analyzed in this paper and were included in the analysis. We found that age group was an explanatory and predictive factor for achievement of UNAIDS 90‐90‐90. Younger men living with HIV (MLHIV) are less likely to have achieved UNAIDS 90‐90‐90 compared to MLHIV 50–64 years old: adjusted odds ratio (aOR) for MLHIV aged 15–34 years was 0.21 (0.08–0.53) and aOR for MLHIV aged 35–49 years was 0.77 (0.36–1.66). To close the UNAIDS 90‐90‐90 gap in Rwanda, innovative service delivery strategies are needed to support young MLHIV to reach 90‐90‐90. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction/Background: Safe and quality surgery is crucial for child health. In Rwanda, district hospitals serve as primary entry points for pediatric patients needing surgical care. This paper reports on the organizational readiness and facility capacity to provide pediatric surgery in three district hospitals in rural Rwanda. Methods: We administered the Children's Surgical Assessment Tool, adapted for a Rwandan district hospital, to assess facility readiness across 5 domains (infrastructure, workforce, service delivery, financing, and training) at three Partners in Health supported district hospitals (Kirehe, Rwinkwavu, and Butaro District Hospitals). We used the Safe Surgery Organizational Readiness Tool (SSORT) to measure perceived individual and team readiness to implement surgical quality improvement interventions across 14 domains. Results: None of the facilities had a dedicated pediatric surgeon, and the most common barriers to pediatric surgery were lack of surgeon (68%), lack of physician anesthesiologists (19%), and inadequate infrastructure (17%). There were gaps in operating and recovery room infrastructure and information management for pediatric outpatients and referrals. In SSORT interviews (n = 47), the highest barriers to increasing pediatric surgery capacity were facility capacity (mean score = 2.6 out of 5), psychological safety (median score = 3.0 out of 5), and resistance to change (mean score = 1.5 out of 5 with 5 = no resistance). Conclusions: This study highlights challenges in providing safe and high‐quality surgical care to pediatric patients in three rural district hospitals in Rwanda. It underscores the need for targeted interventions to address facility and organizational barriers prior to implementing interventions to expand pediatric surgical capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Rwanda's economic recovery since the genocide is largely associated with the government's effective leadership. This paper questions that narrative, highlighting that failure—rather than consistent effectiveness—is a common feature of productive sector policies in late developing countries and that the Rwandan case is no different. Using three examples where Rwanda's party‐owned investment group (Crystal Ventures Ltd) has been used as a key agent in productive sector policies, the paper finds that outcomes of learning from failure have varied significantly, highlighting some way to go before the government's developmental ambitions are met. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the post‐genocide period, the Government of Rwanda embarked on a land tenure reform programme that culminated in a land registration and titling process in 2009. This paper intends to capture women's experiences in relation to this programme. The empirical data were collected in Musanze District using a household survey, semi‐structured interviews, and focus group discussions. The main findings reveal that there is support of the general idea that women should benefit from the land tenure reform in Rwanda. However, there is some criticism towards parts of the land laws, and women have limited actual knowledge about land‐related laws. With land titles, women mostly have a say on the land use decisions requiring each of the spounses' legal consents but not on the daily management of land and its produce. Finally, the paper reports the persistence of social norms and culturally biased gender ideologies affecting the effective implementation of land‐related laws and policies. Therefore, the paper underscores the need to build the implementation of new laws and policies on a good understanding of customary practices to strengthen women's land rights in Rwanda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An ongoing academic debate examines the implications of 'developmental patrimonialism' for African citizens. Rwanda is a key case study in this debate, with proponents of developmental patrimonialism and 'party capitalism' arguing that companies owned by the ruling party or the military play positive roles in economic development. This debate often focuses on macro-level, elite politics. This paper instead uses a Foucauldian lens to examine the micro-level politics of pyrethrum production in Rwanda, which is managed by a military-owned company. The company utilizes incentive-based governmental strategies, in line with state discourses, in addition to punitive, disciplinary regimes. The paper demonstrates that state agricultural strategies depend on multiple factors, including multi-scale political tensions between the ruling party's desire for control and its discourse of 'entrepreneurship'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The world's 1063 mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) live in two subpopulations at the borders of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda. The majority of mountain gorillas are human‐habituated to facilitate tourism and research, which brings mountain gorillas into close proximity of people daily. Wild great apes are proven to be susceptible to human pathogens, including viruses that have caused fatal respiratory disease in mountain gorillas (e.g., human metapneumovirus1). This is the result of the close genetic relatedness of humans and gorillas as species, and the structural and genetic similarity in molecular receptors that allow viruses to infect cells2. At the time of writing, there is no evidence that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, the coronavirus that causes coronavirus disease 19 (COVID‐19), has infected a mountain gorilla. However, due to the significant potential for human‐to‐gorilla transmission, mountain gorilla range States took immediate steps to minimize the COVID‐19 threat. These actions included a combination of preventive practice around gorillas and other great apes (e.g., mandatory face mask use, increased "social" minimum distancing from gorillas) as well as human public health measures (e.g., daily health/fever screenings, COVID‐19 screening, and quarantines). Minimization of the COVID‐19 threat also required socioeconomic decision‐making and political will, as all gorilla tourism was suspended by late March 2020 and guidelines developed for tourism reopening. A consortium that collaborates and coordinates on mountain gorilla management and conservation, working within an intergovernmental institutional framework, took a multifaceted One Health approach to address the COVID‐19 threat to mountain gorillas by developing a phased contingency plan for prevention and response. The aim of this paper is to describe how range States and partners achieved this collaborative planning effort, with intent that this real‐world experience will inform similar actions at other great ape sites. REASEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Endangered mountain gorillas are at risk for coronavirus disease 19 (COVID‐19)COVID‐19 risk is high because of daily close proximity of humans.National parks and NGOs developed a contingency plan to ensure best practices for prevention and readiness for response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a system comprising a solar photovoltaic (PV)/micro‐hydropower/battery bank/converter has been designed, modelled, simulated, and optimized for the rural area of Wimana village, Rwanda. The total load has been fairly estimated for the residential electric utility needs. To satisfy the load demand, solar photovoltaic (4 kW) and micro‐hydro (15 kW) power capacity were considered as the main sources of energy to supply electricity. Either in peak load times or during low generation of primary sources, storage battery banks can also be discharged. The simulation and optimization were done based on the load demand, climatic data, the economics of integrated system components, and other parameters in which the total net present cost has to be minimized to select an economically feasible and technically capable hybrid power system. Based on the load profile of the data collected for the village, the daily energy consumption was found to be 180.99 kWh/day with a peak load demand of 18.56 kW. The net present cost and the cost of energy for the optimized power system amount to $78,763.26 and $0.0757/kWh respectively. HOMER Pro simulating software tool was used to design optimal off‐grid and energy management systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infants born preterm, low birthweight or with other perinatal complications require frequent and accurate growth monitoring for optimal nutrition and growth. We implemented an mHealth tool to improve growth monitoring and nutritional status assessment of high risk infants. We conducted a pre–post quasi‐experimental study with a concurrent control group among infants enrolled in paediatric development clinics in two rural Rwandan districts. During the pre‐intervention period (August 2017–January 2018), all clinics used standard paper‐based World Health Organization (WHO) growth charts. During the intervention period (August 2018–January 2019), Kirehe district adopted an mHealth tool for child growth monitoring and nutritional status assessment. Data on length/height; weight; length/height‐for‐age (L/HFA), weight‐for‐length/height (WFL/H) and weight‐for‐age (WFA) z‐scores; and interval growth were tracked at each visit. We conducted a 'difference‐in‐difference' analysis to assess whether the mHealth tool was associated with greater improvements in completion and accuracy of nutritional assessments and nutritional status at 2 and 6 months of age. We observed 3529 visits. mHealth intervention clinics showed significantly greater improvements on completeness for corrected age (endline: 65% vs. 55%; p = 0.036), L/HFA (endline: 82% vs. 57%; p ≤ 0.001), WFA (endline: 93% vs. 67%; p ≤ 0.001) and WFL/H (endline: 90% vs. 59%; p ≤ 0.001) z‐scores compared with control sites. Accuracy of growth monitoring did not improve. Prevalence of stunting, underweight and inadequate interval growth at 6‐months corrected age decreased significantly more in the intervention clinics than in control clinics. Results suggest that integrating mHealth nutrition interventions is feasible and can improve child nutrition outcomes. Improved tool design may better promote accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this prospective meta‐analysis was to synthesize the results of three cluster‐randomized trials of an intervention designed to teach lower‐secondary school students (age 14–16) to think critically about health choices. Methods: We conducted the trials in Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda. The intervention included a 2‐ to 3‐day teacher training workshop, digital resources, and ten 40‐min lessons. The lessons focused on nine key concepts. We did not intervene in control schools. The primary outcome was a passing score on a test (≥9 of 18 multiple‐choice questions answered correctly). We performed random effects meta‐analyses to estimate the overall adjusted odds ratios. Secondary outcomes included effects of the intervention on teachers. Results: Altogether, 244 schools (11,344 students) took part in the three trials. The overall adjusted odds ratio was 5.5 (95% CI: 3.0–10.2; p < 0.0001) in favor of the intervention (high certainty evidence). This corresponds to 33% (95% CI: 25–40%) more students in the intervention schools passing the test. Overall, 3397 (58%) of 5846 students in intervention schools had a passing score. The overall adjusted odds ratio for teachers was 13.7(95% CI: 4.6–40.4; p < 0.0001), corresponding to 32% (95% CI: 6%–57%) more teachers in the intervention schools passing the test (moderate certainty evidence). Overall, 118 (97%) of 122 teachers in intervention schools had a passing score. Conclusions: The intervention led to a large improvement in the ability of students and teachers to think critically about health choices, but 42% of students in the intervention schools did not achieve a passing score. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using data between 2003 and 2016, this paper assesses the degree and evolution of socio‐economic inequalities in maternal health outcomes in four African countries. The study measures the trends of socio‐economic inequalities in maternal healthcare and assesses the sources of socio‐economic inequalities in maternal health through a decomposition approach. We find cross‐country differences in the evolution of maternal healthcare inequalities. Rwanda and Uganda witnessed a decline in pro‐rich inequalities, whereas changes in Ethiopia and Kenya have been mixed. Further, the study finds significant contributions of personal characteristics of the woman to inequalities in maternal healthcare access. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Until now, two main sets of arguments have dominated the debate on the nature of the massacres that were perpetrated in Rwanda before the 1994 genocide. The first one maintains that they constituted a response to prior attacks by the RPF, implying that they should be regarded as military operations, rather than as acts of ethnic cleansing. The second common line of argument is that these massacres served as pilot runs for the subsequent genocide, implying that they were part of a plan that was not to see its full implementation until 1994. This paper puts forth a third, alternative interpretation of these massacres. The first of the aforementioned arguments, it is contended, does not take into account the detailed evidence that is available on the killings: the fact that they took place in the context of the civil war accounts for the timing of the massacres, but not for their genocidal character. In turn, the second interpretation fails to situate these massacres against the agro-pastoral and ideological background of the regime that committed them. By contrast, this paper shows that the massacres took place in areas characterized by a specific history of spatial and social engineering. They are best understood against the background of the processes of land colonization, resettlement, depredation and dispossession of cattle and land that were under way in the areas where the land was most scarce, and where the peasant society was being subject to rationalization and remodelling from above. The paper concludes that pastoralism was sentenced to disappear from Rwanda and that the massacres should be considered instances of ethnic cleansing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the implications of considering education as a human right and examining it through the lens of the human capital discourse. It uses Polanyi's idea of decommodification, as discussed by Offe and Esping-Andersen, as well as Foucault's concept of governmentality, to analyse the changes that are taking place in the education sector in post-genocide Rwanda. It focuses on the consequences of the human capital discourse for girls, orphans, children with disabilities and Batwa in Rwanda. The paper concludes that although the human capital discourse has brought attention and resources to education, the situation has worsened for some marginalised groups leading to growing inequalities and discrimination. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of the entrepreneurial university in supporting the development of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in a post conflict, transitional economy. We developed a cross case analysis to identify common themes and patterns in the data. Our findings demonstrate that in a post conflict, transitional economy entrepreneurial universities entrepreneurial ecosystem development is constrained by a number of institutional factors including, structures, systems, leadership, strategies, and culture. We further identify that, when an entrepreneurial ecosystem system has been destroyed during conflict, these constraints present significant challenges to the evolution of the entrepreneurial ecosystem post conflict. Second, in a departure from other studies, our findings also outline the role of the entrepreneurial university in the unique evolution of the post conflict entrepreneurial ecosystem in Rwanda. We identify that the entrepreneurial ecosystem evolves through a number of stages including, embryonic, destruction, formation, and capacity building stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rwanda, a small but rapidly developing central African nation, has undertaken development of natural capital accounts to better inform its economic development through the World Bank's Wealth Accounting and Valuation of Ecosystem Services (WAVES) Partnership. In this paper, we develop ecosystem service (ES) models to quantify ecosystem condition and physical supply components of ecosystem accounts in Rwanda from 1990 to 2015.We applied the InVEST carbon storage, sediment delivery ratio, nutrient delivery ratio, and annual and seasonal water yield models to map changes in potential ES supply nationwide. We also quantified flows of sediment, water and nutrients to 96 hydroelectric dam, irrigation dam and water treatment plant sites.Over a 25‐year period, we found declines in all ES, which were most strongly driven by conversion of forests to cropland. Declines were most pronounced from 1990 to 2000 and 2010 to 2015; ES were relatively stable from 2000 to 2010 (with the exception of nutrient exports to water bodies, which jumped most sharply from 2000 to 2010). From 2010 to 2015, over 42% of Rwanda's water‐use sites (representing 9% of the nation's hydroelectric generation capacity and 59% of its water treatment capacity) had upstream increases in sediment export and quick flow greater than the national average. Half of Rwanda's water treatment plants had upstream phosphorus exports greater than the national average.Our results quantify nation‐wide ES trends, their implications for key water‐dependent industries, and the importance of protected areas in safeguarding ES flows and potential supply in Rwanda. They also provide data that can be integrated with existing land, water and economic accounts for Rwanda, as well as a baseline to inform development strategies that better link economic and environmental goals. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investments in agricultural technologies, capacity building and policy harmonization are needed to support sustainable development across Africa. Regional development projects can facilitate the adoption of agricultural technologies and innovations across nation‐state borders and generate benefits for shared prosperity. This paper uses panel data from 1,160 smallholder households including beneficiaries and non‐beneficiaries from five countries in East Africa ‐ Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda. From a pool of over 90 projects implemented over a span of 15 years, 23 regional projects are included in this study. The major economic benefits to smallholder participants are higher crop productivity and income, access to adaptable technologies, access to markets, higher livestock and milk production, gender equality, enhanced food security, resilience and capacity building for uptake and scaling up of future innovation platforms. For example, the adoption of low‐cost tissue culture banana by the beneficiaries increased their incomes by 15% in Rwanda while the adoption of appropriate land and water management technologies increased the potato yields from 2.8 tons (USD 2,840/ha) to over 7.5 tons (USD 7,410/ha) in Kenya. The beneficiaries ensured value added to commodities like bananas (for export) and orange‐fleshed sweet potatoes (a nutrition‐sensitive intervention for enhancing domestic intake of vitamin A) in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. Additionally, milk production increased from 6 to 11 L per cow per day in Uganda and from 6 to 8 L per cow per day in Tanzania, with increases in sales generating USD 115 per cow per month above the non‐beneficiaries. These results are supported by previous studies on technology adoption, investments in agriculture and well‐being outcomes. Our findings with the higher farm income Difference‐in‐Differences (DiD) estimator for the female beneficiaries compared to male beneficiaries might have important implications for investing in regional development projects that will close the gender gap in agricultural productivity in Africa. Regional projects can also support post‐conflict development efforts for food security and peace in fragile contexts such as in Burundi. Our findings might serve as an input to the African Union's Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme, localization of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals related to food security and agriculture in Africa and an input to monitoring, evaluation and learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Childhood cancer is neglected within global health. Oxford Pediatrics Linking Oncology Research with Electives describes early outcomes following collaboration between low- and high-income paediatric surgery and oncology centres. The aim of this paper is twofold: to describe the development of a medical student-led research collaboration; and to report on the experience of Wilms' tumour (WT). Methods: This cross-sectional observational study is reported as per STROBE guidelines. Collaborating centres included three tertiary hospitals in Tanzania, Rwanda and the UK. Data were submitted by medical students following retrospective patient note review of 2 years using a standardised data collection tool. Primary outcome was survival (point of discharge/death). Results: There were 104 patients with WT reported across all centres over the study period (Tanzania n = 71, Rwanda n = 26, UK n = 7). Survival was higher in the high-income institution [87% in Tanzania, 92% in Rwanda, 100% in the UK (X2 36.19, p < 0.0001)]. Given the short-term follow-up and retrospective study design, this likely underestimates the true discrepancy. Age at presentation was comparable at the two African sites but lower in the UK (one-way ANOVA, F = 0.2997, p = 0.74). Disease was more advanced in Tanzania at presentation (84% stage III–IV cf. 60% and 57% in Rwanda and UK, respectively, X2 7.57, p = 0.02). All patients had pre-operative chemotherapy, and a majority had nephrectomy. Post-operative morbidity was higher in lower resourced settings (X2 33.72, p < 0.0001). Methodology involving medical students and junior doctors proved time- and cost-effective. This collaboration was a valuable learning experience for students about global research networks. Conclusions: This study demonstrates novel research methodology involving medical students collaborating across the global south and global north. The comparison of outcomes advocates, on an institutional level, for development in access to services and multidisciplinary treatment of WT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the results of research carried out in Rwanda, in February 2005, through funding from the Royal Society. It investigates the methodologies and policies in use in Rwanda to promote and ensure sustainable industrial development and examines the Government's role in providing an appropriate framework. The paper considers the situation in Rwanda, following the 1994 genocide, and the part played by the Kigali Institute of Science, Technology and Management (KIST), formed with the specific remit of training a new generation of professionals to replace those lost in 1994. Finally it recognises similarities between manufacturing in the UK and in Rwanda, demonstrating how far Rwanda has come since the genocide. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks to contribute to Rwanda's ongoing restructuring of protected area management. The early part of the paper draws on experiences elsewhere in Africa, as well as key contexts in Rwanda, to assert that conservation of national parks may best be served by flexible and inclusive partnerships that seek to integrate conservation activities across different agents and scales. This assertion is then explored more critically through empirical research that investigates the views of potential conservation partners. The findings suggest that attempts to develop partnerships that are built around national parks will face difficulties. Whilst there is a general willingness to be further involved in park management, this is complicated by cleavages in beliefs about how wider participation might be implemented. In particular, it is only international conservation NGOs that currently seem to be comfortable with the national park approach to conservation management: only they see themselves as having the expertise to be decision-making partners and only they would want their role in a partnership to be formalized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address high rates of malnutrition among children from vulnerable households in Rwanda, the government initiated a national food supplementation programme. A before and after evaluation, using repeat cross‐sectional surveys in randomly selected villages was conducted; aimed at assessing the effectiveness of providing fortified blended food (FBF) to children 18–23 months of age, pregnant and lactating women in the lowest tier of Rwanda's social support system. Data were collected in 2017, 2018 and 2021 through interviews with caregivers; anthropometric measurements and a capillary blood sample were obtained from children. The primary statistical analysis compared the nutritional status of children before and after the introduction of FBF. We enroled 724 children during each survey. The prevalence of stunting declined from 47% to 35% between 2017 and 2021; in 2018, the prevalence of stunting was 43%. Children had a 42% reduction in the odds of being stunted (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 0.58, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.47–0.74, p < 0.001) from 2017 to 2021 even after adjusting for inherent, distal, proximal, and intermediate covariates. The reduction in stunting observed within the first year of the programme was not statistically significant (AOR: 0.83, 95% CI: 0.67–1.03, p < 0.091). We observed meaningful reductions in the prevalence of stunting among children which coincided with the introduction of Government‐led initiative to reduce malnutrition. The Rwandan Government has committed to improving the living conditions of vulnerable households and has made strong investments in reducing malnutrition. The impact of these investments can be seen in the overall trend towards improved nutritional status highlighted in this evaluation. Key messages: The national distribution of fortified blended food (FBF) to pregnant and lactating women and 6‐ to 23‐month‐old children living in the most vulnerable households was associated with a meaningful reduction in stunted linear growth, iron deficiency and anaemia among young children after 5 years.This study indicates that stunted linear growth, in early childhood, can be reduced over 5 years when the government is committed to and invests in improving the living conditions of vulnerable households, including the national food supplementation programme.It was attainable to distribute FBF to vulnerable pregnant and lactating women and 6‐ to 23‐month‐old children, in a national programme, over the 5‐year evaluation period, including during the COVID‐19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents an abstract of the study `Patterns of reproductive competition among female gorillas and the role of the silverback male,' by WR McGuire. Reproductive competition among free-ranging gorillas in Rwanda; Dominant female primates versus subordinate females; Role of silverback males in warding off harassment from dominant females.

The original article can be found online at https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-020-05571-6. Correction to: World J Surg (2020) 44:2903-2918 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-020-05571-6 The following acknowledgment is missing from the original article: The authors would like to acknowledge Jean Marie Uwitonze as an active contributor to this paper. [Extracted from the article]

Urban plans and infrastructure investments in sub‐Saharan Africa need to support human and economic development, while also helping countries and cities stay within the global carbon budget. To date, however, no analyses have focused on the economic costs and benefits of pursuing less carbon‐intensive urban growth in sub‐Saharan African cities. This is significant as the perception that low‐carbon urban development is more expensive than higher‐carbon alternatives can be enough to preclude consideration of opportunities for more sustainable development, especially in highly resource‐constrained contexts. This paper examines the validity of this perception through an economic appraisal of the scope for low‐carbon development in Kigali, Rwanda. We find that the city of Kigali could theoretically invest 0.6% of its GDP each year for 10 years in economically attractive mitigation measures. This would generate annual energy savings equivalent to 1.5% of its GDP and reduce city‐scale emissions by 39% by 2032 (relative to business‐as‐usual trends). The economic case for urban climate action is therefore substantial, and although the city is in some ways unique, this suggests that promising opportunities also exist in other sub‐Saharan African cities. However, few national or local governments in the region have the political will and institutional capabilities necessary to realise this mitigation potential. We also find that although potentially significant in the short to medium term, these economically attractive measures would not be sufficient to decouple economic development and greenhouse gas emissions in Kigali in the longer term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There were a large number of active meteorological stations in Rwanda prior to the mid‐1990s and since around 2010. However, from around the time of the Rwandan genocide in 1994 throughout the late 2000s, the number of active stations was greatly reduced. To address temporal and spatial gaps in meteorological observation in several African nations (including Rwanda), the ENACTS (Enhancing National Climate Services) initiative reconstructs rainfall and temperature data by combining station data with satellite rainfall estimates, and with reanalysis products for temperature. Bias correction factors are applied to the satellite and reanalysis data and the merged final product is spatiotemporally complete from the early 1980s to the present at a high spatial resolution (4–5 km). This paper offers the first analysis of Rwanda's climatology using this new ENACTS data set for 1981–2016. The temperature and rainfall climatology of Rwanda are analysed at both annual and seasonal timescales as are the climatological influences of topography and regional winds. Climatology maps of mean rainfall intensity, rainy day, 5‐day dry spell and extreme rain day (20+mm) frequency are shown, and spatial pattern correlations are analysed. The rainfall climatology of Rwanda exhibits a clear seasonal bimodality typical of the East Africa region. Topography has a significant effect with the more mountainous, higher‐elevation western part of the country being consistently cooler and wetter than the lower, flatter eastern region. Southeasterly winds tend to prevail over Rwanda, but in some seasons, the climatological winds weaken and shift direction. While spatial patterns of rainy day and dry spell frequency are consistent with the spatial patterns of the seasonal rainfall total, climatologically drier regions have a higher mean rainfall intensity on rainy days. This analysis demonstrates the value of the ENACTS product and illustrates climatological patterns in Rwanda over the last 30 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Africa as in Asia, will successful agricultural transformation happen first in countries whose rulers are driven by concerns to avert fundamental rural-based political threats? This article explores this question with reference to Rwanda, where the political incentives are found to be different from those in comparable African countries. Whilst this did not immediately lead to the adoption of an appropriate agricultural strategy, following a major shock and some serious rethinking, policy has now turned a corner and the results are promising. This experience has revealed that the political economy of agricultural policy in Rwanda is distinguished by a capacity for learning from errors as well as a seriousness about implementation that are not widely observed elsewhere in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT This paper investigates the adoption of bench terraces by applying a three-stage analysis using data from 301 households in the highlands of Rwanda. Ongoing adoption of bench terraces is 'unpacked' to consider both adopters willing to retain and increase the intensity of using terraces already constructed and new adopters willing to develop new bench terraces. Results suggest that farmers' inability to maintain existing terraces may explain the reluctance to adopt new terraces. The same inability explains why some of the terraces constructed earlier are not well maintained and fully used by farmers in northern and southern Rwanda. Policy actions aimed at improving farmer's capacity to invest in complementary inputs will sustain future generations of soil and water conservation measures in Rwanda. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caesarean section (C‐section) is the most performed major surgery worldwide. About 15% of births are delivered through C‐section in Rwanda. The post‐caesarean surgical section is one of the most frequent complications that follow a C‐section. The purpose of this systematic review and meta‐analysis is to estimate the pooled prevalence of surgical site infections following caesarean section deliveries in Rwanda. A comprehensive search was conducted across PubMed/MEDLINE, Google Scholar, DOAJ, AJOL and the Cochrane Library to identify primary studies on post‐caesarean surgical site infections in Rwanda. Studies meeting predetermined criteria were included, and their quality was assessed using the JBI Critical Appraisal Tools. Heterogeneity was evaluated using I2 statistics, while publication bias was examined via funnel plots and statistical tests. Pooled prevalence was calculated using Jamovi 2.3.28 software, with subgroup analysis conducted to identify sources of heterogeneity. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. From 139 articles initially searched from the databases, only 17 studies with 8, 082 individuals were finally included in the systematic review and meta‐analysis. Using the random‐effects model, the pooled estimate of post C‐section SSIs prevalence in Rwanda was 6.85% (95% CI 5.2, 8.5). Subgroup analysis based on publication year, sample size, hospital and study design showed no much difference in SSI prevalence. The current systematic review and meta‐analysis indicates that post‐caesarean surgical site infections are significant in Rwanda. A collaborative effort is required to lower post‐C‐section SSIs and provide the best surgical care in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhizobia diversity in the rhizosphere is one of the key promoters of biological nitrogen fixation between host legumes and microsymbionts, although related complex interaction may depend on various factors. This research was intended to assess the abundance of indigenous rhizobia isolates under various soil conditions, as well as their effectiveness to nodulate legumes such as soybeans. Factors such as soil properties and legume species influence the volume and symbiotic effectiveness of native rhizobia to nodulate crop legumes. To investigate the abundance of rhizobia isolates, legume crops were uprooted to obtain nodules for most probable number (MPN) determination of rhizobia isolates, and soybean (Glycine max.) was used to verify the presence of suitable and efficient rhizobia strains for nitrogen fixation. Soil samples were obtained from the holes out of which nodules were collected, and the laboratory analysis included pH, Mg, K, available P, organic C, Ca, and N to establish the correlation between the soil status and number of rhizobia isolates' cells. Significant variations (p‐value <.05) were observed in the cell counts of Rhizobia isolates from Glycine max, Phaseolus vulgaris, Pisum sativum, and Vigna unguiculata, particularly when compared to Arachis hypogaea isolates under acidic conditions. Notably, Pisum sativum and Vigna unguiculata showed consistent performance across all pH conditions. The number of rhizobia isolates was found to be significantly linked to total N and P deficiencies (p <.05). It was also established that total N was dependent on the number of rhizobia cells and that there is a strong correlation between organic carbon and N content. This study highlights the crucial role of understanding and optimizing conditions for rhizobia nodulation in diverse soil environments, emphasizing its potential impact on enhancing biological nitrogen fixation in legumes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the poverty impact of the violent events that affected Rwanda in the 1990s. The main objective of the paper is to identify systematically potential mechanisms linking violent conflict with changes in poverty across provinces and households in Rwanda before and after a decade of violence. In accordance with emerging literature on the long-term economic effects of violent conflict, we find empirical evidence for economic convergence between richer and poorer Rwandan provinces and households following the conflict shocks. Using a small but unique panel of households surveyed before and after the conflict period, we find that households whose house was destroyed or who lost land ran a higher risk of falling into poverty. We do not find much evidence for an economic effect of violent deaths at the household level due to substitution effects of labor within the household. Non-violent deaths however seem to increase income per adult equivalent for the survivors. Results are shown to be robust to sample selection and IV models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sale, only the second by Rwanda, at an interest rate of 5.5%, follows lower than expected interest rates on paper issued by B Ghana b and B Benin b in July, and dollar debt sales by B Cameroon, Kenya b and B Senegal b in June. But emerging markets analysts Tellmer say that there is "generally strong investor buy-in to Rwanda's growth and reform story, despite a high and rising debt burden" adding that "we view the issuance as a positive signal for Rwanda's debt management". Rwanda became the latest African sovereign to benefit from money markets issuing US$620m of international bonds on August 2nd. [Extracted from the article]

Community mobilisation is a promising new strategy for preventing intimate partner violence (IPV) against women in low-income settings. However, little is known about the contextual factors (e.g. socio-economic, cultural, historical and political conditions) that enable the effective mobilisation of communities for IPV prevention. This paper draws from the theoretical work of Campbell and Cornish (2010) on the relationship between context and community action in addressing HIV/AIDS to propose a framework for situating community mobilisation for IPV prevention in its surrounding symbolic, material and relational contexts. The framework is refined using empirical data from a case study of a gender-based violence (GBV) prevention intervention in Rwanda, including interviews with members of government-mandated GBV Committees and focus group discussions with members of two village communities ( n = 35). A thematic analysis identifies various contextual factors needed to support community mobilisation for IPV prevention, including: broad symbolic understandings of what constitutes IPV; capacity to economically support women who choose to leave violent relationships; mechanisms for addressing the silence that often surrounds IPV; support from policy and government authorities; and opportunities to effectively challenge inequitable policy and legal frameworks. This framework is useful for policy-makers and programme planners interested in IPV prevention in and by communities. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infant and young child feeding (IYCF) plays a crucial role in early childhood growth and development. This study summarizes recent IYCF practices in multiple refugee settings and compares them to those in the host countries. We analyzed 203 surveys conducted among refugees residing in 15 countries and 120 unique sites and assessed eight IYCF indicators available from those surveys. A total of 146 surveys were conducted in Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) and 50 in Western and Central Africa (WCA) regions. The median prevalence across surveys of all four indicators describing intake of breast milk was relatively high: 96.6% for ever breastfed, 81.2% for initiation of breastfeeding within 1 h of birth, 76.9% for exclusive breastfeeding 0–5 months, and 75.0% for continued breastfeeding 12–23 months. The median prevalence of early initiation and exclusive breastfeeding was markedly higher in ESA than in WCA (85.0% vs. 37.5% and 83.5% vs. 56.1%, respectively). Conversely, the overall median prevalence of timely introduction of solid and semisolid foods and flesh food consumption was low: 51.8% and 16.1%, respectively. Flesh food consumption was higher in WCA than in ESA (27.4% vs. 11.6%). The median prevalence of mixed milk feeding at 0–5 months and bottle feeding was very low: 2.4% and 3.8%, respectively. Indicators describing breast milk intake were generally either similar or higher in refugees than in the host country populations, whereas the other indicators were generally higher in the host populations than in refugees. The low prevalence of timely introduction of solids and of flesh food consumption in refugees is concerning and requires substantial improvement. Key Messages: Infant and young child feeding practices need to be monitored in refugee settings where access to nutritious foods may be limited.We analyzed infant and young child feeding data from 203 population representative surveys in refugee settings conducted during 2013–2019.Prevalence of indicators describing breast milk consumption in refugees was relatively high overall and similar or higher than in local populations.Prevalence of indicators describing the consumption of other complementary foods or liquids in refugees was low overall and generally lower than in the host populations, documenting a need for improved access to such foods and change in feeding practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I (Rwandan franc 1000 = £0.77/$0.96/€0.90) i B The aim is to return growth to pre-pandemic levels. b The government of Rwanda is expected to spend an estimated Rwandan francs 4,658.4bn in the next fiscal year (2022/2023), representing an increase of Rwf217.8bn or 4.7% compared to Rwf4,440.6bn of the revised budget of the current fiscal year. The disclosure was made on May 19th by Uzziel Ndagijimana, minister of finance and economic planning, while presenting the 2022-2023 Budget Framework Paper, and the annual budget estimates to both chambers of parliament. While presenting the proposed financial plan to legislators, Ndagijimana said that the next financial year budget, which will start on July 1st, 2022, will focus on the implementation of government strategies meant to resuscitate the economy from the Covid-19 pandemic so that it reaches the pre-pandemic growth level. [Extracted from the article]

Several countries in Central Africa face challenges of low food production and high incidences of poverty, particularly in rural areas. Several programs initiated in the region to increase food production and commercialization among smallholder farmers have had limited success. Over 80% of the farm households grow bananas and legumes as staple crops. We evaluate the impact of commercialization of these crops on‐farm income and the dietary diversity of rural households in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. We employ three methods: propensity score matching, endogenous switching regression, and IPTW on cross‐sectional data. We find that commercialization has a robust and positive significant effect on dietary diversity and farm income, even after controlling for unobserved heterogeneity across the households. In particular, commercialization increases household incomes by 67% and dietary diversity by 11%. We find strong evidence of the impact of commercialization on incomes but little evidence of dietary diversity of rural households. Wider policy recommendations to raise the capacity of smallholders to produce for the market and improve their livelihoods are discussed. [EconLit citations: Q13, Q12, Q11] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today only around 880 mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) inhabit the Afromontane forests shared by Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo ( DRC). In this region, mountain gorillas serve as flagship species, attracting public support and international tourists as well as drawing attention to their habitat. This paper examines the prominent issues in mountain gorilla conservation and nature-based tourism in Rwanda in a post-conflict recovery context. Also analyzed are the critical issues of restoring and developing the capacities of institutions, improving the transboundary dialogue, and developing cooperation for the management of natural resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aims to develop a comparative framework for ICT4D initiatives in the global South by adopting a critical realist philosophical approach. For that purpose, the research utilizes field data and observations from two information and communication technology (ICT)–driven community health care services in Rwanda and Bangladesh. The data collected were analyzed through a critical realist–based framework, and the two mechanisms that played key roles in these ICT projects were identified as follows: trust in social structures and good governance. This study suggests that both mechanisms play a greater role in Bangladesh than in Rwanda. The identified mechanisms further highlight the challenges Rwanda needs to overcome in order to achieve comparable success. Based on the analysis of those two cases, we suggest that our critical realist–based philosophical and methodological approach adds unique value to ICT4D research, and such an approach allows us to gather valuable insights on these comparable ICT4D projects. Consequently, we are able to provide the stakeholders in these projects with better insights into why the community health care services evolved the way they did and the mechanisms that determined this outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rwanda remains in the eastern camp of ethnic ideas and projects of a ‘nation’ inasmuch as it is dominated by cultural as opposed to civic/political elements. Although the Rwandan attempt remains exclusive internally, it does not affirm the validity of an idealised Kohnian dichotomy between ‘exclusive’ ethnic nationalism and ‘inclusive’ civic nationalism. To avoid the trap of a bi-polar and value-ladden division, while preserving the useful insights of Kohn, the paper calls for a re-conceptualisation of nation-building projects along the continuum of their relative inclusiveness/exclusiveness, both internally (who shapes the ‘idea of nation’) and externally (the boundaries of nation). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this trial was to evaluate the effects of the Informed Health Choices intervention on the ability of students in Rwandan to think critically and make Informed Health Choices. Methods: We conducted a two‐arm cluster‐randomized trial in 84 lower secondary schools from 10 districts representing five provinces of Rwanda. We used stratified randomization to allocate schools to the intervention or control. One class in each intervention school had ten 40‐min lessons taught by a trained teacher in addition to the usual curriculum. Control schools followed the usual curriculum. The primary outcome was a passing score (≥ 9 out of 18 questions answered correctly) for students on the Critical Thinking about Health Test completed within 2 weeks after the intervention. We conducted an intention‐to‐treat analysis using generalized linear mixed models, accounting for the cluster design using random intercepts. Results: Between February 25 and March 29, 2022, we recruited 3,212 participants. We assigned 1,572 students and 42 teachers to the intervention arm and 1,556 students and 42 teachers to the control arm. The proportion of students who passed the test in the intervention arm was 915/1,572 (58.2%) compared to 302/1,556 (19.4%) in the control arm, adjusted odds ratio 10.6 (95% CI: 6.3–17.8), p < 0.0001, adjusted difference 37.2% (95% CI: 29.5%–45.0%). Conclusions: The intervention is effective in helping students think critically about health choices. It was possible to improve students' ability to think critically about health in the context of a competence‐based curriculum in Rwanda, despite challenging postpandemic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the mechanisms fostering sustainable value propositions of implemented e‐Governments projects in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA) as a research focus. Value propositions identify how public organizations use e‐Government to fulfill citizens' needs across different roles. Using a concept‐centric systematic review, we identified such value propositions as effective public organizations, quality service delivery, open government and democratic values, as well as social values and well‐being. We chose some selected e‐Government projects in Nigeria and Rwanda; adopted realist evaluation (RE) multiple case studies as a methodology and introduced affordance actualization, self‐determination theory, and sustainability framework for e‐Government success as theoretical lenses. To collect data, we adopted a mixed method RE approach and used a contingent valuation method (CVM) as a quantitative aspect to identify the actualized value propositions in operations in the implemented e‐Government projects in Nigeria and Rwanda as outcomes. Sequentially followed by a realist interview as a qualitative approach to collect and analyze data we uncovered the generative mechanisms causing such outcomes to exist and be sustainable. Our findings revealed technological cognizance and autonomy as well as competence as individual mechanisms identified for sustaining such outcomes. While organizational mechanisms revealed are continuous availability of funds, institutional, administrative, and coordinating capacity with leadership and political support. Other organizational mechanisms include institutionalizing the technology within local settings with ongoing monitoring and improvement evaluation enabled by both internal and external contextual conditions. We synthesized our findings into an actualized value sustainability framework for implemented e‐Government projects in SSA to contribute to academics and practice in ICT4D, particularly RE application in e‐Government study, which is nascent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Hundreds of thousands of Rwandans were conceived during the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, including thousands conceived by genocidal rape. We explore whether the duration of first trimester exposure to the genocide is associated with variation in adult mental health outcomes in individuals exposed to varying degrees of genocide‐related stress in utero. Materials and Methods: We recruited 30 Rwandans conceived via genocidal rape, 31 Rwandans conceived by genocide survivors not raped, and 30 individuals of Rwandan‐descent who were conceived outside of Rwanda at the time of the genocide (control group). Individuals were age‐ and sex‐matched across groups. Adult mental health was assessed through standardized questionnaires for vitality, anxiety, and depression. Results: Among the genocide only group, a longer duration of first trimester prenatal exposure was associated with higher anxiety scores and lower vitality (both p < 0.010), and higher depression scores (p = 0.051). Duration of first trimester exposure was not associated with any measures of mental health among the genocidal rape or control group. Discussion: Duration of exposure to genocide in the first trimester of gestation was associated with variation in adult mental health among the genocide only group. The lack of association between duration of first trimester exposure to genocide and adult mental health in the genocidal rape group may reflect the fact that stress associated with conception through rape persisted beyond the genocide period itself, encompassing all of gestation and likely beyond. Geopolitical and community interventions are needed in the context of extreme events during pregnancy to mitigate adverse intergenerational outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The humanitarian crisis which followed in the wake of the genocidal regime in Rwanda in 1994 generated massive media attention and an unprecedented outpouring of international public and private assistance. In late 1997, the Rwanda refugee population in Zaire was subjected to a disaster of similarly epic proportions as a result of military action. Yet this crisis went relatively underreported and failed to attract substantial aid funds, particularly from official donors. This paper seeks to document and account for the demise of the humanitarian imperative. It confronts a number of the criticisms of humanitarian action, concluding that, rather than being flawed, traditional humanitarian values remain valid and should be defended wherever there are situations of conflict. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local Indicators of Spatial Association (LISA) are a class of spatial statistical methods that have been widely applied in various scientific fields. When applying LISA to make longitudinal comparisons of spatial data, a common way is to run LISA analysis at each time point, then compare the results to infer the distributional dynamics of spatial processes. Given that LISA hinges on the global mean value that often varies across time, the LISA result generated at time Ti reflects the spatial patterns strictly with respect to Ti. Therefore, the typical comparative cross‐sectional analysis with LISA can only characterize the relative distributional dynamics. However, the relative perspective alone is inadequate to comprehend the full picture, as the patterns are not directly associated with the changes of the spatial process's intensity. We argue that it is important to obtain the absolute distribution dynamics to complement the relative perspective, especially for tracking how spatial processes evolve across time at the local level. We develop a solution that modifies the significance test when implementing LISA analysis of longitudinal data to reveal and visualize the absolute distribution dynamics. Experiments were conducted with Mongolian livestock data and Rwanda population data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We help to unravel how smallholder farmers in agricultural cooperatives can address the consequences of climate change. Climate change‐oriented actions often pose an extra challenge to cooperative members in time‐poverty, that is, to those who have no choice but to work long hours yet remain consumption poor. Tackling climate change requires future‐oriented action toward unpredictable events, whereas time‐poverty requires people to deal with the bare necessities of the present. Through a qualitative inductive study of Rwandan smallholder farmers in agricultural cooperatives, we observe that climate change increases time‐poverty, especially for women, and that smallholder farmers are hesitant to invest their time in making climate change adaptations. We find that smallholder farmers can overcome these challenges through membership of agricultural cooperatives, which can help in pacing climate change actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes the migration, resettlement and integration challenges and strengths of members of the African Diaspora in Canada who identify as survivors of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi of Rwanda. Data were generated from semi‐structured interviews with 16 adult community members and a thematic analysis conducted inductively and collectively with the research team consisting of academics and representative community members. This article provides insights into the unique long‐term impacts of genocide on migration, resettlement and community‐level functioning for this group of African migrants living in a mid‐Western city in Canada. Results highlight how Canadian immigration policies limit migration options and prevent family reunification for migrants with none or few remaining family members and the associated resettlement challenges experienced by this group. Results also show the vital role the Rwandan Diaspora community, and particularly other survivors, play in supporting resettlement, integration and overall well‐being of genocide survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]