Vision Of World Research Articles

The Perception of Working Women on Women's Empowerment

Women’s empowerment, according to World Vision Australia can be defined as “promoting women’s sense of self-worth, their ability to determine their own choices, and their right to influence social change for themselves and others.” Organisations around the world have recognized the value women bring to the table and have made several attempts in the form of Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives in order to support and foster women’s empowerment in the workplace. While these measures are commendable, it is imperative that we look at them from the perspectives of those who are affected by them the most, i.e. women in the corporate sector. To conduct this study, a survey was circulated to 32 female participants working in the corporate sector, above the age of 20, residing in Delhi, Haryana, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, using convenient sampling methods. The findings suggest that although many respondents reported the existence of initiatives aimed at empowering women in their workplaces, a significant portion did not experience any benefits from these efforts. These findings carry significant implications that underscore the urgency for organisations to transcend superficial gestures and instead adopt comprehensive strategies that challenge long-standing norms and practices. The study emphasises the importance of genuine commitment and transformative measures as instrumental drivers in bringing about substantive change. In conclusion, this research accentuates the imperative for businesses to prioritise gender diversity in leadership roles, ensuring equal opportunities for all employees while advancing work-life balance and fostering an inclusive corporate culture.

Contribution of Non Governmental Organisations Projects Intervention on Social Economic Growth in Rural Areas. A Case of World Vision Rwanda 2019-2022 Kivuruga Sector, Gakenke Disrtict, Northern Rwanda.

This research is basically done to assess contribution of Non-Governmental Organizations projects intervention on socio economic growth of in rural areas a case study of World Vision Rwanda project in Kivuruga sector. This study had the following specific objectives: to find out the contribution of NGOs on socio economic growth in Kivuruga sector, to elaborate socio economic impacts of NGOs in rural areas especially in Kivuruga sector, to identify the relationship between activities of WVR and socioeconomic growth of its beneficiaries in Kivuruga sector and to give suggestions and recommendation on NGOs activities in rural areas. Due to financial means, time constraints and the need of precision of results, it was impossible to study all population. Target population of this study was 127 beneficiaries of World Vision Rwanda project in Kivuruga sector. A sample of 56 respondents was selected and cluster sampling was used for selecting groups, or clusters, of participants from the population. The clusters were chosen based on distribution of World Vision Rwanda project’s respondents in cells. The study also employed purposive sampling as the sampling technique. Questionnaire, interview and a documentation research were used as tools of data collection. The statistical analysis of the collected data was conducted using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). This study assessed the Contribution of WVR in socio-economic growth where the findings indicated that great extent and very great extent make 73.2%. Therefore, the WVR played a big role in economic growth of Rwanda especially in Kivuruga Sector. As conclusion, it has been revealed that the capacity of the beneficiaries to cover basic expenditure and need (such as food, clothing, transport, education and housing, etc.) has been improved over the program/project period. Likewise, the programs executed by WORLD VISION Rwanda have enabled beneficiaries to engage in small businesses, different income generating activities, developing markets through a systems approach and market linkage, promote and increase the saving practice. As a result, beneficiaries of the programs have their source of income and they become self-reliance and empowered. The recommendations to future action planners are to improve livelihood, socio-economic conditions and then to reduce poverty the participation of women.

Strategic Management Practices and Employee Performance in Non-Governmental Organizations in Nairobi City County, Kenya

The growth and development of an organization are contingent upon the effective management of its human resources. However, the adoption of effective human resource management practices in many local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) NGOs operating in the development sector have received insufficient attention. This research aims to explore the impact of strategic management practices on employee performance within non-governmental organizations located in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The specific objectives of this study are to assess the influence of communication, objective setting, strategic leadership, and training on employee performance in non-governmental organizations operating in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The study was guided by expectancy theory, goal setting theory, contingency theory, and human capital theory. A descriptive research design was employed. The population was five prominent NGOs in Nairobi City County, namely Oxfam International, World Vision, USAID, Mercy Corps, and Amnesty International. The study targeted 742 respondents. Stratified sampling method was used and selection of respondents done using simple random sampling method. The sample size was 260 respondents. Data was collected using questionnaires. Questionnaires were piloted to 26 respondents. Validity was ensured using content validity. In addition, Cronbach's alpha test was used to test reliability. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistical and inferential statistics. The results were presented using tables and figures. The study found that communication, objective setting, strategic leadership and training had a positive significant influence on employee performance in non-governmental organizations in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The study concludes that communication in the workplace is important because it boosts employee morale, engagement, productivity, and satisfaction. Training is important because it represents a good opportunity for employees to grow their knowledge base and improve their job skills to become more effective in the workplace. The study recommends that non-governmental organizations in Nairobi City County, Kenya should focus on the implementation of effective communication channels and tools by including the use of technology such as intranet platforms, project management software, and instant messaging systems. The non-governmental organizations in Nairobi City County, Kenya should ensure that goals are clearly defined, quantifiable, realistic, aligned with the overall objectives of the organization, and have a specific deadline for completion. The non-governmental organizations in Nairobi City County, Kenya should focus on building the skills and capabilities of current and future leaders through training in areas such as communication, decision-making, and conflict resolution, as well as opportunities for leaders to receive feedback and coaching on their performance. Create a culture of transparency and open communication within the organization.

How Medieval Lifestyle in Fantasy Literature Attracts Chinese

The medieval lifestyle has been realized as an element in fantasy literature, which can create an imaginary world and attract readers with historical features. The aim of the present research was to explore the effects of medievalism in fantasy works and analyze its influence on Chinese readers. The Lord of the Rings was chosen to be the example, and a qualitative method was executed to categorize and analyze Chinese readers reactions to the example. Tables and word clouds illustrated the popularity of the Lord of the Rings in China and the reasons why Chinese readers were attracted by the story. Results showed that medievalism as symbols in the fantasy works provided the story with exoticism and pastoralism. And Chinese readers can be attracted by symbols and the values behind them. In view of these findings, this research revealed the possibility that masterpieces with general values can be admired by readers from other parts of the world.

Ființele ficționale: ce sunt și la ce folosesc

My paper problematizes the (non)existence of the fictional beings, addressing a series of important theoretical questions and comparing some relevant (realist / antirealist) answers archived by the modern and contemporary conceptual history. I have examined contrastive philosophical perspectives that define the ontological condition of fictional beings, in an attempt to represent the specific difference of these imaginative constructs and their experiential roles. The argumentative stake of my concise research is to prove that, in the coordinates of the imaginative worlds, fictional beings, their behavior, language, emotions, intentions, help us „read” and interpret real life - they are cognitive tools of exceptional value.

Relevance of Fakir Mohan Senapati’s Children Literature In the Present Context: An Overview

Children have a unique perspective to look at the world. Their learnings and their experiences often give a new direction to the literature produced for them. They through challenges to the literary world to come up to a level where they can be comfortable and they can utilize their world of imagination to the best of effects to enjoy a literary piece meant for them. Children literature is often produced by adult with an assumption to touch the aesthetics of the target audience. In most of the cases this type of literature is meant to give a message or educative purpose. Children today are smarter than they were before. For today’s children the condition is totally different. They are exposed to various advanced systems of entertainment with a gentle touch on the screen. To get them back to reading is a tough task. In such a challenging situation we can turn to the masters of the art of story-telling. Fakir Mohan Senapati, the grand master of story telling has created a few powerful and enchanting pieces of Children literature in form of poems. Just like his timeless novels in Odia language, his children literature has a special appeal. The precious pieces can lead the literary world of the present day to approach the target audience in the best possible way. The present paper tries to study the children literature produced by Fakir Mohan in the present context.

US–UK–France relations amid the Russia–Ukraine war: a new strategic alignment?

Abstract The Russian invasion of Ukraine and the recognition of the rising challenge from China have resulted in a closer alignment of American, British and French strategic interests. This policy paper explores how the strategic relationship between the United States, the United Kingdom and France has evolved amid this changed threat environment. The Russia–Ukraine war exposed the limitations of France's policy of ‘strategic autonomy’ and reasserted the importance of an American role in European security. The war has re-focused attention upon the Lancaster House framework in which the UK and France have the potential to enhance their contribution to European defence. The UK still regards its ‘special relationship’ with the US as being of critical importance to its foreign policy. But the UK's diminishing military power makes it a less valuable ally to the US whose attention is increasingly upon the Indo-Pacific region. The paper argues that the alignment between the three countries has been closer over the Russian war in Ukraine compared to attitudes towards China, where tensions between France and the ‘Anglo-Saxons’ persist. France has been unwilling to adopt the American approach towards China and has stuck to its vision of a multipolar world. The AUKUS deal arranged between the US, UK and Australia had the effect of alienating France. The policy paper contends that the temporary alignment between US, UK and French interests will erode as long-standing conflicts of interest re-emerge. In particular, the unpredictability of US leadership will damage the trilateral relationship if Donald Trump regains the presidency in November 2024.

China in the World: Culture, Politics, and World Vision by Ban Wang (review)

China in the World: Culture, Politics, and World Vision by Ban Wang (review)

‘조용한 항해’: 월드비전과 국제기아대책기구의 남중국해 해상 구조 활동

‘조용한 항해’: 월드비전과 국제기아대책기구의 남중국해 해상 구조 활동

عالم ما وراء الطبيعة في الأدب الإنجليزي والأمريكي: دراسة مقارنة

Supernatural fiction invites the reader to a world of mystery and imagination raising questions and sometimes doubts about the reality of this world. As it tempts the reader to explore the “unknown”, it tends to emphasize the possibility of the existence of vague worlds and issues beyond human mind and science. However, this possibility remains a hypothesis because it is always accompanied by a feeling of “uncertainty” which raises our doubts and made us skeptic about the existence and reality of this world. The same supernatural literary works tackle social, religious, and scientific issues as well as posing questions about its reliability which is another form of skepticism. This research argues that Skepticism is not far from the Gothic literary works, it presents various cases of “skepticism” in different supernatural literary works: The Rime of the ancient Mariner (1798), Frankenstein (1818), Young Goodman Brown (1835), The Fall of the House of Usher (1839). Each case of skepticism differs from the other in its form, the circumstances that created it, the purpose behind using it, and the conclusion it ends in. So, analyzing “Skepticism” its existence, different forms and contexts, and connection to Gothic fiction is the main motive of this research.

Crafting an Imaginary World of Her Own: A Conversation with Hong Kong Author Wong Yi

Crafting an Imaginary World of Her Own: A Conversation with Hong Kong Author Wong Yi

The Theatre of Revenge: The Intrusion of Hamlet’s Shadow Between Drama and History

Abstract Hamlet is a troubling piece. In this essay the reasons of internal ambiguity are analyzed through the conceptual prism of revenge. Moving from the well-known dispute between T.S. Eliot and C. Schmitt, the Author proposes an anti-canonical reading of the themes of the tragedy by reconstituting its socio-legal context. The aim is to bring to the surface legal elements which would be combined with the political facts already described by Schmitt in order to aid and amplify the validity of his argumentative approach. The historical transition from a documentary culture to a revenge culture, that marked the English imaginative world in Renaissance and post-Renaissance time, allows the interpreter to explain the excess not contained by Hamlet’s plot not only with the figures of the taboo of the Queen and the taboo of the Avenger (outlined by Schmitt in his work Hamlet or Hecuba), but also with a new and yet unexplored taboo of justice.

Beyond Words

Beyond Words

"To the Manor Born"

Matthew Speiser’s To The Manor Born is bold, but bold by the attempt alone. Speiser’s history where the American Civil War never ends is a work of fiction whose high-water mark is its own synopsis. Of course, same as anything in the world of imagination, Speiser’s America could have conceivably existed.

Determinants of Sustainability of Rural Water Supply Projects in Rwanda: Case of World Vision Supported Rural Water Supply Projects Conducted in the Western Province of Rwanda, Nyamasheke District, For Universal Service Coverage Program

Determinants of Sustainability of Rural Water Supply Projects in Rwanda: Case of World Vision Supported Rural Water Supply Projects Conducted in the Western Province of Rwanda, Nyamasheke District, For Universal Service Coverage Program

The Forest at the End of the Pier

‘TreeLand’, a neglected pier attraction in northern England, has become home to some of the country’s last remaining trees. On a day trip with her children, Ama’s encounter with the verdant forest prompts her to question the stories she has always been told about trees being a threat. In this alternate near future, technological solutionism, the drive for development and resistance to lifestyle change has enabled the spread of carbon capture technology and the demonization and widespread replacement of real trees. The roots of this fictional societal response are shown to go back through generations and are perhaps not as far removed from today’s England – where ancient woodlands are under threat and plastic lawns proliferate – as we might want to believe. The accompanying poetics, ‘Some notes on losing trees’, explores how stories can shape our understanding of, and interactions with, the natural world. The author reflects on how their imaginative world in childhood was forested through fiction when many native woodlands and trees had already been destroyed. Together, the story and poetics, invite consideration of how we respond as individuals, and as a society, when loss of nature is raw and immediate, when it is remote in time or space, or when it is just another part of the barely noticed everyday.

Small-scale egg and orange-fleshed sweet potato production and utilisation in selected communities in Ghana: A mixed-methods study

BackgroundNutrition-related exposures during the first 1,000 days of life are a predictor of health outcomes later in life. World Vision Ghana’s ‘Improved Feeding practices for the 1,000 days’ (IFP) project aimed to improve dietary practices of women and children utilising an integrated intervention approach including nutrition, health, and agriculture strategies.ObjectiveThis paper reports on the production and utilisation of orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (OFSP) and eggs for improving diets of women in reproductive age and young children during the first 1,000 days of life.MethodsPrimary data from Kassena-Nankana West (KNW), Sekyere East (SE) and Kintampo South (KS) districts were triangulated with project routine data for this analysis. Univariate analyses of quantitative data from baseline and implementation monitoring data were conducted to describe the sociodemographic characteristics of beneficiaries, inputs disbursed, outputs produced, and utilisation of the food commodities. Qualitative interviews from 61 participants were transcribed, coded, and thematically analysed; these were triangulated with the quantitative data to capture main themes and findings.ResultsOFSP and egg production and consumption increased annually across beneficiary communities. In 2021, 100% of OFSP produced was consumed in KS; in SE, 95.0% was consumed and 5.0% lost to post-harvest losses. In 2022, 90% OFSP produced in KNW was consumed and 9.0% sold. In KS, 90.3% was consumed and 9.0% sold. In SE, 82.3% was consumed and 17.1% sold. Egg production at the end of the first production year (2022) was 18,720 crates in KNW, 19,680 crates in KS and 40,128 crates in SE. Egg consumption in sample households was less than 10% in 2022 and showed a decreased trend in the first half of 2023. In SE and KS, egg and OFSP production, respectively, increased, exponentially; sale for income was the most common mode of utilisation in eggs but OFSP was consumed in these districts. In KNW, climate, irrigation and socio-cultural barriers hindered the maximal production and utility of the produce, which was not observed in SE and KS, which did not have any of these identified barriers. Reported unintended benefits of production and utilisation included increased household income, food security, and availability of organic manure as a side-product of poultry.ConclusionsThe IFP project resulted in increased household level production, use and distribution of Eggs and OFSP across the three focal districts. Similar settings may benefit from this intervention by adapting the strategies to become easier for beneficiaries to better cope with likely potential barriers such as poultry mortality and water scarcity.

Availability, acceptability, and utilization of micronutrient fortification for children 6-23 months in three districts in Ghana

BackgroundMicronutrient deficiencies result from multiple factors, including inadequate intake of micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) from nutrient-rich diverse diets. Point-of-use fortification with a nutritional supplement powder is recommended to address micronutrient deficiencies and anemia among infants and young children (6-23 months), particularly, in low-income countries. In Ghana, about a quarter of children aged 6-59 months are anemic, or deficient in iron and vitamin A. World Vision Ghana (WVG) implemented the integrated Improved Feeding Practices (IFP) project between 2020 and 2023 in three districts in Ghana to improve diet quality and practices of women of reproductive age, and young children below age two years. One component of the project involved the distribution of a nutritional supplement powder (KOKO Plus). This is the second in a series of four papers that document the implementation and outcomes of the IFP project; the other papers are published in this journal. The current paper assessed the availability, acceptability, and utilization of KOKO Plus to households who participated in the IFP project as well as lessons learned from implementing the intervention.MethodsA mixed-methods design was used, triangulating primary and secondary data. Secondary data originated from review of IFP project documents, including project mid-year and annual reports, and implementation plans across the three interdependent components of the IFP project. Primary data were obtained from interviews in six purposively selected communities. Key informants included WVG staff, community volunteers, and local government agency staff from health and agriculture sector agencies, and beneficiaries of the intervention. Interview respondents answered questions on the project’s mechanism for KOKO Plus distribution, participant experiences of purchasing and using KOKO Plus, perceived benefits of using KOKO Plus, and lessons learned about KOKO Plus from the IFP project. Beneficiaries also provided information on their perceptions of KOKO Plus acceptability and adverse outcomes.ResultsThe project distributed KOKO Plus free of charge to almost 14,000 (13,942) children, more than its target (4,900). In addition, Village-Based Entrepreneurs (VBE) sold 192,092 sachets of KOKO Plus in the project communities. The KOKO Plus value chain involved WVG purchasing the KOKO Plus from the Ghanaian manufacturer and supplying it to VBE’s either in their respective communities, or at distribution centers in their respective WVG district office. KOKO Plus promotion and marketing was led by trained VBE’s, VBE supervisors, and Community Based Organizations across multiple settings (homes, child welfare clinics, markets, community durbars, and religious gatherings). There was high acceptability of KOKO Plus. Mothers attributed their acceptance of KOKO Plus to its potential health and nutrition benefits for children. They also attributed increased child weight, and less frequent illness, to feeding meals that included KOKO Plus to their young children. KOKO Plus was added to the diverse local meals fed to young children. Diarrhea was the only mentioned adverse report, albeit rarely. At the end of the IFP project, WVG established a fund to ensure sustainable distribution of KOKO Plus in the project communities.ConclusionsThe IFP project established a KOKO Plus value chain, increasing availability, accessibility, acceptability, and utilization of KOKO Plus in the project communities. VBE’s successfully distributed KOKO Plus with support from community volunteers, and health care workers. This approach to KOKO Plus distribution is feasible and sustainable and is recommended for similar contexts.

Медный лик древней Америки: репрезентация мезоамериканских цивилизаций в американском pulp-журнале Weird tales в межвоенный период

In the Interwar period different form of Ancient civilization had been one the most frequent theme in American popular culture. Lost Indian civilization wasn’t exception, but this is-sue is still poorly investigate in the popular culture’s field. The article examines, based on John Cavelti's theory of for-mular fiction and John Saler’s “imaginary worlds”, the repre-sentation of pre-Columbian civilizations in one of the most significant American pulp magazines, Weird tales, and the ways in which their heritage is appropriated by American popular culture. We come to conclusion that representation of pre-Colombian indian civilization was within the general nar-rative of the ancient (like Egypt and Babylon), but had differ-ence in tropes. This concerned attention to the phenomenon of sacrifices. Also, the authors were anxious about issues of race, since the racist view of Latin Americans was a constitu-tive stereotype for many Americans. To prevent this problem from interfering with the appropriation of the Indian ancient heritage as uniquely American, the writers excluded the in-termediary in the person of a modern resident of Mexico. Mexico was represented as a poor, unstable country, just an epigone of its magnificent ancestors.

Youth Unemployment in Kenya

Young people have been greatly affected by unemployment which has led them to criminal activities as they try to earn a living. This research article seeks to explore the status of youth unemployment in Kenya, with reference to Kondele sub-county, Kisumu County of Kenya. The descriptive survey research design was employed in this treatise to determine the influence of World Vision International organization labor practices on youth unemployment in the aforementioned area, as well as the country at large. The study population comprised of the middle level employees working at World Vision International in Kisumu County. The population also comprised of the youth in Kondele Sub-county, Kisumu County. The selection of middle-level employees at World Vision International in Kisumu County as the population for the study is justified by their pivotal role in organizational operations. Middle-level employees form a crucial link between top-level management and front-line staff, often overseeing critical functions and decision-making processes. In the context of this research article, the focus was on the 77 mid-tier employees of World Vision International located in Kisumu County. Based on the research findings, it was recommended that World Vision International should identify emerging industries in the region and design skills training programs that equip youth with the specific competencies and knowledge required for these sectors. This will enhance their employability in growing fields and promote economic diversification.