Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences (FoA&SS / FoL / FBM)

Navigating socio-ecological and institutional barriers to antiretroviral therapy adherence

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Navigating socio-ecological and institutional barriers to antiretroviral therapy adherence Muhenje, O.; Olungah, C. O.; Omia, D. O.; Ondondo, R. O.; Waswa, P.; Lusambili, A Background: The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) pandemic remains a major global health issue, with 40.8 million people affected at the end of 2024. In Sub-Saharan Africa, Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) coverage reached 74%, though adherence remained challenging, particularly among youth due to poverty, stigma, and weak health systems. Aim: This paper explored socio-ecological and institutional barriers to ART adherence among young men and women aged 18–24 living in Kibra, Nairobi’s largest informal settlement. Methods: The study utilized phenomenological research design to explore lived experiences within social contexts to uncover hidden structural barriers using qualitative methods. In-depth interviews (n = 25), key informant interviews (n = 10), participant diaries (n = 25), structured clinic and home observations (n = 25), and case narratives (n = 10). Participants were purposively selected. Data were analyzed thematically using deductive and inductive coding in NVIVO 14. Results and discussion: Barriers emerged at individual, socioeconomic, and health system levels. These included limited ART knowledge, pill burden, comorbidities, food insecurity, stigma, violence, and negative healthcare provider attitudes. Addressing these requires multi-level interventions that go beyond medical treatment to tackle structural and social determinants of health.

An analysis of some errors made in writing Chinese characters by learners at the University of Nairobi

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

An analysis of some errors made in writing Chinese characters by learners at the University of Nairobi Rotich, J. X.; Oduor, J. A.; Wotsuna, C. N. A. The present study investigated some of the errors made in writing standard Chinese characters by Year 1 to Year 4 undergraduate students at the Confucius Institute, University of Nairobi (UoN), Kenya. One of the authors, who teaches at the Institute, observed that learners experienced considerable difficulty in writing Chinese characters. This observation motivated the study, which sought to identify the types of errors made, explore their possible causes, and propose pedagogical solutions. Although none of the learners were native speakers of Chinese, they had the advantage of being instructed by several native speakers of the language. Each participant was issued with a questionnaire to provide personal details and was further required to write a short essay. All responses were produced using Chinese characters and were subsequently analyzed for writing errors. The analysis revealed two major categories of errors: errors in sentence structure and errors related to the writing of strokes within characters. The present paper focuses specifically on errors associated with stroke writing. The findings indicate that learners committed significantly more errors of stroke omission than stroke addition. The strokes most frequently added were piě (ノ), héng (一), diǎn (丶), and shù (丨), while the strokes most commonly omitted included piě (ノ), héng (一), diǎn (丶), shù (丨), and tí (㇀). Errors of stroke omission accounted for 73.7% of the total errors, whereas errors of stroke addition constituted 26.3%, making omission errors almost three times more frequent than addition errors. In addition, two radicals were omitted in some instances. These errors may be attributed partly to the learners’ level of proficiency in Chinese. However, the high frequency of stroke omission errors appears to stem primarily from an inadequate understanding of the correct stroke order in character writing, coupled with insufficient practice.

Chinese Language Education in Kenya: A Case Study of Confucius Institute at the University of Nairobi.

Sun, 01 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Chinese Language Education in Kenya: A Case Study of Confucius Institute at the University of Nairobi. Gikonyo, P.; Kathina, M. M.; Otieno, F. O.; Ooko, M. A. Background/purpose. Cultural strategy is an important part of China's global strategic framework. As China becomes more involved on the global stage, its national strategic interests expand to all corners of the world. One way China has accomplished this is by promoting and propagating the Chinese language in many countries' educational systems. Kenya's education system integrated Chinese language teaching and learning in 2019. It is critical to assess the importance and strategic impact of cultural soft power on Kenya's social, political, and economic development. Materials/methods. This paper employs questionnaires, interviews, observations, participatory methods, and a literature review approach to elucidate discussions, recommendations, and conclusions. Results – Few studies have examined the impact of the Chinese language in Kenya, particularly on Kenyans' socio-economic well-being. However, no major study has examined the status, progress, and future aspirations in teaching and learning Chinese language and culture in Kenya. Conclusion. To achieve the intended results and make the advancement of Chinese language teaching and learning more relevant to people's needs, a clear language policy is required to guide the reorganization, evaluation, and adjustment of its operationalization.

Digitalization and supply chains of dairy farms in Kiambu County, Kenya

Sat, 21 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Digitalization and supply chains of dairy farms in Kiambu County, Kenya Sanga, D. K.; Richu, S. W. D. K. Digitalization is fundamentally transforming business operations and redefining how value is created across supply chains. In the dairy industry, this adoption of technology has enhanced the efficiency, visibility, and responsiveness of supply chain functions. This study investigated the effect of digitalization on the performance of supply chains among dairy firms in Kiambu County, Kenya. The study employed the Dynamic Capability Theory, Technology Acceptance Model, and Network Perspective Theory, and adopted a census approach targeting all 17 dairy firms registered with the Kenya Dairy Board in the region. Primary data was gathered using structured questionnaires, and appropriate diagnostic tests were conducted to validate the data. The study used both descriptive and inferential statistical methods to analyze the relationships between the digitalization practices and supply chain performance. The results indicated a statistically significant positive effect of data management, buyer/supplier collaboration, system management, and billing management practices on supply chain performance. Data management practices ranked highest in terms of impact, followed by billing management, buyer/supplier collaboration, and system management. The model yielded an R-squared value of 0.646, suggesting that 64.6% of the variance in supply chain performance was explained by the digitalization variables examined. The ANOVA test confirmed the model's overall significance (p < 0.001). The study underscores the importance of investing in modern digital infrastructure and recommends the integration of advanced technologies to enhance operational and supply chain performance. The study contributes to digital transformation literature in agri-based supply chains and offers practical insights for decision-makers in the dairy sector. Future research may explore comparative insights across different agricultural sub-sectors to generalize the findings further.