Grassroots Level Research Articles

AN ANALYTICAL STUDY OF THE PERFORMANCE OF PANCHAYATS IN TRIPURA: MAJOR INITIATIVES AND ACHIEVEMENTS

The introduction of the 73rd Constitutional Amendment to the Constitution of India brought a new beginning and positive changes to Indian democracy. It has strengthened the concept of democracy by ensuring the decentralization of power at the grass roots level. The creation of the Three Tier Panchayat System was a land mark step giving voice to the rural people in the process of governance and democratic development planning. In conformity with this Act, in 1993, the Government of Tripura brought forward the Tripura Panchayats Act. The present paper aims to analyse the performance of the Panchayats of Tripura and the contribution of PRIs in developing the rural areas of Tripura.

Ислам и война: Telegram-канал Р. Кадырова в период СВО

The relevance of the study is determined by the influence of the special military operation (SMO) on the transformation of political discourse on the Internet. The novelty of the research is due to the identi-fication of current trends in the proposed content in the modern Russian media space. The start of a special military operation (SMO/SVO) determined a new model of the political development of the Russian Federation, and also significantly influenced the political discourse of the heads of Russian regions. The political discourse, in turn, forms social and political views at the grassroots level. This paper examines the religious and political discourse of the Head of the Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov in the Telegram messenger during the first year of the SMO. The study is focused on identify-ing the specifics of the formation of religious and political content in social networks in wartime. The work is based on the methods of classical and digital sociology, as well as discursive analysis of text messages. 2035 publications by R. Kadyrov on the Telegram page from February 24, 2022 to February 23, 2023, including 1406 videos, 165 photos/print-screens, 20 audio messages and 3 docs-attachments were analyzed using a continuous sample. Finally, conclusions are drawn in relation to some change in Kadyrov’s public discourse for the past year. On his personal page in Telegram, religious themes with an emphasis on traditional values, the image of the enemy and the legitimation of armed struggle (ji-had) acquire an exceptional sound in the conditions of the SMO. In today's political realities, a reli-gious resource and an open armed conflict successfully complement each other. At the same time, the head of the Chechen Republic demonstrates a claim to religious authority both on a Russian and global scale: he openly opposes Western ideology not only on the battlefield, but also in the religious content, actively participates in the sacralization of the SMO and its jihadization. The obtained conclusions ex-pand the knowledge about the potential of a religious resource in open conflicts and raise the question of the prospects for its use by other religious communities.

Knowledge Assessment of Beneficiary Farmers of Technical Service Centres (TSCs) about Recommended Technologies of Sericulture in Karnataka State of India

Sericulture in Karnataka is in the process of modernization in many phases through new demand driven extension approach called Technical Service Centres (TSCs) located at the grass-root level (Hobli and Taluka level). These centres are mainly involved in the dissemination of the technologies developed by the Research Institutes and also in supply of mulberry cuttings/saplings, monitoring mulberry cultivation, silkworm rearing and providing information about loan facilities and subsidy schemes. There is a need to study the attitude of sericulture beneficiary farmers towards activities of TSCs. The study was conducted during 2018-20 in the Karnataka state which contribute 35 per cent of silk production in India. An ex-post facto research design was used or the study. Knowledge test was constructed to measure the knowledge of sericulture farmers on recommended sericulture technologies. The Ramanagara and Mandya districts were selected because these district have highest number of TSCs in Bangalore and Mysore division respectively. Mandya, Malavalli and K.R Pet taluks from Mandya district as well as Ramanagara, Channapatna and Kanakapura taluks from Ramanagara district were selected for the study with four TSCs from each taluk. Totally, 24 TSCs were selected for the study. Ten sericulture farmers under each TSC, collectively 240, were selected by using random sampling method. The study highlighted that more than half (52.50%) and more than one third (36.25%) of the sericulture farmers had medium and high knowledge on recommended technologies of sericulture respectively. Only just more than one tenth (11.25%) of the sericulture farmers had low knowledge on recommended technologies of sericulture. The probable reason might be due to fact that sericulture farmers were regularly consulting from officials of grainage centres, TSC extension functionaries, input dealers and peer group about the information on latest sericulture technologies.

Institutional Role of Independent Smallholders in Realizing Sustainable Palm Oil Plantation Governance

Purpose: The palm oil sector plays an important role in the national economy. Growth in this sector can improve people's welfare and reduce poverty. The purpose of this study is to determine the role of independent smallholder institutions and their obstacles in realizing oil palm plantation governance following ISPO principles/criteria/indicators. Theoritical Framework: This study focuses on the application of the theory of Esman and Uphoff in (Abriandi et al., 2019), mentioning several roles of farmer institutions, with indicators namely: Interorganizational Tasks, Resource Tasks, Services Tasks, and extra–organizational tasks. This study uses a mixed research method, which combines the process of a quantitative approach in data collection and a qualitative approach in analyzing descriptively. Methods: This study focuses on the application of the theory of Esman and Uphoff in (Abriandi et al., 2019), mentioning several roles of farmer institutions, with indicators namely: Interorganizational Tasks, Resource Tasks, Services Tasks, and extra–organizational tasks. This study uses a mixed research method, which combines the process of a quantitative approach in data collection and a qualitative approach in analyzing descriptively. Findings: Researchers finding the importance of building collaboration in strengthening ISPO regulations in the future, because Independent Smallholder Institutions play an important role in influencing the success or failure of the implementation of ISPO certification, in general, ISPO certification policies are still in demand by large companies while the majority ownership of oil palm plantations is owned by Independent Smallholders so need to encourage Independent Smallholders to play an active role in implementing ISPO certification. Practical Implications: By uncovering the obstacles faced by independent smallholders and assessing the effectiveness of institutions in the ISPO certification process, the research provides actionable insights for policymakers and stakeholders. The study's emphasis on developing responsive plans and strengthening the independent smallholder ecosystem adds a practical dimension to the broader discourse on sustainable palm oil development. Originality/Value: This research stands out through its specific focus on independent smallholders, the nuanced examination of ISPO challenges at the grassroots level, the adoption of a comprehensive institutional concept, the significance of the chosen geographical context, the integration of multi-disciplinary insights, and the exploration of readiness and conventional practices. These elements collectively contribute to the novelty and originality of the study, offering a unique contribution to the existing body of knowledge on sustainable palm oil governance.

Multiplier flock scheme in Barbari goats: An entrepreneurship model for in situ breed conservation and improvement

Barbari is a most preferred breed for commercial goat farming-under intensive management. However, pure-bred Barbari goats; especially buck’s availability are meager due to indiscriminate castration which resulted in stagnation of genetic improvement and breed dilution. Multiplier Flock Scheme, an integrated genetic improvement model was initiated at ICAR-CIRG, Makhdoom to cater the need of pure-bred and high merit goats and to promote commercial goat farming. Trained farmers with adequate housing and know-how were registered under this scheme and they were provided a foundation stock of Barbari goat to multiply with all technical support. Currently, 50 such goat farms exist in India with flock size of 50 to 350 goats. Data was collected on animal performance and economic attributes from eight such farms. The least squares means of body weight of Barbari kids at birth, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months of age were 1.58, 7.22, 14.54, 20.01 and 25.76 kg, respectively. The average 60 and 90 days milk yield were 45.23 and 66.28 litre. The pre-weaning, post-weaning (3-12 month) and adult mortality were 9.03, 4.33 and 5.40% of flock strength. The net profit per goat/year ranged from ₹3800 to ₹13000 under various business models and the benefit:cost ratios ranged from 1.50 to 2.42 with mean and median value of 1.94 and 2.00, respectively. Present study concluded that multiplier flocks is efficient breeding model for improvement, conservation of goat breeds, promoting scientific goat farming at grass root level and very helpful to policymakers for small ruminant development.

Examining the demand side factors of green banking adoption – a study exploring the case of Oman

PurposeCommercial banks are the financial powerhouses of a nation that can create a penetrating impact at the grassroots level. This study aims to investigate the demand-side drivers of green banking purchase intention by extending the popular theory of planned behavior (TPB) model.Design/methodology/approachThis study used a mono-method research approach to collect customers’ cross-sectional responses using structured questionnaires. The data were further analyzed using CB-SEM.FindingsThis study points out that attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control and environmental concern are demand-side factors that drive the intention of individual customers to adopt green banking services. The moderating roles of collectivism, age and gender are also discussed in this study.Research limitations/implicationsThe present study’s results suffer from mono-method bias as they are based on primary data analysis alone. This limitation can be addressed by incorporating a mixed-method approach.Practical implicationsSeveral policy suggestions are offered based on the findings on improving green banking adoption among individual customers. The proper incorporation of these guidelines will expedite a nation’s aspirations for sustainable economic growth.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to explore the demand-side factors that drive Omani customers’ intention to adopt green banking. Moreover, this study extends the TPB with environmental concern and personal values to examine the green banking adoption by individual customers.

A Community Based Study on Various Aspects of Breast-Feeding Practices from Central India

Background: For optimum growth and development of newborns breastfeeding is of utmost importance.Identification of breastfeeding practise gaps need to be identified and filled. This study was undertaken to explorethe breastfeeding practices, influence of literacy and prevailing cultural factors on different aspects of breastfeeding.Materials and Methods: Complete line listing of 576 breastfeeding women in the study area was done. Thenthe study subjects were interviewed by making house to house visits. Data was gathered on the participant’sdemographics, breastfeeding knowledge, and practices. Privacy was maintained while conducting the interview.Anonymity and confidentiality were ensured to the study participants.Results: Data of 550 study participants was analyzed and presented here. 377 (68.5%) could not practice timelyinitiation of breast feeding. Most common reason (264, 70%) for the same was insufficient knowledge about it.Exclusive breast feeding was practiced by merely 44 (8%) subjects. Not good for health of newborn (108, 36.7%),not easily digested by the newborn (thick) (85, 28.9%) and myths prevalent in society (64, 21.8%) were three mostcommon reasons for discarding colostrum by mothers. Lower socio-economic status, muslim religion and jointfamily were found to be associated with practice of exclusive breastfeeding.Conclusion: The issue of lower prevalence of early breastfeeding initiation and exclusive breastfeeding continuesto persist in the study area. Still, colostrum is being discarded. Tailored and region specific health promotionactivities must be intensified in this regard by grass root level health care workers.

International Solidarity at the Grassroots: A Case Study of the British Anti-Apartheid Movement

The global campaign against apartheid South Africa has been viewed as one of the most successful examples of international solidarity activism in the 20th century. Scholars examining how anti-apartheid emerged and developed as a salient global issue have primarily focused on transnational and national considerations, particularly the role and influence of southern African exiles and expatriates, as well as the way that anti-apartheid intersected with national domestic political concerns. There has, however, been limited attention paid to the distinctly local dimensions of the international anti-apartheid movement. Using the British Anti-Apartheid Movement (AAM) as a case study, this article seeks to add to our understanding of how the politics of anti-apartheid at the grassroots level was shaped by its interactions with the local economic, political, social and cultural environment. The existing historiography on anti-apartheid in Britain has been characterised by an overwhelming focus on the London-based national AAM and a widespread perception that the movement was highly centralised. Through an exploration of the role of local activist structures, the issue of grassroots autonomy, and examples of anti-apartheid activism beyond London, the article asserts that while there was an element of centralisation linked to the national AAM, this point has been overemphasised. In adopting a grassroots analytical approach, this article will reveal the distinctive local dimensions of anti-apartheid activism in Britain and demonstrate that there was greater diversity than the existing scholarship acknowledges. It is argued that such heterogeneity within the movement was shaped by the levels of grassroots autonomy that existed, as well as the influence of divergent local conditions. Finally, a focus on local anti-apartheid activism can provide greater nuance to established historiographical narratives of the national AAM, such as tensions with the far left and engagement with domestic anti-racist struggles.

A participatory systems dynamic modelling approach to understanding flood systems in a coastal community in Cameroon

In the face of increasing flood risks and the need for effective management both at national and local levels, this study highlights a participatory approach that transcends conventional stakeholder consultation but delves into drawing insights through conceptual models that unveil the potential of the Participatory System Dynamic Modelling approach to mitigate flood risks, even at the grassroots level effectively. Through active stakeholder engagement, the study focuses on identifying and analysing the intricate interdependencies and feedback loops within the Limbe flood risk management system that are crucial for recommending comprehensive and actionable flood risk mitigation strategies for Limbe's cross-sectoral dynamics. By including flood experts and community stakeholders in the conceptual model construction, the study utilises an evaluative framework that accounts for system processes and outcomes, ensuring a holistic understanding of the flood risk system, considering scientific knowledge and real-life experiences. The findings underscore the value of participatory modelling techniques in facilitating the identification and prioritisation of intervention options by diverse stakeholders, thereby promoting active engagement in local flood risk management, a vital step in addressing the escalating challenges posed by climate change and natural disasters.

Development Centers and Grassroots Good Governance in Oji River Local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigeria (2019-2023)

Governance at the grassroots level is ideally supposed to serve as a mirror through which the performance of every other government is measured. This informs the establishment of development centers in the Oji River Local Government Area. Notwithstanding the existence of development centers vis-à-vis their intended benefits to the local populace, what is on the ground is at variance with its purpose as the development centers cannot mobilize the grassroots populace to participate in governance and administer infrastructural development at that level. Data for this study was obtained through secondary sources with content analysis of information from the internet, journals, and books. Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Need Theory (1943) as a framework for the study. The paper recommended that the establishment of development centers is in order but appropriate holistic measures should be put in place to enable it to serve its purpose which is based on encouraging good governance at the grassroots levels in Oji River local government Area of Enugu State, among other areas. The study, therefore, concluded that the current state of development centers in Oji River local government area is an aberration to any ideal democratic governance where the grassroots is supposed to be the pillar that holds firm other wider tiers of government.

‘Self-Sustainability’ and ‘Performance’ in Microfinance – The Contextual Relevance of the Terms

The microfinance sector’s Paradigm Shift (PS) of the 1990s caused a drastic shift in the way Microfinance Organizations (MFOs) ensured their long-term survival and sustainability. The PS required MFOs to adopt a commercial approach in all their operations and pursue profitability and self-sustainability rather than depending on the provision of subsidized funds. Resorting to Schatzki’s (2002) ‘site of the social’ theoretical construct and DiMaggio and Powell’s (1983) institutional theory, this empirical paper aims to evaluate the real performance of Pakistan’s microfinance sector, following the PS, in terms of its strict adherence to its founding objectives of eradicating poverty and serving the extreme poor. This qualitative empirical research paper resorts to the Case Study approach to investigate the pre- and the post-Paradigm Shift eras of Pakistan’s microfinance sector for evaluating the sector’s real ‘success’ in accomplishing its founding aim of eradicating poverty at the grass root level. Analysis of the data reveals that the microfinance sector, in its pursuit of profitability and self-sustainability, following the PS, is compromising its founding commitment to its target beneficiaries – the extreme poor. The study contributes a theory, literature and empirical evidence-informed conceptual framework to help guide organizational change initiatives in the peculiar context of a social service/not-for-profit sector and predict outcome quality of such a change for all stakeholders. The study outcomes apprise policy-makers and practitioners on the possible negative consequences of the microfinance sector’s gradual transition from a ‘social-service’ to a ‘commercial’ model for the poor.

Assessing the Impacts and Challenges of Deployed Community Development Workers: The Case of Bishoftu Community Development Workers Training College Graduates

Community development is about placing individuals at the centre of the development process and helping them realize their potential. Community Development Workers (CDWs) are community-based resource persons who collaborate with other community activists to help fellow community members. The objective of this study is to assess factors that challenge the roles of CDWs. The study used both quantitative and qualitative study designs. Data were gathered through questionnaires, in-depth interviews and personal observation. The collected data was analyzed using mixed method of analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data. The study revealed that CDWs have proved to be key and important local actors and facilitators in bringing about attitudinal change among the communities they work with, are attracting the trust and confidence of the people they work with, have revitalized local social organizations as instruments of development, have tabled the agendas of the socially marginalized community groups, working on the principle of matching community inputs with resources, and their role approved to be well aligned with Development Policy as it fosters ‘community participation, promotes self-reliance, and is strategically fasten at the grass roots level. The study concludes that CDWs are facing challenges in contextualizing their role and institutional factors are discovered to be impeding the roles of CDWs. The study recommends a multi-disciplinary research involving educationalists, and social anthropologists could perhaps develop a more thorough of investigation and be more conclusive on the factors that influence CDWs performance initiated by this research.

The Development of an Informative Model for Namibian Women in ICT Careers

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) were identified by the United Nations as tools that enable and enhance economic development and sustainable development. Women are a social group that plays an important role in development from the family level through to community and national institutions. Despite their contribution in social and economic development, women happen to lack digital exposure and career guidance in challenging information technology careers. The challenge motivated the need to explore the occupational experience of Namibian women in information technology and factors influencing their information technology career growth. The study used qualitative research approach and a case study design focusing on Windhoek the capital city of Namibia. The sample size was 35 female workers from IT professions in Windhoek and 20 female students. The data were collected by means of questionnaires. The results showed that IT female’s workers and IT students are less represented in IT challenging jobs and IT challenging courses that include Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cybersecurity, Networking and Programming. Furthermore, the results showed that women in IT take fewer challenging positions such as computer technicians and system administrators due to the lack of skills and appropriate tools. Finally, IT female workers are being undermined due to the traditional belief that women are less efficient, hence, they do not rise to higher positions. Following the results, it was concluded that social and cultural factors affect women in the ICT profession and it is possible to develop the informative model for Namibia women in ICT through identification of challenges and developing strategies for overcoming the challenges. Following identified gaps, it is recommended stakeholders including the government and other institutions must maintain the involvements of the Namibian girl child in specialized ICT courses at grass root level from primary schools, through secondary schools up to tertiary institutions and avoid any form of gender segregation when enrolling ICT students.

EVALUATION OF THE STATUS OF CHILD & WOMEN DEVELOPMENT IN INDIA: WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO JHARKHAND STATE

The indices of child and women development play a significant role in assessing the economic success of a country. The state of a country may be accurately assessed by examining the condition of its women and children. The nation or state government that has prioritized Child and Women Development has achieved a greater level of development compared to others. This research seeks to examine the condition of Child and Women Development in two underperforming states in India. It tries to provide a comparative framework for assessing the status of Child and Women Development based on certain indicators. The effective execution of central and state government programs and schemes at the grassroots level, as well as the promotion of awareness among beneficiaries at both the national and state levels, particularly in underperforming states such as Bihar and Jharkhand, necessitate robust commitments from state governments.

Research on the Aided Diagnosis Method of Diseases Based on Domain Semantic Knowledge Bases

The health care domain is a knowledge-intensive domain. The quality of clinical diagnosis relies mainly on the medical knowledge and experience held by doctors. However, the ability of a single doctor is very limited, so the quality of clinical diagnosis is currently not high. In this paper, an aided diagnosis method based on domain semantic knowledge bases is proposed. Firstly, a domain semantic knowledge base is established by extracting and refining the knowledge of the medicine subject matter domain from the Freebase RDF dumps. Then, based on the semantic knowledge base, the algorithms for calculating the weights of the symptoms in the knowledge base, the relative weights of the diseases related to the input symptom set from a patient, and the related symptom set related to the input symptom set from the patient are proposed. Finally, the clinical medical record data of several common diseases are selected to make an evaluation on the proposed method. For each medical record, the symptom information is extracted from the chief complaint as the patient’s input symptom set. Based on the input symptom set, the method of this paper is used to obtain the list of related diseases and the ranking of disease relative weights. From the disease relevance rankings, the Top 1 (first diagnosis) and Top-3 (first 3 diagnoses) are compared with the doctor’s diagnoses in the medical records. Among them, ovarian cyst has the highest Top-1 and Top-3 hit rates of 67.3% and 89.1%, respectively. Followed by acute upper respiratory tract infection, Top-1 and Top-3 hit rates are 56.6% and 85.2%, respectively. The average Top-1 and Top-3 hit rates are 47.9% and 79.7%, respectively. Compared with the relevant methods, the method of this paper is better. The evaluation results show that based on the domain semantic knowledge base and the aided diagnosis method of diseases constructed in this paper, it is possible to provide aided diagnosis services of a large number of common diseases for general practitioners (especially inexperienced doctors) at the grass-roots level as well as self-diagnosis services of diseases for patients.

Connecting the Threads: A Descriptive Review of Social, Cultural and Spiritual Influences on Physiotherapy Practice

In the 21st century, there have been significant indigenous advancements in the field of physiotherapy. However, there still exist certain sociocultural and spiritual beliefs among practitioners. Through meticulous examination, evaluation, diagnosis, prognosis, and physical intervention, physiotherapists utilise mechanical movements and force to treat impairments and help improve function, mobility, and quality of life. The cultural framework plays a crucial role in how individuals experience health, illness, and disability. Simultaneously, sociocultural factors are pivotal in the physical function, health, and illness of individuals. This paper explores the social, cultural and spiritual influences on physiotherapy across different societal and professional contexts. While there have been several recent studies providing snapshots of advancements in technologies in the healthcare system, there are not as many focusing on these three aspects in the clinical practice of physiotherapists. Due to the different eras in the history of physiotherapy, the present article demonstrates how physiotherapists are influenced by social, cultural, and spiritual domains. It is challenging to generalise the results in every situation and geographical area. Therefore, physiotherapists should be proactive in addressing these healthy beliefs at the grassroots level within the healthcare society. To create a personalised treatment plan, goal-setting, and care plan for the patient, the physiotherapist finds great value in understanding the patient’s sociocultural and spiritual history.

The Role of Religious Leaders in Handling Covid-19 Pandemic in Sikka Regency, Indonesia

This study aims to explain the role of religious leaders in Sikka Regency, Indonesia in handling the Covid-19 Pandemic and their impacts on people’s behavior, especially in compliance with the Covid-19 Protocols. Using a mixed method approach, this study compares Catholic and Moslem communities in the regency. Measuring quantitatively and qualitatively how they influence the behavior of the people during the Covid-19 Pandemic, this study shows that the religious leaders played a role as “intermediary elites” with a number of distinctive characteristics. Considering this important role in handling and preventing Covid-19 Pandemic, this study recommends that policy makers in Indonesia at all levels should take into account the role of religious leaders as determinant factors, especially as “intermediary elites” in making their policies work more effectively at grassroots level in dealing with other social issues or problems in the future.

ТЕОРЕТИЧНІ АСПЕКТИ РОЗВИТКУ «ТРЕТЬОГО СЕКТОРУ» І СУБ’ЄКТІВ «СОЦІАЛЬНОЇ ЕКОНОМІКИ» В УКРАЇНІ

The article analyzes certain theoretical aspects of the development of «the third sector» and subjects of social economy. The terms «social economy» and «third sector» have long been in circulation in Western economic science, legislation and business practice and today are an important component of the developed countries’ economies. However, for Ukraine they are relatively new, uncommon and insufficiently researched, which, in turn, creates obstacles for their active development. Therefore, the analysis of existing approaches in European economic science and the development of theoretical aspects of the «third sector» and social economy development in Ukraine is a very relevant and important scientific task. The peculiarities of use of the term «social economy» in two different meanings have been established. The first is related to the general theoretical aspects of macroeconomics and certain theoretical and political economic concepts of the «improvement» of capitalism. The second is related to practical embodiment of the idea of mutual aid in the form of a special type of enterprises (organizations) that have a «non-capitalist nature» (do not want to make a profit) and form a separate, special sector of the market economy, consisting of real business entities whose activities are based on the idea of mutual assistance and has a clear social direction. Within the social economy sector, another term stood out and became widespread, which is «solidarity economy» – as a part of the social economy at grassroots level (in individual territorial communities and on the basis of other stable groups of people united by a certain sign of solidarity). Therefore, in the literature, the terms «social» and «solidarity» economy are found both separately and together when it comes to organizations or enterprises of social (solidarity) economy (SSE organizations or ESS). The terms «social economy» and «third sector» are quite close in meaning, because they unite specific non-state, non-profit, socially oriented organizations. However, «the third sector» is a category that includes, but is not limited to, social economy entities. In other words, «social economy» is the largest and most important part of «the third sector». The social economy subjects traditionally include cooperatives, mutual societies, fund associations and social enterprises. All of them have non-profit economic nature and specific legal regulation. In the article, significant attention is paid to the disclosure of these features, common features and differences of various subjects of the social economy.

The challenge of doing good: promotion of recycling in Almaty through civic community initiatives

Recycling is one of the key components in reduction of carbon emissions and improving environmental conditions, especially in the urban context. In Central Asia, the legislation and infrastructure necessary for waste management is still under development. Thus, the knowledge gap and public awareness campaigns are mostly done at the grassroots level. This paper looks at the case of recycling promotion through civic community initiatives that also have a charitable component in Almaty. It explores the ethical considerations that are being entangled with the introduction of recycling culture in the city and is grounded in the literature on civil society, environmental ethics and social entrepreneurship. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews with organizers of recycling fairs and NGOs working on recycling. The paper reveals that by appealing to the ethical considerations of people to “do good” and contribute to charitable cause, the organizers of the recycling fair also demonstrate the effects of over-consumerism, ways of doing waste management, and educate about reuse and upcycle culture. The single case of Darmarka in Almaty present a limitation of the study. Therefore, a more in-depth research on the organisation of Darmarka events in other cities in Kazakhstan and CIS, as well as on similar initiatives in other Central Asian countries would be beneficial in the future. This is an important contribution in understanding what challenges and opportunities exist in promotion of recycling in Central Asia, that can be useful to national governments, experts, and international organizations working in this area.

"Sickness has no time": Awareness and perceptions of health care workers on universal health coverage in Uganda.

Each person having access to needed health services, of sufficient quality, and without suffering financial hardship, defined as universal health coverage (UHC) by the World Health Organization, is critical to improve population health, particularly for vulnerable populations. UHC requires multisectoral collaboration and good governance, and this will require buy-in of key stakeholders; but their views are under-documented. The aim of this stakeholder analysis was to explore the awareness and perceptions of UHC by health care workers (HCWs) in Uganda. A mixed-methods study was conducted based on primary data from HCWs including an online QualtricsXM survey of 274 HCWs (from a database of persons who had received training at an academic institution), 23 key informant semi-structured interviews, and one eight-person focus group discussion. Data was collected from February to April 2022. Microsoft Excel and R Programme were used for quantitative analyses and NVivo version 12 for qualitative analyses. HCWs attributed a high level of importance to UHC in Uganda. Participants discussed national communication and management practices, organisational roles, health financing and power dynamics, health care demand and the impact of and learnings from COVID-19. Four main themes-each with related sub-themes-emerged from the interview data providing insights into: (1) communication, (2) organisation, (3) power, and (4) trust. There is a critical need for better communication of UHC targets by policymakers to improve understanding at a grassroots level. Results indicated that ensuring trust among the population through transparency in metrics and budgets, strong accountability measures, awareness of local cultural sensitivities, sensitisation of the UHC concept and community inclusion will be essential for a multisectoral roll out of UHC. Further provision of quality health services, a harmonisation of efforts, increased domestic health financing and investment of HCWs through fair remuneration will need to underpin the delivery of UHC.