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Factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding in Kwekwe district, Zimbabwe
(University of the Western Cape, 2011) Nduna, Themba; van Wyk, Brian
Evidence on the benefits of breastfeeding for child survival, growth and development is published extensively. Breastfeeding is an "unequalled" way of providing ideal food to infants and young children to promote good health, growth, development and to attainment of their full potential. Despite initiatives and programmes to promote uptake of exclusive breastfeeding, this practice remains sub-optimal in Zimbabwe. This study explored factors that influence breastfeeding decisions and practices based on mothers' own breastfeeding experiences. Methodology This study employed a phenomenological research design. Information collected from mothers using in-depth interviews was triangulated with that from key informants. Interviews were audio-tape recorded and transcribed verbatim in Ndebele and then translated to English. Thematic analysis was used to compare various accounts from study participants to identify similar and related themes. Findings Mothers could not differentiate exclusive breastfeeding from predominant and partial breastfeeding. Barriers to exclusive breastfeeding were: (i) Poor understanding of exclusive breastfeeding and its benefits; (ii) Use of herbal infusions; (iii) Practice of giving babies water; (iv) Perceived insufficient breastmilk production; (v) Myths and misconceptions; (vi) Breast conditions; (vii) Tradition (viii) the HIV epidemic; and (ix) Employment. Enabling factors were: (i) Adequate food for the lactating mother; (ii) Family support; (iii) Support from husband; and (iv) Knowledge of the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding.
The influence of local and international non-governmental institutions in preparation of poverty reduction strategies in low-income countries
(University of the Western Cape, 2014) Zidana-Daza, Florida
Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs) were among the world's most hopeful poverty reduction strategies at the tum of the millennium after failure of the donor imposed structural adjustment programs (SAPS) in low income countries (LICs). The distinguishing feature in the design of PRSPs was the conditional participation of civil society and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the formulation of these policies. The World Bank and IMF adopted a participatory approach to poverty reduction in LICs to increase citizen participation and enhance country ownership. In Malawi where poverty is widespread, deep and severe both local NGOs and international non-governmental agencies participated in the formulation of Malawi's PRSP.
The attitudes of the Chinese students at Boston College towards a communicative approach to TEFL
(University of the Western Cape, 2005) Zhao, Zhongyan
With the Open Door Policy, the motivation of Chinese people to learn English has reached an unprecedented level. Today English plays a powerful role in the economy and social life of the Chinese. People are willing to go to huge expense and effort to acquire English but often with limited success. One of the main reasons is that the traditional approaches to TEFL are still dominant in China. However, adopting the Communicative Approach (CA) faces a number of obstacles. This research aims to investigate how a group of Chinese students respond to communicative activities in English classes at Boston College in Cape Town. This research employed classroom observations, interviews and questionnaires to explore to what extent the principles of CA were reflected in the English teaching at Boston College and what were the attitudes of the Chinese students towards CA as well as the more traditional approaches to TEFL.
Future financial options for selected social grants in South Africa
(University of the Western Cape, 2008) Ndlebe, Asanda; de Coning , C.
In this Research Report, I explore future options for the improvement of take-up rates in the State Old-Age Pension (SOAP) and the Child Support Grant (CSG), and the roles they play in reducing poverty in South Africa. I argue that although there is evidence that social security grants help reduce poverty, there are still people who are living in poor conditions and not receiving grants, and who might be eligible to receive them. I establish the importance of these grants and the role they play in reducing poverty for the poor. The position which I develop maintains that increasing the take-up rates of the Child Support Grant to all children under the age of 18 and reducing men's age of eligibility to 60 years to correspond to that of women could reduce poverty more than is the case presently. I investigate various views on welfare philosophies, in particular the views of Beveridge and the International Labour Organization models on social protection, together with the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa and the Social Assistance Act. I then conclude that there is discrimination between certain groups of the elderly and the children, thus making them ineligible for the State Old-Age Pension and the Child Support Grant and worsens via their living conditions. I then argue that extending the eligible age for children up to under 18 years and reducing the qualification age up to 60 years for elderly men would increase the take-up rates and reduce poverty among these vulnerable people even further. It is important to note that these grants also provide households with more resources like financial support to send children to school, access to better health care, access to better nutrition and increases their income. The Research Report concludes by describing the impact that these grants could have with increased eligibility.
A discourse analysis on the construction of meaning by South African women who have experienced miscarriage or still-birth
(University of the Western Cape, 2012) Naidoo, Anika Devi; Andipatin, Michelle
Pregnancy is constructed as being a joy-filled and natural experience with a taken for-granted expectation that the outcome will be a healthy baby. The reality is that roughly 1 in 4 pregnancies end in miscarriage and the stillbirth rate in South Africa is 24 per 100 births. Despite the overwhelming statistics related to pregnancy loss, it is still a topic that is shrouded in silence especially in relation to the psychological aspects of the experience. My primary aim of this study was to explore the manner in which women construct meaning around pregnancy loss by identifying and deconstructing the dominant discourses used by women to construct their experience. My secondary aim was to unravel the vast silences surrounding the experience. For the purpose of the study pregnancy loss was defined in terms of both miscarriage and stillbirth Women from all socio-economic backgrounds of consenting age who were English speaking and had experienced a pregnancy loss ( either miscarriage or stillbirth) were considered. Women were recruited using a combination of snowball sampling and posters placed in doctors rooms. Participants were interviewed using a semi-structured interview. The women in this study made use of several discourses to make sense of their pregnancy loss experience: Discourses of motherhood, Discourse of failure and religious discourse. The discourses of motherhood included: motherly instinct disregarded, responsibility towards foetus and need to protect from harm, claiming role as mother, the natural mother, the deviant mother. The discourses of failure included: failure as social mother, failure of body, failure of God and failure of medicine. The religious discourses that were used to help make meaning involved women's fatalistic ideas about their loss. In addition to the discourses, there were several silences that emerged that also contributed to how the women in this study constructed and co-constructed their experiences. There was a notable lack of cultural scripts evidenced by unhelpful actions/ words and a distinct lack of socially sanctioned rituals. There were no local formalized support structures (such as pregnancy loss organisations or support groups) in place when women did seek out support. Women were unable to find other women who had, had similar experiences that they could connect with. Psychological support was not routinely offered to any of the women. There were no answers to first trimester pregnancy loss and lack of investigation of causes due to the large number of such losses that do occur. Miscarriage was viewed as routine or normal making women feel as though they were going through something that was a part of life leaving their feelings of grief and disappointment unacknowledged. There was also a general lack of acknowledgement as to the emotional impact of the pregnancy loss (es).