Local Community Members Research Articles

Assessing marine macrolitter on the coastline of the Asterousia Biosphere Reserve: Insights from a community-based study

Even in pristine and remote environments of the Mediterranean, marine litter is building up threatening habitats and species and inhibiting sustainable development. The present study reports the findings of beach litter surveys carried out by 250 local community members in nine sites along the coastline of the Asterousia Biosphere Reserve, situated in the southernmost end of Europe. The average recorded litter density along these sites amounted to 125 items per 100 meters of coastline (range: 22–510) and to 0.05 items per square meter of beach (range: 0.01–0.13). Only two of the nine surveyed beaches were found to be in good environmental status, in compliance with the European threshold value for beach litter. The other seven studied beaches surpassed the European threshold value. The primary sources of the litter identified in the study can be attributed to unsustainable practices and inadequate waste management by individuals, communities and municipalities using the coastal and marine environment. Additionally, unsustainable waste management practices within the agricultural sector were also found to be a significant contributor to marine litter pollution.

Evaluating resident attitudes on German industrial heritage and tourism using the sustainable tourism attitude scale in Vojvodina, Serbia

ABSTRACT The main aim of this study was to research the way in which the local community members' socio-demographic characteristics, on the one hand, and presentation of the industrial heritage, on the other, shape their perception of sustainable tourism development, based on German industrial heritage. More precisely, the focus was on industrial heritage of a minority population in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Serbia, formerly part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The study assessed knowledge of the industrial heritage of the region, the German contributions, and whether these former sites of production should be developed as tourism offerings. The survey research was conducted in the period between October 2021 and March 2022 using the 44-items Sustainable Tourism Attitude Scale (SUS-TAS) scale, on a sample of 300 members of the local community. Several SUS-TAS factors were identified, and the results may help different stakeholders in tourism and culture. The research results might help to various stakeholders, from local residents to DMOs or institutes for cultural protection, to find the way how to deal with the hidden gems. Also, this paper fills the literature gap, due to the fact that the research was based on SUS-TAS scale, mostly used in nature-based tourism issues.

Assessment of a Brief Standardized Obstetric Ultrasound Training Program for Individuals Without Prior Ultrasound Experience.

Obstetric volume sweep imaging (OB VSI) is a simple set of transducer movements guided by external body landmarks that can be taught to ultrasound-naive non-experts. This approach can increase access to ultrasound in rural/low-resources settings lacking trained sonographers. This study presents and evaluates a training program for OB VSI. Six trainees without previous formal ultrasound experience received a training program on the OB VSI protocol containing focused didactics and supervised live hands-on ultrasound scanning practice. Trainees then independently performed 194 OB VSI examinations on pregnancies >14 weeks with known prenatal ultrasound abnormalities. Images were reviewed by maternal-fetal medicine specialists for the primary outcome (protocol deviation rates) and secondary outcomes (examination quality and image quality). Protocol deviation was present in 25.8% of cases, but only 7.7% of these errors affected the diagnostic potential of the ultrasound. Error rate differences between trainees ranged from 8.6% to 53.8% (P < 0.0001). Image quality was excellent or acceptable in 88.2%, and 96.4% had image quality capable of yielding a diagnostic interpretation. The frequency of protocol deviations decreased over time in the majority of trainees, demonstrating retention of training program over time. This brief OB VSI training program for ultrasound-naive non-experts yielded operators capable of producing high-quality images capable of diagnostic interpretation after 3 hours of training. This training program could be adapted for use by local community members in low-resource/rural settings to increase access to obstetric ultrasound.

Ownership of dogs and cats leads to higher levels of well-being and general trust through family involvement in late adolescence.

Late adolescence is a crucial period during which individuals connect with new communities. Furthermore, their mental health has lasting effects on their overall well-being. Involvement with family and the local community plays a significant role in shaping adolescents' personalities and well-being. Additionally, pets, such as dogs and cats, function as social catalysts and increase interactions with family and the local community. We hypothesized that pet ownership would increase involvement with family and the local community and thereby impact adolescents' personalities and well-being. Therefore, this study investigated whether owning dogs or cats was related to well-being through increased involvement with family and local community members in late adolescence. Data were collected via a questionnaire administered to high school and university students. The questionnaire included questions on basic information about adolescents and their families, pet ownership experience, family and local community involvement, well-being, cultural estrangement inventory, and general trust. Structural equation modeling revealed that adolescent women who owned dogs or cats had higher well-being and general trust through their involvement with their families. Although previous research reported that men who had experienced pet ownership in childhood were more sociable in old age, the effect of pet ownership on men was not observed in this study. During late adolescence, when individuals experience many connections with new communities, the effects of pets may temporarily decrease. Therefore, future cohort studies should examine the effects of pets on each age group.

Integrating Environmental Education to Form Environmental Care Characters in Schools

Purpose: This study aimed to integrate environmental education into school curricula to enhance environmental literacy, awareness, and sustainable behaviors among students and teachers. Research Design and Methodology: The study employed a multi-phase methodology, including needs assessment, curriculum development, teacher training, student engagement activities, mentoring, and monitoring. The project was implemented through comprehensive workshops for teachers, hands-on experiential learning activities for students, and continuous mentoring and assessment. Findings and Discussion: Results from pre- and post-intervention assessments indicated significant improvements in environmental knowledge and awareness among participants. Students displayed a deeper understanding of environmental issues such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, and exhibited positive shifts in attitudes and behaviors towards environmental conservation. Teachers reported increased confidence and competence in integrating environmental topics into their teaching practices, facilitated by professional development sessions covering contemporary environmental issues and pedagogical strategies. Implications: The study found that experiential learning activities, such as nature walks and school gardens, were particularly effective in fostering student engagement and retention of environmental knowledge. Additionally, the involvement of local environmental organizations and community members played a crucial role in reinforcing positive behavioral changes through social learning and community involvement. However, challenges such as limited resources and variability in teacher preparedness were identified, suggesting the need for ongoing support and resource allocation.

Strengthening community-based surveillance: lessons learned from the 2018–2020 Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Ebola outbreak

IntroductionThere has been little documentation of the large networks of community health workers that contributed to Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) surveillance during the 2018–2020 Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) epidemic in the form of community-based surveillance (CBS). These networks, comprised entirely of local community members, were a critical and mostly unrecognized factor in ending the epidemic. Challenges with collection, compilation, and analysis of CBS data have made their contribution difficult to quantify. From November 2019 to March 2020, the DRC Ministry of Health (MoH), the World Health Organization (WHO), and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) worked with communities to strengthen existing EVD CBS in two key health areas in Ituri Province, DRC. We describe CBS strengthening activities, detail collaboration with communities and present results of these efforts. We also provide lessons learned to inform future outbreak responses.MethodsAs the foundation of CBS, community health workers (CHW) completed training to identify and report patients who met the EVD alert definitions. Alerts were investigated and if validated, the patient was sent for isolation and EVD testing. Community members provided early and ongoing input to the CBS system. We established a predefined ratio of community- elected CHW, allocated by population, to assure equal and adequate coverage across areas. Strong performing CHW or local leaders managed the CHWs, providing a robust supervision structure. We made additional efforts to integrate rural villages, revised tools to lighten the reporting burden and focused analysis on key indicators. Phased roll-out of activities ensured time for community discussion and approval. An integrated treatment center (ITC) combined EVD testing and isolation with free primary health care (PHC), referral services, and an ambulance network.ResultsA total of 247 CHW and supervisors completed training. CBS had a retention rate of 94.3% (n = 233) with an average daily reporting rate of 97.4% (range 75.0-100.0%). Local chiefs and community leaders participated in activities from the early stages. Community feedback, including recommendations to add additional CHW, run separate meetings in rural villages, and strengthen PHC services, improved system coverage and performance. Of 6,711 community referrals made, 98.1% (n = 6,583) were classified as alerts. Of the alerts, 97.4% (n = 6,410) were investigated and 3.0% (n = 190) were validated. Of the community referrals, 73.1% (n = 4,905) arrived for care at the ITC. The contribution of CBS to total alerts in the surveillance system increased from an average of 47.3% in the four weeks prior to system strengthening to 69.0% after. In one of the two health areas, insufficient reporting in rural villages suggested inadequate coverage, with 8.3% of the total population contributing 6.1% of alerts.DiscussionCBS demonstrated the capacity of community networks to improve early disease detection and expand access to healthcare. Early and consistent community involvement proved vital to CBS, as measured by system performance, local acceptance of EVD activities, and health service provision. The CBS system had high reporting rates, number of alerts signaled, proportion of alerts investigated, and proportion of community referrals that arrived for care. The change in contribution of CBS to total alerts may have been due in part to system strengthening, but also to the expansion in the EVD suspect case definition. Provision of PHC, referral services, and an ambulance network linked EVD response activities to the existing health system and facilitated CBS performance. More importantly, these activities provided a continuum of care that addressed community prioritized health needs. The involvement of local health promotion teams was vital to the CBS and other EVD and PHC activities. Lessons learned include the importance of early and consistent community involvement in surveillance activities and the recommendation to assure local representation in leadership positions.

Seeding African Forest and Landscape Restoration: Evaluating Native Tree Seed Systems in Four African Countries

Commitments to Forest and Landscape Restoration are rapidly growing and being implemented globally to tackle the climate and biodiversity crises. Restoration initiatives largely based on tree planting necessitate an increased supply of high-quality and suitably adapted tree planting material. We evaluated the native tree seed supply systems in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ghana, and Kenya, four countries with large commitments to increase tree cover. We applied an established indicator framework to assess the adequacy of any current tree seed system to meet national needs. The study aimed to analyse (i) how well-established the native tree seed supply systems are, (ii) how public and non-public actors differ regarding the perception of existing seed systems, and (iii) the main barriers to strengthening current seed systems. Our findings identified significant gaps in the native tree seed supply systems of the four countries, arising particularly from shortfalls in the enabling environment. We found a lack of involvement of local community members in the seed systems, with a crucial need for strengthening policy, capacity building and investment in seed systems. We propose a multi-stakeholder approach and the application of online tools to improve seed systems to meet the demand for high-quality native tree seeds.

Informal settlements and the care of children 0-3 years of age: a qualitative study.

There is a rapid increase in urbanization with a high percentage of people living in poverty in urban informal settlements. These families, including single parents, are requiring accessible and affordable childcare. In Mlolongo, an informal settlement in Machakos County in Nairobi metropolitan area, Kenya, childcare centres, referred to as 'babycares' are increasing in number. They are being provided by local community members without attention to standards or quality control. The study objective was to understand parents', caregivers' and community elders' experiences and perceptions in terms of the quality of babycares in Mlolongo to inform the design and implementation of improved early childcare services. Using a community-based participatory research philosophy, a qualitative study including focus group discussions with parents, community elders and babycare centre employees/owners (referred to as caregivers) was conducted in Mlolongo. A total of 13 caregivers, 13 parents of children attending babycares, and eight community elders participated in the focus groups. Overall, community elders, parents and caregivers felt that the babycares were not providing an appropriate quality of childcare. The reported issues included lack of training and resources for caregivers, miscommunication between parents and caregivers on expectations and inappropriate child to caregiver ratio. The deficiencies identified by respondents indicate a need for improved quality of affordable childcare to support early child development in these settings. Efforts need to be invested in defining effective models of early childcare that can meet the expectations and needs of parents and caregivers and address the major challenges in childcare quality identified in this study.

Determinants of Waste Management Programmes on Sustainable Environmental Conservation in Mukuru Slums in Kenya

Surging amounts of waste are reported globally and especially in lower-income countries, with negative consequences for health and the environment. Increasing concern has been raised for the limited progress achieved in practice by diverse sets of policies and programmes. Waste management is a wicked problem characterized by multilayered interdependencies, complex social dynamics and webs of stakeholders. Interactions among these generate unpredictable outcomes that can be missed by decision makers through their understanding and framing of their context. This study therefore aimed at unlocking the intrigues behind unending waste management concerns that have continued to bedevil Mukuru slums despite the interventions in place and to develop sustainable mechanisms to address the challenges. The study was descriptive in nature and tried to understand determinants of waste management towards attaining a sustainable environmental conservation. The study targeted key informants drawn from the Nairobi county department of environment, water and sanitation, civil society groups, NEMA and local provincial administration and community members in Mukuru slum. Stratified sampling technique was used to select the sample population for the study. Since the study used primary data, a well set of questionnaire was used to collect the data from the respondents. The collected data was subjected to scrutiny through screening to ensure completeness and eliminate all the errors, before final analysis, aided by statistical packages for social sciences (SPSS) software. Regression analysis was also performed to determine the relationship between the poverty, management capabilities, financial resources and regulatory policies on sustainable environmental conservation. Data presentation was achieved through tables, graphs and charts. Findings revealed that poverty level, financial resources, management capabilities, and regulatory policies have great influence on sustainable environmental conservation in Mukuru slums. Therefore, the study recommended for integrated waste management approach that is community centered to bring every community member on board and other key stakeholders. On financial resources, the study recommended for robust public-private sector partnership to build up financial capital necessary for management of waste menace and conserve the environment and allocation of more resources. There is a need for more trainings, and awareness creation and formulation of elaborate policies to create autonomy for NEMA to enable the organization implement and enforce its regulations effectively. The study outlined that further studies can be done on the impact of socio-demographic factors, household perceptions and attitudes on waste management and socio-economic factors on sustainable environmental conservation.

"We are their eyes and ears here on the ground, yet they do not appreciate us"-Factors influencing the performance of Kenyan community health volunteers working in urban informal settlements.

This study explored factors that influence CHV performance in urban informal settlements (UIS) within Nairobi Kenya and ways in which CHVs can be supported to enhance their wellbeing and strengthen community strategies. The study was undertaken in two UIS within Nairobi County. Thirteen focus group discussions and three key informant interviews were conducted with a range of respondents. Various topics covering the design of the Community Health Strategy (CHS) and broader contextual factors that affect CHVs' performance, were discussed and data analysed using a framework analysis approach. The key programme design factors identified as influencing the performance of CHVs working in UIS included: CHV recruitment; training; availability of supplies and resources; and remuneration of CHVs. Health system factors that influenced CHVs performance included: nature of relationship between healthcare workers at local referral facilities and community members; availability of services and perceived corruption at referral facilities; and CHV referral outside of the local health facility. Whereas the broader contextual factors that affected CHV performance included: demand for material or financial support; perceived corruption in community programmes; and neighbourhood insecurity. These findings suggest that CHVs working in UIS in Kenya face a myriad of challenges that impact their wellbeing and performance. Therefore, to enhance CHVs' well-being and improve their performance, the following should be considered: adequate and timely remuneration for CHVs, appropriate holistic training, adequate supportive supervision, and ensuring a satisfactory supply of resources and supplies. Additionally, at the facility level, healthcare workers should be trained on appropriate and respectful relations with both the community and the CHVs, clarity of roles and scope of work, ensure availability of services, and safeguard against corrupt practices in public health facilities. Lastly, there's a need for improved and adequate security measures at the community level, to ensure safety of CHVs as they undertake their roles.

Fostering Market Penetration Strategies for Sustainable Conservation of Heritage Sites in Nyeri County, Kenya

Sustainable conservation has become popular in tourism, accepted by developers and stakeholders as an economically viable, socially acceptable, and environmentally friendly model for heritage tourism development models. However, heritage tourism encounters challenges like cultural commercialization, deterioration, development pressure, marketing gaps, and insufficient maintenance. Consequently, Kenya has prioritized long-term heritage tourism development goals to realize Vision 2030. This paper examines how market penetration strategies can leverage the sustainable conservation of heritage sites in Nyeri County, Kenya. The study adopted a cross-sectional descriptive survey design, targeting the local community members, tourists visiting the heritage sites, key informants from the local government of Nyeri, officials from the National Museums of Kenya, and site supervisors. The sample size was 762 respondents, 11 were interviewed, and 752 were administered questionnaires. The results of correlation analysis revealed that market penetration strategies exhibited a positive and statistically significant relationship with sustainable conservation (r=0.620, P=0.000), explaining 38.4% of heritage sites' sustainable conservation variations. The study concludes that market penetration catalyzes the sustainable preservation of heritage sites. The study recommends integrating heritage sites into the County's economic plans and employing a comprehensive approach that engages the local community at all stages. This approach should encompass these sites' social, cultural, and economic importance for the local population. Furthermore, the findings highlight the need for a collaborative effort involving multiple government levels and diverse agencies to develop, expand, and market heritage products, with due consideration for biodiversity conservation. Keywords: Biodiversity, Heritage Sites, Market Penetration Strategies, Nyeri County, Sustainable Conservation, Tourism.

Perceptions of homelessness and housing solutions: a web-based survey methodology to inform local housing policy

ABSTRACT Discrepancies between homelessness perception and reality, as well as policymakers’ assumptions about their constituents’ perceptions, may contribute to policies that exacerbate homelessness and its negative outcomes. To counter these discrepancies, this manuscript introduces a mixed-methods, cross-sectional research protocol that is designed to assess local community member perceptions of and attitudes towards homelessness and potential housing solutions. The results of research modeled after this protocol can be used to inform local housing policy and community awareness campaigns. In this manuscript, we describe the protocol and its accompanying survey instrument, and the lessons our research team learned through the implementation of the protocol during the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers elsewhere can adapt this protocol to capture localized and nuanced data related to local perceptions of homelessness and housing policy. With commitment to representative resident sampling, this protocol and the data it captures can help advocates craft more responsive and individualized community housing policies than would be possible without localized data collection and analysis.

Community engagement to inform development of strategies to improve referral for hypertension: perspectives of patients, providers and local community members in western Kenya

BackgroundHypertension is the leading cause of death and disability. Clinical care for patients with hypertension in Kenya leverages referral networks to provide basic and specialized healthcare services. However, referrals are characterized by non-adherence and delays in completion. An integrated health information technology (HIT) and peer-based support strategy to improve adherence to referrals and blood pressure control was proposed. A formative assessment gathered perspectives on barriers to referral completion and garnered thoughts on the proposed intervention.MethodsWe conducted a qualitative study in Kitale, Webuye, Kocholya, Turbo, Mosoriot and Burnt Forest areas of Western Kenya. We utilized the PRECEDE-PROCEED framework to understand the behavioral, environmental and ecological factors that would influence uptake and success of our intervention. We conducted four mabaraza (customary heterogenous community assemblies), eighteen key informant interviews, and twelve focus group discussions among clinicians, patients and community members. The data obtained was audio recorded alongside field note taking. Audio recordings were transcribed and translated for onward coding and thematic analysis using NVivo 12.ResultsSpecific supply-side and demand-side barriers influenced completion of referral for hypertension. Key demand-side barriers included lack of money for care and inadequate referral knowledge. On the supply-side, long distance to health facilities, low availability of services, unaffordable services, and poor referral management were reported. All participants felt that the proposed strategies could improve delivery of care and expressed much enthusiasm for them. Participants appreciated benefits of the peer component, saying it would motivate positive patient behavior, and provide health education, psychosocial support, and assistance in navigating care. The HIT component was seen as reducing paper work, easing communication between providers, and facilitating tracking of patient information. Participants also shared concerns that could influence implementation of the two strategies including consent, confidentiality, and reduction in patient-provider interaction.ConclusionsAppreciation of local realities and patients’ experiences is critical to development and implementation of sustainable strategies to improve effectiveness of hypertension referral networks. Incorporating concerns from patients, health care workers, and local leaders facilitates adaptation of interventions to respond to real needs. This approach is ethical and also allows research teams to harness benefits of participatory community-involved research.Trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov, NCT03543787, Registered June 1, 2018. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03543787

Pertanggungjawaban Sosial Islam Pada Institusi Bisnis Islam

This study aims to identify how an Islamic business institution implement their Islamic corporate social responsibility. It utilises qualitative research based on a case study. A large supermarket in Yogyakarta that is owned by a faithful Muslim businesswoman was selected as the object of the study. Primary data related to CSR activities, policies and initiatives were collected through interview and observation. The interviews involved 16 informants, who were employees, customers, local community member and CSR person in charge in the company. Qualitative data analysis)were conducted to achieve the research objective. A triangulation of data collection methods and sources were also applied to test the quality of the data. This study reveals that the company has implemented various kinds of responsibilities to employees, consumers, society and the environment. It had also implemented various forms of corporate social responsibility in Islam to all stakeholders. For the CSR distribution to the community, it should be given fairly to people in need so as not to cause jealousy in the surrounding community. This study contribute to the upward literature on Islamic CSR and could provide insight for Muslim business practitionaires how to address CSR in their daily operation.&#x0D; Keywords: CSR, Sustainability, Islam

Residing without settling: Housing market and tactics of Syrian forced migrants in Turkey

AbstractHow do forced migrants from Syria cope with structural barriers to housing in urban centres in Turkey? More than 3.6 million Syrian refugees have lived in different cities in Turkey since the closing of the temporary accommodation centres in 2018. This study examines the agency of Syrians and their housing pathways in securing accommodation in a neoliberal housing market amidst increasing unwelcoming attitudes by the local population, no social housing, high dependence on rental housing prone to price hikes, and “temporary protection” legal status. Based on analysis of data from 34 semi‐structured interviews with forced migrant Syrians and 20 expert interviews in Gaziantep, a city close to the Turkey‐Syria border with a substantial Syrian population, the research identifies four tactics that characterise housing pathways of Syrian forced migrants: (1) acting through local community members, (2) working with a Syrian mediator, (3) settling down in Syrian‐only buildings or informal settlements, and (4) purchasing a house through circumventing the legal ban on property ownership. The study concludes by highlighting that while these tactics are necessary for meeting forced migrants’ immediate housing needs, they are far from sufficient in preventing exclusion in the Turkish housing market.

Civic Blockchain: Making blockchains accessible for social collaborative economies

Social sciences are investigating the societal implications of using blockchains for social collaborative economies and participatory practices. This article contributes by advancing an original approach to blockchain-based applications defined as Civic Blockchain. It is implemented with a wallet app currently experimented upon in local communities.Our approach is informed by an analysis of the critical literature on ethical and design dilemmas concerning blockchain for social impact. The conceptual framework revolves around three principles (Internet of Values 2.0, disintermediation of services, and local adaptation), that are reflected in our technical choices. The approach makes blockchains accessible to local community members, leveraging some of their core affordances and advancing new interpretations with a focus on technical and economic accessibility. Blockchain technology can support new socio-economic practices on a local level when intentional actions are undertaken by developers and users to address the societal challenges.

En français or in English? Examining Perceived Social Roles of International Students in Response to Their French and English Speech

Canada’s growing population of international students brings ethnolinguistic diversity and socioeconomic benefits to their host communities. However, students often experience social exclusion and lack of belonging, reporting little communication with local community members for many cultural, ethnic, and religious reasons. The present study, conducted in Montreal, investigated the role of international students’ second language speech in local community members’ perception of the social roles that students can assume in a host society (e.g., friend, neighbour, colleague). Four English- and French-speaking international students’ recordings were presented to 38 francophones, all non-student residents of Montreal, who evaluated the students’ comprehensibility and accentedness and assessed how acceptable these students were in various social roles (e.g., friend, neighbour, colleague) in two languages (French vs. English) and in two situations (making a request vs. making a potentially controversial statement). The students’ ratings were greater when they spoke French than English (regardless of speech content) and when they requested help than when they expressed a controversial statement (regardless of language). Social ratings were generally associated with comprehensibility, not accentedness, where more comprehensible speech was linked to greater perceived acceptability. Findings highlight the importance of sociolinguistic context and language in local residents’ judgments of international students’ social roles.

An Assessment of the Coping Mechanisms Against Seasonal Floods in Bumasheti Sub-County, Bududa District, Uganda

The study mainly looked at the assessment of coping mechanisms against seasonal floods in Bumasheti Sub-County, Bududa District, Uganda. It identified the challenges affecting the coping mechanisms against seasonal floods in the area and it proposed solutions to the challenges. Simple random sampling technique, using the lottery method was used to select the 41 primary respondents for the study, who included the local community members, that is, the local farmers, youth and the elderly in the community. Purposive sampling was used on the 16 key informants who included the local leaders and the sub-county officials like environment officer, and other officials in the area. Quantitative data analysis was based on 41 questionnaires for the local community members. Qualitative data was gathered from the key informant responses and focus group discussions. Quantitative data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Content analysis was used to analyze qualitative data. The findings revealed that mechanisms in place to alert people about seasonal floods are largely poor in Bumasheti Sub-County, Bududa District, Uganda. The findings also revealed that, using the irrigation canals was preferred, compared to other coping mechanisms. The findings further revealed that the construction of flood protection embankments is to a greater extent less relevant to the local populace in terms of coping with seasonal floods. The findings also revealed that flood plain zoning restriction on use of plains is not an appropriate coping mechanism for the area. The challenges affecting the coping mechanisms against seasonal floods in Bumasheti Sub-County, Bududa District identified by the study included: difficulty to repair cracks, loss of lives, difficulty to predict floods in this part of the world and the effect of steep area on the land. The proposed solutions to the challenges included the construction of safe place for food, clean water and basic necessities, defense against the spread of floods, disassociation from building under the hills and hard lands, constant watch to monitor water levels during the night and utilization of the indigenous knowledge passed down by parents. The study recommends that tight restrictions/rules be set which restrict settlement by people on those areas prone to flooding so as to prevent the negative impacts that might result to death.

The informal tripart relationship between the state, neighbourhood police and community groups: community safety perceptions and practices in a Midlands neighbourhood in the UK

PurposeThis paper aims to explore the tripart relationship between British police officers, Local Authority representatives and community members based on a Midlands neighbourhood case study. It focuses on experiences of the strengths and challenges with working towards a common purpose of community safety and resilience building.Design/methodology/approachData was collected in 2019 prior to enforced COVID lockdown restrictions following Staffordshire University ethical approval. An inductive qualitative methods approach of semi-structured individual and group interviews was used with community members (N = 30) and professionals (N = 15), using a purposive and snowball sample. A steering group with academic, police and Local Authority representation co-designed the study and identified the first tier of participants.FindingsCommunity members and professionals valued tripart working and perceived communication, visibility, longevity and trust as key to addressing localised community safety issues. Challenges were raised around communication modes and frequency, cultural barriers to accessing information and inadequate resources and responses to issues. Environmental crime was a high priority for community members, along with tackling drug-related crime and diverting youth disorder, which concurred with police concern. However, the anti-terrorism agenda was a pre-occupation for the Local Authority, and school concerns included modern slavery crime.Originality/valueWhen state involvement and investment in neighbourhoods decline, community member activism enthusiasm for neighbourhood improvement reduces, contrasting with government expectations. Community members are committed partnership workers who require the state to visibly and demonstrably engage. Faith in state actors can be restored when professionals are consistently present, communicate and follow up on actions.

Pertanggungjawaban Sosial Islam Pada Institusi Bisnis Islam

This study aims to identify how an Islamic business institution implement their Islamic corporate social responsibility. It utilises qualitative research based on a case study. A large supermarket in Yogyakarta that is owned by a faithful Muslim businesswoman was selected as the object of the study. Primary data related to CSR activities, policies and initiatives were collected through interview and observation. The interviews involved 16 informants, who were employees, customers, local community member and CSR person in charge in the company. Qualitative data analysis) were conducted to achieve the research objective. A triangulation of data collection methods and sources were also applied to test the quality of the data. This study reveals that the company has implemented various kinds of responsibilities to employees, consumers, society and the environment. It had also implemented various forms of corporate social responsibility in Islam to all stakeholders. For the CSR distribution to the community, it should be given fairly to people in need so as not to cause jealousy in the surrounding community. This study contribute to the upward literature on Islamic CSR and could provide insight for Muslim business practitionaires how to address CSR in their daily operation.&#x0D; Keywords: CSR, Sustainability, Islam