Showing posts with label actions for Development. Show all posts
Showing posts with label actions for Development. Show all posts
Friday, April 15, 2016
Oil Studies in Uganda: An Opportunity for Development
The Integrated Mental Health Initiative (IMI) is proud to partner with Engineer Oil Globe to offer affordable education for junior and senior high school leavers to match the growing oil industry in Uganda and the region; to reduce vulnerabilities to mental health challenges associated with poor socioeconomic conditions common among IMI supported communities, and support process of recovery and reintegration back in the community.
The engineering Degree is completed in 9 Months @ only 40% of the current Tuition fees in any Oil & Gas Institution . It's the shortest and the most affordable program in the Oil & Gas Syllabus in Uganda. Our Students are awarded degrees from Internationally recognised Institutions from UK, USA and Dubai.Travel overseas for hands on training. Visa fees , Air ticket fees all inclusive in Tuition fees. Get immediate job placement with World renown Oil drilling and producing Companies Worldwide.
To sponsor one or two students from our IMI supported communities in Jinja, please contact us on dishma.imhs@gmail.com or call +256774336277.
However, able students from Africa and around the world would like to benefit from low-cost oil education in Uganda are welcome.
Friday, November 11, 2011
Role of NGOs in Rural Development
Kigenyi Asifu
MA Rural Development
Department of Sociology
Makerere University
November 2011
Introduction
NGOs are legally constituted organizations created by natural or legal persons that operate independently from any government. The term originated from the united nations (UN) and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government, and are not convention for profit business. Essentially Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) are organizations which are: (i) not based in government; and (ii) not created to earn a profit (Global Education 2001).
Some of the characteristics of NGOs are: they are not profit oriented, independent from the state, privately initiated, objectives and activities focus on development, have structured and systematic and formal activities or roles to play, and are engaged in charity and empowerment. They are local or international acting outside government arms (autonomous). According to the Convention of Biodiversity (CBD), they pursue the interests of one or more groups through lobbying and/or direct action.
Role of NGOs in Rural development
Both local and international NGOs have played a critical role to ensure that rural areas develop. They do that by developing programs that transform communities from miserable to humanly dignifying states. NGOs have positive characteristics which make their impact more readily felt and their activities result oriented. They emphasize self-reliance and underline popular participation in their activities (Olujide, M. 2006).
Agriculture Development
Since agriculture is the backbone of Uganda’s economy, many organizations have channeled resources to it, for example, national research organization. It (NARO) gives guidance and coordinate all agricultural research activities (NARO 2011). Many other NGOs have come up with agricultural programs aims at fighting food insecurity like Hunger Project and Heifer Uganda. They provide training for sustainable livelihood and give agricultural aid to farmers to kick-start actual agricultural practice. With these services they have evidently reduced poverty, and may have improved food security and nutrition and achieved positive social change as well (Zeller, M., Sharma, M., Ahmed, A., & Rashid, S. 2001).
Appropriate Education with Rural Consideration
NGOs have played an important role of improving the education system that capture the real needs of a nation, like the agricultural practice and promotion in countries whose economy is dependent on it. According to Institute of Security Studies –Africa, agriculture in 1999/2000 accounted for about 42% of GDP and for the bulk of exports. The sector employs around 80% of the labor force.
Improvement in the Health Sector
NGOs have greatly contributed positively to the health sector in the fight against HIV/AIDS, malaria, and improvement in water access and sanitation, for example, the Uganda Village Project in Eastern Uganda is famed for public health promotions –in which the community health concerns, named above, fall. Other such organizations include: AIDS Information Center, The AIDS Support Organization (TASO), and The Elizabeth Glaser Foundation. They conduct counseling and HIV testing, empowers affected communities with vital health information for prevention and survival, and have networking bodies through which they pool resources to increase effectiveness of health programs management.
Support to HIV/AIDS Orphans
Among the programs run by most NGOs operating in rural areas is support for HIV/AIDS orphans. Uganda Village Project, in Iganga District has such a component, and so is TASO, and Mildmay. Others common in the area of HIV/AIDS orphan support are New Hope African Children Ministries located Busia, Eastern Uganda and Mama Jane in Jinja. The support offered attempts to address the general rights of children like right to education, right to health, and the right to education –all of which are met by NGOs. In 2010, 3,500 HIV/AIDS orphans and vulnerable children in the Rwenzori region benefited from the support from the Bantwana Initiatives, an international NGO (Nzinjah, J. 2010).
Housing and Access to Clean Water
NGOs develop programs aimed at improving housing conditions and access to clean water in areas with most need of them. The Union of Community Development Volunteers based in Mengo has upcountry activities (like borehole construction, community cleaning, and micro finance scheme) targeting most vulnerable communities in Bukomansimbi, Mpigi and Rakai Districts. Other related organizations are Slum Aid International and Habitat for Humanity. UNDP works with a wide range of partners in Uganda to create the space build capacity and offer the tools needed to integrate the MDGs into the planning and implementation of national policies (UNDP 2011).
Information Technology and Rural Transformation
Information Technology has been made part and parcel of rural advancement strategy. The Busoga Rural Open Source and Development Initiative (BROSDI) has been instrument at championing that cause through civil society empowerment in their efforts to transform rural communities (BROSDI 2011).
Promotion of Women Rights
It has been NGOs that have played a leading role n promotion of women rights. The federations of women lawyers (FIDA) offer a voice and free legal services to women. By helping to empower women, NGOs have in a way helped to accelerate development faster than ever. Women are now engaged in micro-finance projects to support families effectively, and helped transform men into responsible citizens –in as far as family care is concerned. FIDA does that nationally, regionally, and internationally (FIDA 2009).
Natural Conservation, Climate Change and Food Security
NGOs educate the masses about issues of climate change and environmental health –all of which hold life systems in in balance once moderated. By so doing, humanity is saved from numerous catastrophes like famine, scarcity and inflation (through actions like family planning education), and natural disasters. In Uganda, Save Mabira Crusade and a cluster of other NGOs have led such a Noble cause. Uganda's climate is naturally variable and susceptible to flood and drought events which have had negative socio-economic impacts in the past (Department for International Development 2008).
Civic Participation
NGOs have contributed to democracy and governance through research, information dissemination, training, and advocacy. The DEM Group has highly spoken of in regards to its work of education the masses about democracy and conducting election evaluation analyses. According to Deepening Democracy Program in Uganda (2005), civic education has potential to address this by enabling citizens to be appropriately informed so that they make considered decisions and play an active role in democratization. NGOs play an increasingly important role in expanding local service delivery capacity, demanding transparency and accountability, and advocating rights in various sectoral fields (education, water, etc.) as well as cross cutting issues such as human rights and cultural issues (Egli, W. & Zürcher, D. 2007).
The Misadventure of NGOs
Along the path of causing socioeconomic, sociopolitical, cultural and ecological developments NGOs, like any humanly engaging activity face some mishaps.
Less or No Grassroots Impact
NGOs have been criticized for lack of impact and rather being profit-oriented than genuinely service providers. High cost of administration makes it hard for organizations to survive. There have been lots of reports implicating orphanages in much abuse of children. Love Ministries Orphanage in Kisimu village in Nabweru sub-county in Wakiso district is one of such organizations closed for professing selfishness in pretext of orphaned children care (Ssenkaaba, S. 2011).
Internal Disharmony and Corruption
Reports, also, cite lack of harmony within NGOs. They fail to represent the same virtues preached by them when internal administration is marred my crises. The cause of the crises normally is the struggle for positions that scoop huge rewards. NGOs and CBOs, tend to have weak coordination mechanisms, small membership bases, and are dominated by strong personalities (NGO Resource Centre and Tanzania Association of NGOs 2008). And once funds begin to trickle in wars break up even more –leading to organization disrepute. Similarly, the mismanagement of funds in mainly smaller organizations threatens the good reputation of NGOs –generally (Project Performance Evaluation Report 2001).
Lack of political Support and Recognition
Common is African young democracies is the problem of dictatorships. Emergence of NGOs that condemn the bad governance practices has very often led to tensions between them and government. As a result their operations are time and again foiled and make organizations goals unreachable. In some of such countries like Somalia and Sudan, NGOs have ceased to exist. In Uganda annual re-registration of all NGOs is a criteria meant to ‘humble’ them. Despite being Noble in their roles, affected NGOs get rejected by government (who are key stakeholders in their success) (Jagawat, H. 2002).
Over-dependence of Donor Funds and Limited Capacity
Over-dependence rather than interdependence mentality disable the creative minds of organizations. When projects are either phased out or not of interest for funders, they easily close –a situation that affects beneficiaries –fatally. Donor dependency has been cited as a chronic problem that constantly compromises CSOs and makes them vulnerable (NGO Resource Centre and Tanzania Association of NGOs 2008).
NGO formation is first characterized by strong personalities behind them more than anything else. Once operational stage episodes, they miserably fail to meet organizations needs details. Such organizations based on personalities suffer collapse even when that personality-figure dies. Sustainability of their programs is often questioned and a big question from donors. NGOs (or CBOs) at both the national and local levels face serious shortages of professional staff and problems of staff retention. Very few of them have an adequate policy analysis capability to engage with the Government (NGO Resource Centre and Tanzania Association of NGOs 2008).
Conclusion
NGOs at whatever level and discipline do impact lives of communities positively. Non-Governmental organizations by the virtue of being small-scale, flexible, innovative and participatory are more successful in reaching the poor and in poverty alleviating. Their work, like social mobilization is a continuous process aimed at changing minds, attitudes and behaviors of the people to involve in any development process (Villi, C. no date). That, though, has been undermined by some selfish-driven ones. It is, therefore, important that they are evaluated as much as they do against government or whatever community ills.
References
BROSDI (2011) About Us @ http://www.brosdi.or.ug/about_us.html Accessed on 10th November 2011
Convention of Biodiversity (no date) Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) @ http://www.cbd.int/ngo/ Accessed on 11th November 2011
Department for International Development (2008) Climate change in Uganda: Understanding the implications and appraising the response Executive Summary Relief Web (Uganda) @ http://reliefweb.int/node/299809 Accessed on 10th November 2011
Deepening Democracy Programme in Uganda (2005) Encouraging more active and participatory civic engagement @ http://ddp.ug/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=71&Itemid=96 Accessed on 10th November 2011
Global Education (2001) Non-government organisations (NGOs) @ http://www.globaleducation.edna.edu.au/globaled/go/pid/1808 Accessed on 11th November 2011
FIDA (2009) Who we are? @ http://www.fidafederation.org/who-we-are/ Accessed on 10th November 2011
Institute of Security Studies –Africa (no date) @ http://www.issafrica.org/AF/profiles/Uganda/Economy.html#top Accessed on 10th November 2011
Jagawat, H. (2002) Need to Provide Greater Scope to NGOs in National Development NMSWDF 20.04.2002 @ http://www.nmsadguru.org/Article_NeedToProvideGreaterScope.html Accessed on 11th November 2011
NARO (2011) NARO @ http://www.naro.go.ug/ Accessed on 10th November 2011
NGO Resource Centre and Tanzania Association of NGOs (2008) Fighting Poverty Together Case Studies of Collaboration between Civil Society Organisations and the Government in Tanzania NGO Resource Centre (TZ) p.10
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Research Business Development in Uganda
Jacob Waiswa
Peace and Conflict Center
P.O. Box 7062,
Makerere University
Kampala-Uganda
jwaiswa@arts.mak.ac.ug
Research is most demanding activity everyone can ever face. It calls for both intellectual and physical energies. It calls for an effective plan and subsequently getting committed to it to its very successful end. Time, commitment and patience are other special considerations.
Before its start, a schedule is set specifying time of engagement with research while along the way researcher ensures total commitment to get through it as planned.
And of course, so many attractions show up during the course of the research study or otherwise get frustrated and disappointed along. Being patient and sustaining it becomes the answer as researcher looks more to its end than really enjoy doing it.
Whatever the intentions of the research, it is never just about the data collector. The community among which researcher works is put into perspective by, for example, anticipating appropriate time to meet them, presentation of clear information, being respectful showed not only in speech but the dressing option, and the burden of responding to so many tiring and heavily time consuming questions. Along the way they tire and demand not to continue.
It becomes an abuse and ill-treatment to take them on further than the time they are willing to give. The other aspect that researchers often elude is the question of benefit of the study to the interviewees. Such is often either deliberately omitted during the induction of the prospecting interviewees or not clearly mentioned whilst carrying out interviews.
At more advanced stages is the question of paying for interviewee’s irreplaceable time. That has been criticized much because of the ‘negative’ influence it can have on the nature of responses made.
Research is a business to many firms that yields high incomes and helps to offer part-time employment to new graduates. Those employed to carry out data collection task are equally pressed hard to accept low wages to minimize firm’s cost of operation. Besides they equally breakdown owing to the huge target of work demanded by their employers.
The wages can be so low that they cannot sustain efforts of interviewers throughout the project time or just fairly ok to sustain such efforts but with no savings for them to make, or just good enough to motivate interviewer met every requirement of the study. Fortunately or unfortunately, the implication of the wages verses the cost of living will definitely affect the outcome of the results.
A hindrance, very common in Africa is weather, but rarely put into perspective during the planning phases of research. When heavy rains start, interviewers are not well protected from the heavy rains, while during warm temperatures they are not well facilitated to deal with dehydration.
So, because of such conditions, interviewers tire easily, resort to short-cut and unauthorised ways to generate research information, or postpone the day’s task to some other enabling day to gather information.
Often denied fact is failure to acknowledge that the selected tools of data collection are best understood by its designer rather than the one hired to make use of it. The second-placed user may completely get confused by it or make mistakes. To the very worst, pretesting is characterized by defense of errors detected rather than make corrections to avoid unnecessary ambiguities and questions that do not make sense to the interviewees.
Since disagreements over usage of verbs and interpretation of questions consume a lot of time, a stage is reached when all parties will agree to disagree or compromise to have a question error stand.
The work-load set by research firms seeks to minimize the cost of operation. In most cases such targets are unrealistic dreams –convincingly made real for the hired person to become a donkey to reach them. The huge work-load becomes a critical source of stress –leading to constant aches, fatigue, burn out, and loss of interest just mid-way to the end of the task.
Those prompt interviewers to quit, to adjust the procedure of research, and to go against the instructions as coping means. More investment in the area of research and better remuneration owing to the huge benefits research comes with like efficiency and effective of programming and of public goods and services delivery makes it meaningful.
Peace and Conflict Center
P.O. Box 7062,
Makerere University
Kampala-Uganda
jwaiswa@arts.mak.ac.ug
Research is most demanding activity everyone can ever face. It calls for both intellectual and physical energies. It calls for an effective plan and subsequently getting committed to it to its very successful end. Time, commitment and patience are other special considerations.
Before its start, a schedule is set specifying time of engagement with research while along the way researcher ensures total commitment to get through it as planned.
And of course, so many attractions show up during the course of the research study or otherwise get frustrated and disappointed along. Being patient and sustaining it becomes the answer as researcher looks more to its end than really enjoy doing it.
Whatever the intentions of the research, it is never just about the data collector. The community among which researcher works is put into perspective by, for example, anticipating appropriate time to meet them, presentation of clear information, being respectful showed not only in speech but the dressing option, and the burden of responding to so many tiring and heavily time consuming questions. Along the way they tire and demand not to continue.
It becomes an abuse and ill-treatment to take them on further than the time they are willing to give. The other aspect that researchers often elude is the question of benefit of the study to the interviewees. Such is often either deliberately omitted during the induction of the prospecting interviewees or not clearly mentioned whilst carrying out interviews.
At more advanced stages is the question of paying for interviewee’s irreplaceable time. That has been criticized much because of the ‘negative’ influence it can have on the nature of responses made.
Research is a business to many firms that yields high incomes and helps to offer part-time employment to new graduates. Those employed to carry out data collection task are equally pressed hard to accept low wages to minimize firm’s cost of operation. Besides they equally breakdown owing to the huge target of work demanded by their employers.
The wages can be so low that they cannot sustain efforts of interviewers throughout the project time or just fairly ok to sustain such efforts but with no savings for them to make, or just good enough to motivate interviewer met every requirement of the study. Fortunately or unfortunately, the implication of the wages verses the cost of living will definitely affect the outcome of the results.
A hindrance, very common in Africa is weather, but rarely put into perspective during the planning phases of research. When heavy rains start, interviewers are not well protected from the heavy rains, while during warm temperatures they are not well facilitated to deal with dehydration.
So, because of such conditions, interviewers tire easily, resort to short-cut and unauthorised ways to generate research information, or postpone the day’s task to some other enabling day to gather information.
Often denied fact is failure to acknowledge that the selected tools of data collection are best understood by its designer rather than the one hired to make use of it. The second-placed user may completely get confused by it or make mistakes. To the very worst, pretesting is characterized by defense of errors detected rather than make corrections to avoid unnecessary ambiguities and questions that do not make sense to the interviewees.
Since disagreements over usage of verbs and interpretation of questions consume a lot of time, a stage is reached when all parties will agree to disagree or compromise to have a question error stand.
The work-load set by research firms seeks to minimize the cost of operation. In most cases such targets are unrealistic dreams –convincingly made real for the hired person to become a donkey to reach them. The huge work-load becomes a critical source of stress –leading to constant aches, fatigue, burn out, and loss of interest just mid-way to the end of the task.
Those prompt interviewers to quit, to adjust the procedure of research, and to go against the instructions as coping means. More investment in the area of research and better remuneration owing to the huge benefits research comes with like efficiency and effective of programming and of public goods and services delivery makes it meaningful.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
ABUSED AND NEGLECTED CHILDREN IN UGANDA
The study rotates around family conflicts (or mental health issues) which, if mismanaged, potentially, spills over into the wider community. It goes further to trace individual concerns (inner conflicts) that families consciously or unconsciously perpetuate –which, if not given due attention, like a time-bomb, blows up into serious social costs like substance abuse, aggressive and risky behaviors, increased HIV/AIDS prevalence, low productivity, poverty and looming ignorance to solve those problems. It is, thus, pertinent to address such problems from the environment around the root (individuals at family level) in order to achieve sustainable peace in the wider community (global peace).
A family is a fundamental social group in society typically consisting of one or two parents and their children (thefreedictionary.com, retrieved October 7, 2010) defines. Family mental health is critical determinant of future wars, turmoil and their consequences while parenting justified parenthood through realization of noble roles in respect of child development and growth that sees the child re-socialize and project him or herself to independence, learn to co-exist peacefully with family members and society as well as be in position to prioritize among the various interaction sources in the environment to achieve defined goals in life. Fancher R. (2010) explained, “…Because what other people think determines what opportunities you're going to have in life, and other people already have that power, whether you and your therapist recognize it or not."
There are nearly 54 million people around the world with severe mental disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorder (manic-depressive illness). Estimated 154 million people suffer from depression. People living in developing countries are disproportionately affected. Mental disorders are increasingly prevalent in developing countries, the consequence of persistent poverty-driven conditions, the demographic transition, conflicts in fragile states and natural disasters. At the same time, more than 50% of developing countries do not provide any care for persons with mental disorders in the community. These disorders bring significant hardship not only to those who suffer from them, but also to their caregivers -- often the family, given the lack of mental health resources found in developing countries (WHO, 2007).
As the family continues to play its children development roles –providing both moral and physical support, the community, too, begins to identify its development concerns and wishes in that child. That, though, can either be for the good or worse. Responsibility on the part of family and community and eventual decisions made, thus, contributes to mental wellness of the child that characterizes freedom from the means to psychological trauma as violence.
Absence of love, trust, and feeling of insecurity on the part of the child influences later development outlooks and, in years to come, it will be society that either benefits or suffers. Forgiveness reduces excessive anger in children and in teenagers and may prevent the development of later psychiatric disorders by giving children and teenager a proven method for resolving anger (Fitzgibbons P., 2005).
The main objective of the intervention is to proactively deal with violence against children and family level to achieve sustainable global peace. The intervention set out to find out how best to make X’s movements safe, to identify origins of the sudden break down of mental functioning, develop ways to recovery of X, and X’s recovery and its implication on peace of the family and wider community.
The scope of the intervention is child abuse and neglect in families and their implication on peace in the wider community (global peace). The significance of the intervention is to reach sustainable peace for future generations to thrive by addressing conflict issues (or psychological concerns) right from within individuals in the families to the wider community.
There was a case involving a youth (X) who had suddenly broken down –mentally and began loitering on the streets in areas perceived to be secure –since trust had been lost for everyone and everything. No longer could X work, live in a family setting and trust friends. X was sleepless and often rushed out of bed claiming some people wanted to take X’s life.
The interventions involved consulting various mental health professions in psychiatry and psychology fields, faiths known for their healing powers, seeking networks of people thought to have cared a lot about X, enactment to review and re-show loving and caring scenes with people said to have victimized X, cognitive-based approaches to re-instate truthfulness or rightfulness of situations from the wrongfully perceived states, subjecting X to new environments free from people held responsible for X’s problem, medical care to assess X’s physiological state, examination of X’s love life, and signing in X to the world of social networking (i.e. facebook.com).
The challenges of children growing in broken families included; the big burden to achieve life goals on their own –with no hope of parental intervention, inability to make wise health decisions, difficulty to ensure personal safety and healthy social relations, generation of high pressure to achieve and to break development barriers (mentally, socially and institutionally), the fear of dropping out of school due to inability to pay fees on his or her own that catapults into failure to concentrate and excel academically in order to attain a good career, inability to solve problems associated with choosing and having healthy relationships, and inability to manage chronic stress that characterizes his or her family life a condition that, potentially, pursues child into adulthood –and in responsible social positions. Also, there are critical challenges of lack of social support coupled with the lack of confidence to seek it –as viable path to building resilience required for the child succeed in life.
It was, then, upon community to proactively change the situation through actively granting political, economic, and socio-cultural and safety rights –to significantly avert insecurity in all its manifestations right from family level. It was concluded from an intervention in the life of an abused and neglected child that the amount of resilience resulting from positive reinforcement from friends, teachers and inspiring leaders or roles models from media products, supported adaptability or coping -and some kind of positive spiritual inclinations greatly catapulted abused and neglected children through traps of childhood suffocation, underachievement, psychopathological enclaves and demeaning parental hostilities.
It was noted that involvement of godly impressions as part of the intervention in addressing psychological implications of child abuse, worked best in situations –where the victim trusted no one –including those who really loved them. However, every intervention counted and complimented each other.
In addition, community interventions at village level, national level, regional and global forces of peace restructuring, reconciliation required actual provision of physical needs to victims of domestic violence –ensuring access to development needs and support information on successful human development –as critical means to control and prevent wars and psychological trauma. From the inner peace of individual family members, society can register sustainable peace.
There is never standard time of recovery; it can be very frustrating if you set your own time. Recovery is very gradual, slow, sometimes showing reversals and stagnation. However, with endurance, optimism and timeless patience, positive results show up.
According to the en.wikipedia.org (2010), Insecurity is a feeling of general unease or nervousness that may be triggered by perceiving of oneself to be unloved, inadequate or worthless (whether in a rational or an irrational manner). A person who is insecure lacks confidence in their own value and capability, lacks trust in themselves or others, or has fears that a present positive state is temporary and will let them down and cause them loss or distress by "going wrong" in the future. Insecurity may cause shyness, paranoia and social withdrawal, or alternatively it may encourage compensatory behaviors such as arrogance, aggression, or bullying. Insecurity is often rooted in a person's childhood years.
Indeed some of the outcomes can be in form of aggressive attitudes, fears, anxieties, and broken ambitions –which later go behavioral in form of acts like substance abuse, irrational decision making, forming socially dangerous alliances or relationships (as means to “address” personal insecurities), registering underachievement in all or selected aspects of life, concerns of anti-social personality disorders, problems associated with authoritative and abusive parenting, poor role-modeling along the path to becoming future parents, high levels of crime and prostitution (and its associated problems), and violence in homes and in the wider society –all of which are true manifestation of structural violence with roots right in the family.
Incidentally, some of the products from such families attain high social positions and, so, society begins to meet the costs. Such (products) are generated from broken families because of the conditions dictated by the negative past.
A 2005 national (US) study of psychiatric disorders revealed the origins of childhood anger –which included rejection by peers and siblings, parental anger, marital conflicts, low self-esteem, difficulty in trusting, separation and divorce, poor body image and academic difficulties (Fitzgibbons P., 2005).
Family and individual members in it cannot be separated from the wider community. Indeed communalism is medicine of its own. The wider community had inexhaustible reserves for the family to access for survival and wellness purposes –which is a foundation for community survival and wellness –in return.
This is so because from the community the family obtained enabling policies, social services, physical and psychological security as well as development opportunities for members’ progress into the future. Such guaranteed security for the family, inner peace for individuals members of the family and, eventually, sustainable community peace.
A Multi-sectoral approach to peaceful building is core in recovery and, thus, ought to be put into consideration in any intervention design. But, families must be very careful with what they sow in a developing child, so that society resources can be channeled to prosperity concerns.
Jacob Waiswa
Situation Health Analyst
Dishma Inc.
A family is a fundamental social group in society typically consisting of one or two parents and their children (thefreedictionary.com, retrieved October 7, 2010) defines. Family mental health is critical determinant of future wars, turmoil and their consequences while parenting justified parenthood through realization of noble roles in respect of child development and growth that sees the child re-socialize and project him or herself to independence, learn to co-exist peacefully with family members and society as well as be in position to prioritize among the various interaction sources in the environment to achieve defined goals in life. Fancher R. (2010) explained, “…Because what other people think determines what opportunities you're going to have in life, and other people already have that power, whether you and your therapist recognize it or not."
There are nearly 54 million people around the world with severe mental disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorder (manic-depressive illness). Estimated 154 million people suffer from depression. People living in developing countries are disproportionately affected. Mental disorders are increasingly prevalent in developing countries, the consequence of persistent poverty-driven conditions, the demographic transition, conflicts in fragile states and natural disasters. At the same time, more than 50% of developing countries do not provide any care for persons with mental disorders in the community. These disorders bring significant hardship not only to those who suffer from them, but also to their caregivers -- often the family, given the lack of mental health resources found in developing countries (WHO, 2007).
As the family continues to play its children development roles –providing both moral and physical support, the community, too, begins to identify its development concerns and wishes in that child. That, though, can either be for the good or worse. Responsibility on the part of family and community and eventual decisions made, thus, contributes to mental wellness of the child that characterizes freedom from the means to psychological trauma as violence.
Absence of love, trust, and feeling of insecurity on the part of the child influences later development outlooks and, in years to come, it will be society that either benefits or suffers. Forgiveness reduces excessive anger in children and in teenagers and may prevent the development of later psychiatric disorders by giving children and teenager a proven method for resolving anger (Fitzgibbons P., 2005).
The main objective of the intervention is to proactively deal with violence against children and family level to achieve sustainable global peace. The intervention set out to find out how best to make X’s movements safe, to identify origins of the sudden break down of mental functioning, develop ways to recovery of X, and X’s recovery and its implication on peace of the family and wider community.
The scope of the intervention is child abuse and neglect in families and their implication on peace in the wider community (global peace). The significance of the intervention is to reach sustainable peace for future generations to thrive by addressing conflict issues (or psychological concerns) right from within individuals in the families to the wider community.
There was a case involving a youth (X) who had suddenly broken down –mentally and began loitering on the streets in areas perceived to be secure –since trust had been lost for everyone and everything. No longer could X work, live in a family setting and trust friends. X was sleepless and often rushed out of bed claiming some people wanted to take X’s life.
The interventions involved consulting various mental health professions in psychiatry and psychology fields, faiths known for their healing powers, seeking networks of people thought to have cared a lot about X, enactment to review and re-show loving and caring scenes with people said to have victimized X, cognitive-based approaches to re-instate truthfulness or rightfulness of situations from the wrongfully perceived states, subjecting X to new environments free from people held responsible for X’s problem, medical care to assess X’s physiological state, examination of X’s love life, and signing in X to the world of social networking (i.e. facebook.com).
The challenges of children growing in broken families included; the big burden to achieve life goals on their own –with no hope of parental intervention, inability to make wise health decisions, difficulty to ensure personal safety and healthy social relations, generation of high pressure to achieve and to break development barriers (mentally, socially and institutionally), the fear of dropping out of school due to inability to pay fees on his or her own that catapults into failure to concentrate and excel academically in order to attain a good career, inability to solve problems associated with choosing and having healthy relationships, and inability to manage chronic stress that characterizes his or her family life a condition that, potentially, pursues child into adulthood –and in responsible social positions. Also, there are critical challenges of lack of social support coupled with the lack of confidence to seek it –as viable path to building resilience required for the child succeed in life.
It was, then, upon community to proactively change the situation through actively granting political, economic, and socio-cultural and safety rights –to significantly avert insecurity in all its manifestations right from family level. It was concluded from an intervention in the life of an abused and neglected child that the amount of resilience resulting from positive reinforcement from friends, teachers and inspiring leaders or roles models from media products, supported adaptability or coping -and some kind of positive spiritual inclinations greatly catapulted abused and neglected children through traps of childhood suffocation, underachievement, psychopathological enclaves and demeaning parental hostilities.
It was noted that involvement of godly impressions as part of the intervention in addressing psychological implications of child abuse, worked best in situations –where the victim trusted no one –including those who really loved them. However, every intervention counted and complimented each other.
In addition, community interventions at village level, national level, regional and global forces of peace restructuring, reconciliation required actual provision of physical needs to victims of domestic violence –ensuring access to development needs and support information on successful human development –as critical means to control and prevent wars and psychological trauma. From the inner peace of individual family members, society can register sustainable peace.
There is never standard time of recovery; it can be very frustrating if you set your own time. Recovery is very gradual, slow, sometimes showing reversals and stagnation. However, with endurance, optimism and timeless patience, positive results show up.
According to the en.wikipedia.org (2010), Insecurity is a feeling of general unease or nervousness that may be triggered by perceiving of oneself to be unloved, inadequate or worthless (whether in a rational or an irrational manner). A person who is insecure lacks confidence in their own value and capability, lacks trust in themselves or others, or has fears that a present positive state is temporary and will let them down and cause them loss or distress by "going wrong" in the future. Insecurity may cause shyness, paranoia and social withdrawal, or alternatively it may encourage compensatory behaviors such as arrogance, aggression, or bullying. Insecurity is often rooted in a person's childhood years.
Indeed some of the outcomes can be in form of aggressive attitudes, fears, anxieties, and broken ambitions –which later go behavioral in form of acts like substance abuse, irrational decision making, forming socially dangerous alliances or relationships (as means to “address” personal insecurities), registering underachievement in all or selected aspects of life, concerns of anti-social personality disorders, problems associated with authoritative and abusive parenting, poor role-modeling along the path to becoming future parents, high levels of crime and prostitution (and its associated problems), and violence in homes and in the wider society –all of which are true manifestation of structural violence with roots right in the family.
Incidentally, some of the products from such families attain high social positions and, so, society begins to meet the costs. Such (products) are generated from broken families because of the conditions dictated by the negative past.
A 2005 national (US) study of psychiatric disorders revealed the origins of childhood anger –which included rejection by peers and siblings, parental anger, marital conflicts, low self-esteem, difficulty in trusting, separation and divorce, poor body image and academic difficulties (Fitzgibbons P., 2005).
Family and individual members in it cannot be separated from the wider community. Indeed communalism is medicine of its own. The wider community had inexhaustible reserves for the family to access for survival and wellness purposes –which is a foundation for community survival and wellness –in return.
This is so because from the community the family obtained enabling policies, social services, physical and psychological security as well as development opportunities for members’ progress into the future. Such guaranteed security for the family, inner peace for individuals members of the family and, eventually, sustainable community peace.
A Multi-sectoral approach to peaceful building is core in recovery and, thus, ought to be put into consideration in any intervention design. But, families must be very careful with what they sow in a developing child, so that society resources can be channeled to prosperity concerns.
Jacob Waiswa
Situation Health Analyst
Dishma Inc.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
The Relationship between Decision Making, Level of Attachment, Circumstances at Conception and Environment in Healthy Child Development: A Case of Children Growing up in Kampala and Wakiso Districts
By
Jacob Waiswa,
Dishma Inc
Introduction:
Parenting is a responsibility one finds himself or herself under voluntarily or involuntary. During adolescence, gradual changes that may be cognitive, emotional, biological, physical and social or environment occur. The qualities of changes are influenced by how well decisions are made at different levels of interaction (cognition, instinct or biology, emotional, social and/or natural environment) in relation to one’s sexuality. It all begins at conception –through important stages of birth, special care of newborns, weaning, and child in playful stage, socialization and learning, gender roles or interests, young stardom, youthful period and adulthood.
The study explored parents’ basis of taking on the responsibilities, quality and level of attachment, parent’s ability and circumstances under which she or he conceived and the parent’s nature of the environment and lifestyle. It went on to find specific relationships between parent’s decision making and quality of attachment, circumstances at conception and attachment, nature of environment and attachment –and environmental, itself, and decision making.
Method:
The target groups were young parents (18 years to 45 years) subjected to both structured survey questions and focused group discussions (FGD); and children (8 to 18 years) that participated in FGD only. The study had 52 participants of which 33% were from urban areas, 10% (urban) and 58% rural; 40% males and 60% females. SPSS tool was used for data analysis. Appropriate questions were constructed that enabled participants –to freely and honestly speak out from their own experiences. Group focused discussions with equal number of girls and boys (2:2); and adults (women and men) =3:3 were convened guided by specific themes –regarding gender issues, human rights, risky behaviors and behavior change, relations with parents, knowledge of life goals and problem solving amidst family and environment hazards. Unique cases were also sought of how children from poor backgrounds and as for parenting care managed to succeed late in life.
Results:
Correlation between decision making and quality of attachment was significant –showed by r=0.317, where p= 0.05 < 0.022. Correlation between circumstances faced at conception and quality and level of attachment was not significant because. r=0.261, and p=0.05 < 0.05. Correlation between environment and level and quality of attachment was not significant –indicated by r=0.124, when p=0.05 < 0.381. Correlation between environment and decision making was not significant –determined by r=0.187, p=0.05 < 0.184. From FDGs, equal treatment between boys and girls was emphasized (4:4) and (6:6) so that they both benefited from development opportunities; of education (both formal and informal) and employment. Friendliness between parents and children was highlighted (4:4) –with correcting behavior attached to light beating -with strongest emphasis put on friendly talking with children (6:6). However, to parents, family planning was still a big challenge –as hardly at all did men approve of it (regarding condom use), while women complained of hemorrhage and delayed resumption of pregnancy as most negative (2:6). Furthermore, condom use was out of every parent’s mind, given the fact that they were married (6:6). 1:6 of parents said that, because her husband did not care about family planning, she adopted inject-plan secretly. 2:6 of women nurtured a norm that alcohol eased delivery and was associated to healthy and pretty babies. In conclusion:
Failure of parents to ensure child health growth and development was by and large a result of poverty. This greatly hampered decision making as observed from r=0.317, where p=0.05 < 0.022. In rural and semi-urban areas it is only mainly men who went to work while women stayed home to cook and bare children. In the same category, the nature of jobs determined by their level of education did not at the same time help meet children development needs as women complained of men’s negligence. There is, thus, a need to start life skills education, poverty alleviation program and reproductive health (or health education) programs to help better family-life situation.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
DECISION MAKING FOR ORGANISATION DEVELOPMENT: THE CASE OF ORGANISATIONS IN BUSIA-DISTRICT
It takes a lot of effort to form, make paper-work and achieve organization objectives. Some people can be successful with project formulation, but fail at implementation –due to a number of factors that maybe; financial, legal, technical, environmental or political, among others.
But, even at implementation, like at every other developmental stage, there exists challenges ranging from administrative to financial accountability. Common in the administration department could be disagreements, role ambiguity, and formation of antagonistic groups –each working hard to suffocate progress under each other’s roles and responsibility (if any). Some people call it office politics.
Because administration is centralized, with powers entirely falling on the director’s shoulders, each of the groups will want to compete hard to win the directors favor and indispensability. And the director, with limited or no knowledge and skills in conflict resolution, is in many cases bases on rumors to make decisions.
Attempts to solve conflicts will only feature him carrying the rumor to the targeted person –from where tempers ensue, since the rumor might not have truth. The accused, thereon, develops a grudge on the rumor-monger. The organization head, on his part, will only walk away having made a statement to the accused, but without reaching a consensus.
It is in such state of affairs the organization head will seemingly flourish, which in a long run affects progress and quality of reports that have to be made. But, since himself is the head of monitoring and evaluation, he will always cook his reports for whoever needs them.
Noting that centralization of power makes organization boss very busy, never does he find time to make inquiries into raging conflict among his or her work force. Himself can be a source of conflict –when he crosses his boundaries to briefly manage and make reports for affiliated projects –whose heads are left with no powers, no confidence, and at times no work.
Being the founder, actual chairperson of the board of directors and director leaves no one to offer accountability to or make administrative checks and balances. He or she is only accountable to himself.
No one advises him on matters of policy and decision making. Uncertainty soon crops in as the founder and director lacks the capacity to run organizational programs, yet claiming to trust no one.
Since most of his time so far has been spent on resource mobilization since project formulation, it becomes the best skill possessed by the organizational director. Beyond that, he has to either hire unskilled and semi-skilled labor that never help much, exploit skilled labor without wage pay or partner with existing organization –with whom to share technical knowledge and skills.
The mismanagement on his or her part can be a disappointment to project partners –who eventually lose confidence in the director’s ability to run the organization. Funny enough, instead of accepting the weaknesses of his management style, he displaces self-inflicted frustration on project partners.
Hiring labor, according to him or her can never entail preparing guidelines and agreements or contracts that must be signed by hired worker. He applies verbal agreements whilst sure that they will be broken anytime –where verbal termination of work will not judge him in the way that disrupts his motive and prior decisions based on suspicion.
The project partners, on the other hand, use their bitterness to discourage other partners –including donors to bury their confidence in the director and his organization. This deepens the conflict –to even create psychological scars.
This, in future, affects new partnerships, as he will nurse suspicion and mistrust that whoever seeking to partner with him are likely to cause similar negative scenarios as previous encountered in fallen relations.
In case a new project partner, with whom he has mixed feelings (e.g. trust-mistrust) found his way to working with the traumatized director, entry initiation would be organized –involving telling stories about past negative experiences with ex-partners and setting expectations reviewable almost weekly.
Whatever program created by a project partner, upon rumor sent regarding it, could be called off until the planned activities are discussed and approved by the director. This is how far his or her sensitivity can be to whoever works with him.
Whilst in the field, his “spies” will report to the organization head every movement, action and words spoken by the project officer or business partner. The information carried to him is repackaged in the way that discredits the dynamic project officer before the organization head. It can be as though the spy-master’s preference is passiveness or idle-talk at work.
Decisions made are emotionally triggered (i.e. when happy, or fearful). Without having to consult anyone or make further inquiries, fear or anxiety-based decisions would be made against staff qualifying for it.
This, now, becomes the norm applicable in every organization development process –be it at recruitment, promotion, demotion or dismissal. Fear, to such a director, is perceivable as a threat not only for him, but organizational as well.
At this stage of affairs, he can hardly be separated from organization needs. He would assume that his bad taste should be the same to everyone that may be; his support staff, partners, and clients.
Such an organization would be the kind that collapses as soon as its director physically falls ill or dies. This would be so because he would not have prepared the organization for sustainability.
As a result, the disempowered workers will even consult for the obvious –fearing they will make mistakes costly to their careers. That soon turns them into statue workers, who are nothing-doers –yet pausing as staff at the organization.
Surprising, still, is be absence of a work plan. Neither is it known to staff nor organization frameworks, objectives or ideals. He, of the sort, runs the organization himself –since project or program descriptions are only known to him. Shrewd staff as he would perhaps expect could design and implement programs along side probable organization objectives –to keep busy.
An assembly, which in most constitutions is the highest decision-making body, is never followed. Decisions passed are only shelved once forwarded to him –in favor of rumors from conflicting parties about how the meeting went.
If part of agenda was to address staff conflicts, he would choose traditional one –famous to him that preserved conflicts. It seems like he found it was fan conflicting parties having to rush to him, one after another, to give their versions of the cause.
Yet, it would be focusing on resolutions reached at assemblies or recommendation in reports submitted that could be a basis of policy and decision making. Doing so, is what could eventually find a lasting solution for lingering fusses in the organization.
Otherwise, absence of such would not only stall organization progress, but lead to its collapse. No wonder, organizations found to nurse conflicts have had a history of failed programs.
Perhaps, if there was an active and most influential board of directors, they would help advice such a managerially-ill director with parameters –with which to direct the organization along set objectives –to realize real impact.
Unfortunately, for most non-government organization, especially of modern times, the aim of their establishment is mainly to employ the founder, rather than community development. In fact, a personal business. So, they fasten the idea formulation process and paper-work, as well as hire names of those who could act as members of board of directors –for the purposes of registration.
Unfortunately, the boards of directors are only involved to facilitate registration exercise. They never have a say or influence of how implementation and financial matters must be addressed. He or she, thus, studies reports with no body –as for financial accountability.
And, because of the past conflicts with previous business partners, and how dangerous they soured to largely and negatively affect organization development, the troubled director must have developed a mental disorder to now necessitate rehabilitation.
Regarding his managerial deficits, he will only have to try a recognized local management institution. Important to note also would be that, having successfully founded an organization can be unrelated to good management. Even when anyone smelt a rat as soon as he or she joined the organization and brought it to his attention; he, still, could claim was good manager.
At such a level of an organization; very young, and that has not impacted communities in which it operates, management must open up to forces of positive organization change; strictly following known and understood –established systems of conflict resolution and monitoring and evaluation.
Jacob Waiswa
Community Psychologist
DISHMA CONSULT
But, even at implementation, like at every other developmental stage, there exists challenges ranging from administrative to financial accountability. Common in the administration department could be disagreements, role ambiguity, and formation of antagonistic groups –each working hard to suffocate progress under each other’s roles and responsibility (if any). Some people call it office politics.
Because administration is centralized, with powers entirely falling on the director’s shoulders, each of the groups will want to compete hard to win the directors favor and indispensability. And the director, with limited or no knowledge and skills in conflict resolution, is in many cases bases on rumors to make decisions.
Attempts to solve conflicts will only feature him carrying the rumor to the targeted person –from where tempers ensue, since the rumor might not have truth. The accused, thereon, develops a grudge on the rumor-monger. The organization head, on his part, will only walk away having made a statement to the accused, but without reaching a consensus.
It is in such state of affairs the organization head will seemingly flourish, which in a long run affects progress and quality of reports that have to be made. But, since himself is the head of monitoring and evaluation, he will always cook his reports for whoever needs them.
Noting that centralization of power makes organization boss very busy, never does he find time to make inquiries into raging conflict among his or her work force. Himself can be a source of conflict –when he crosses his boundaries to briefly manage and make reports for affiliated projects –whose heads are left with no powers, no confidence, and at times no work.
Being the founder, actual chairperson of the board of directors and director leaves no one to offer accountability to or make administrative checks and balances. He or she is only accountable to himself.
No one advises him on matters of policy and decision making. Uncertainty soon crops in as the founder and director lacks the capacity to run organizational programs, yet claiming to trust no one.
Since most of his time so far has been spent on resource mobilization since project formulation, it becomes the best skill possessed by the organizational director. Beyond that, he has to either hire unskilled and semi-skilled labor that never help much, exploit skilled labor without wage pay or partner with existing organization –with whom to share technical knowledge and skills.
The mismanagement on his or her part can be a disappointment to project partners –who eventually lose confidence in the director’s ability to run the organization. Funny enough, instead of accepting the weaknesses of his management style, he displaces self-inflicted frustration on project partners.
Hiring labor, according to him or her can never entail preparing guidelines and agreements or contracts that must be signed by hired worker. He applies verbal agreements whilst sure that they will be broken anytime –where verbal termination of work will not judge him in the way that disrupts his motive and prior decisions based on suspicion.
The project partners, on the other hand, use their bitterness to discourage other partners –including donors to bury their confidence in the director and his organization. This deepens the conflict –to even create psychological scars.
This, in future, affects new partnerships, as he will nurse suspicion and mistrust that whoever seeking to partner with him are likely to cause similar negative scenarios as previous encountered in fallen relations.
In case a new project partner, with whom he has mixed feelings (e.g. trust-mistrust) found his way to working with the traumatized director, entry initiation would be organized –involving telling stories about past negative experiences with ex-partners and setting expectations reviewable almost weekly.
Whatever program created by a project partner, upon rumor sent regarding it, could be called off until the planned activities are discussed and approved by the director. This is how far his or her sensitivity can be to whoever works with him.
Whilst in the field, his “spies” will report to the organization head every movement, action and words spoken by the project officer or business partner. The information carried to him is repackaged in the way that discredits the dynamic project officer before the organization head. It can be as though the spy-master’s preference is passiveness or idle-talk at work.
Decisions made are emotionally triggered (i.e. when happy, or fearful). Without having to consult anyone or make further inquiries, fear or anxiety-based decisions would be made against staff qualifying for it.
This, now, becomes the norm applicable in every organization development process –be it at recruitment, promotion, demotion or dismissal. Fear, to such a director, is perceivable as a threat not only for him, but organizational as well.
At this stage of affairs, he can hardly be separated from organization needs. He would assume that his bad taste should be the same to everyone that may be; his support staff, partners, and clients.
Such an organization would be the kind that collapses as soon as its director physically falls ill or dies. This would be so because he would not have prepared the organization for sustainability.
As a result, the disempowered workers will even consult for the obvious –fearing they will make mistakes costly to their careers. That soon turns them into statue workers, who are nothing-doers –yet pausing as staff at the organization.
Surprising, still, is be absence of a work plan. Neither is it known to staff nor organization frameworks, objectives or ideals. He, of the sort, runs the organization himself –since project or program descriptions are only known to him. Shrewd staff as he would perhaps expect could design and implement programs along side probable organization objectives –to keep busy.
An assembly, which in most constitutions is the highest decision-making body, is never followed. Decisions passed are only shelved once forwarded to him –in favor of rumors from conflicting parties about how the meeting went.
If part of agenda was to address staff conflicts, he would choose traditional one –famous to him that preserved conflicts. It seems like he found it was fan conflicting parties having to rush to him, one after another, to give their versions of the cause.
Yet, it would be focusing on resolutions reached at assemblies or recommendation in reports submitted that could be a basis of policy and decision making. Doing so, is what could eventually find a lasting solution for lingering fusses in the organization.
Otherwise, absence of such would not only stall organization progress, but lead to its collapse. No wonder, organizations found to nurse conflicts have had a history of failed programs.
Perhaps, if there was an active and most influential board of directors, they would help advice such a managerially-ill director with parameters –with which to direct the organization along set objectives –to realize real impact.
Unfortunately, for most non-government organization, especially of modern times, the aim of their establishment is mainly to employ the founder, rather than community development. In fact, a personal business. So, they fasten the idea formulation process and paper-work, as well as hire names of those who could act as members of board of directors –for the purposes of registration.
Unfortunately, the boards of directors are only involved to facilitate registration exercise. They never have a say or influence of how implementation and financial matters must be addressed. He or she, thus, studies reports with no body –as for financial accountability.
And, because of the past conflicts with previous business partners, and how dangerous they soured to largely and negatively affect organization development, the troubled director must have developed a mental disorder to now necessitate rehabilitation.
Regarding his managerial deficits, he will only have to try a recognized local management institution. Important to note also would be that, having successfully founded an organization can be unrelated to good management. Even when anyone smelt a rat as soon as he or she joined the organization and brought it to his attention; he, still, could claim was good manager.
At such a level of an organization; very young, and that has not impacted communities in which it operates, management must open up to forces of positive organization change; strictly following known and understood –established systems of conflict resolution and monitoring and evaluation.
Jacob Waiswa
Community Psychologist
DISHMA CONSULT
Saturday, April 11, 2009
JOURNALISM FOR DEVELOPMENT
The impression created by the media over years has been held with mixed feelings. Whereas some media corporate world are known to have positively helped transform societies politically, economically, culturally and technologically; some other have only torn the world apart through negative reporting that supports aggressive confrontation, glorifying terror activities to make eye-catching headlines with selfishly money motive.
Similarly, the aggressive, corrupt and oppressive groups and individuals (religiously, politically or economically) have been glorified in the way that sustains situation that steadily extinct some societies.
Their content hardly provided or suggested solutions to alarm-triggering headlines. And much of the media activities have lacked an element of social responsibility that is tangible to give a voice to the voiceless and direct transformative opportunities to the poor, disabled and other disadvantaged groups
Journaling is a key communication tool. All organisms by nature communicate either verbally or non-verbally, yet attempting to make sense of whatever cues that are exchanged or evaluated.
True, we tend to be evaluative of one another whilst trying to figure out what intentions the other party could have towards you. The aim can be to help measure up the relationship that possibly could be developed, whether health or not.
Of course, in certain encounters some people could be threatened, suspicious, lack confidence, defensively withdraw or get on well in a healthy and rewarding relationship. This, indeed, is how communities can influence attitudes and behavior towards one another. That way, we could manage, control and direct directs and behavior. What a powerful tool a pen can be!
But success through journaling it self needs a period of training and practical experience, such that we can communicate to effectively make or unmake relationships or evolve life through the aspects of observing, reading and listening to words and actions of others and things.
The primary motivators to writing is the element of having an opinion yet unique. As part of research steps, one would be required to publish a final report or summarized article from the investigations, results and analyses carried out. Other researchers or students would want to review literature about statements pending investigation. From their successes, investigators either get awards or promotion.
Through practical experience, some people make careers out of their abilities and skills to communicate effectively as writers, as advertising agents, as interpreters and, as counselors or therapists.
Secondary employment too could be provided by journalism like driving, distribution, sale or retailing, legal advising etcetera. Eventually, those associated to it could become social icons or global media giants.
On the other hand, journaling could have important health benefits as stress reliever. By writing about one’s traumatic experience, sufferer could drop so much mental toxins off him or her.
And, at the same time it would help improve on analytical and problem-solving skills crucial in successful dealing with the ever emerging challenges encountered in day-to-day life.
From the natural or ecological sense, journaling or communication significantly help to connect different elements of the eco-system –through the principles of interconnectivity and interdependence.
And through media, we can help improve the dangerous global situations as nuclear conflicts, to make the world a better place for everyone to live in. But this would only be so if we formed a common objective in solidarity to it (non-violence) under the principle of conscious non-violence through tolerance and respect for divergent views.
Waiswa Jacob
Situation Health Analyst
DISHMA-CONSULT
P.O. BOX 8885
KAMPALA-UGANDA
Tel. +256774336277 or +256754890614
www.situationhealthanalysis.blogspot.com
Similarly, the aggressive, corrupt and oppressive groups and individuals (religiously, politically or economically) have been glorified in the way that sustains situation that steadily extinct some societies.
Their content hardly provided or suggested solutions to alarm-triggering headlines. And much of the media activities have lacked an element of social responsibility that is tangible to give a voice to the voiceless and direct transformative opportunities to the poor, disabled and other disadvantaged groups
Journaling is a key communication tool. All organisms by nature communicate either verbally or non-verbally, yet attempting to make sense of whatever cues that are exchanged or evaluated.
True, we tend to be evaluative of one another whilst trying to figure out what intentions the other party could have towards you. The aim can be to help measure up the relationship that possibly could be developed, whether health or not.
Of course, in certain encounters some people could be threatened, suspicious, lack confidence, defensively withdraw or get on well in a healthy and rewarding relationship. This, indeed, is how communities can influence attitudes and behavior towards one another. That way, we could manage, control and direct directs and behavior. What a powerful tool a pen can be!
But success through journaling it self needs a period of training and practical experience, such that we can communicate to effectively make or unmake relationships or evolve life through the aspects of observing, reading and listening to words and actions of others and things.
The primary motivators to writing is the element of having an opinion yet unique. As part of research steps, one would be required to publish a final report or summarized article from the investigations, results and analyses carried out. Other researchers or students would want to review literature about statements pending investigation. From their successes, investigators either get awards or promotion.
Through practical experience, some people make careers out of their abilities and skills to communicate effectively as writers, as advertising agents, as interpreters and, as counselors or therapists.
Secondary employment too could be provided by journalism like driving, distribution, sale or retailing, legal advising etcetera. Eventually, those associated to it could become social icons or global media giants.
On the other hand, journaling could have important health benefits as stress reliever. By writing about one’s traumatic experience, sufferer could drop so much mental toxins off him or her.
And, at the same time it would help improve on analytical and problem-solving skills crucial in successful dealing with the ever emerging challenges encountered in day-to-day life.
From the natural or ecological sense, journaling or communication significantly help to connect different elements of the eco-system –through the principles of interconnectivity and interdependence.
And through media, we can help improve the dangerous global situations as nuclear conflicts, to make the world a better place for everyone to live in. But this would only be so if we formed a common objective in solidarity to it (non-violence) under the principle of conscious non-violence through tolerance and respect for divergent views.
Waiswa Jacob
Situation Health Analyst
DISHMA-CONSULT
P.O. BOX 8885
KAMPALA-UGANDA
Tel. +256774336277 or +256754890614
www.situationhealthanalysis.blogspot.com
Friday, January 23, 2009
MANAGING SABOTEURS' ACTIONS AND SABOTAGE SITUATIONS
Saboteurs, according to wikipedia.org are people whose deliberate actions are aimed at weakening perceived enemy and oppressor -through subversion, obstruction, disruption, and destruction. Saboteurs can be classified in war terms as enemies or spies -whose core intention, like terrorist, is to destroy.
Indeed, if one had saboteurs around himself or herself, it would be a kind of war or struggle -whose duration can be had to calculate. Instead, it could more of just commitment to the relentless fight for self-liberation, or for others.
Some people might choose to call it psychological warfare (imagined attack or imagined planned attack). Also called mind game (s) between individuals and groups, or even nations -which could be followed by potentially injurious actions targeting their victims.
And some say it is the most decisive kind of war, since after disabling a victim, he or she retains life, but with untold trauma, as well. Actually, if not treated, the victim could lose himself to insanity.
The other kind of war is that involving physical confrontation. It might be an armed or an unarmed confrontation. An armed is that involving gun shoot-outs, metal bar or any other, but lethal weapon, while unarmed considers fist and kick-administration to physically harm another person, or other people.
It is important that individuals under constant acts sabotage from sadists form defense and escape values that clearly define their goals and relationship with others -along the path of positive individual growth and development.
In that disregard, appropriate ways of interaction and behavior will be developed not only to fail saboteurs' dangerous missions, but to reduce or control mental and physical damage. Lowly, animals have varied ways of dealing with enemies -like being confrontational, adapting or prisonisation, and retreating or relocating.
It is a trying moment -which requires highest possible adaptation abilities. These can be acquired through training, socialization with toughed-up people or through successful experiences of hardships caused by toxic environment or people.
Alternatively, others would be so focussed on their values that no attention to saboteurs' actions. Making them as of no meaning -during the time of sabotage -especially that is psychological.
It will not be very long when, they (saboteurs) begin to look foolish and retreat filled with shame, or asking themselves why they were doing such a thing -especially without attention-reward being given to them. It is a non-violent strategy proposed by the humanists , which calls on the oppressed not to acknowledge evil deeds of the aggressor.
Unfortunately, not many can keep off their attention to the worst provocation. They will want to revenge -which later turns out to be the long-awaited game for the aggressor, now that attention has been given.
Stress could be encountered whilst under too much pressure to deal saboteurs' distracting actions, and the fact that one might be surrounded by insults, acts to deprive and deface. At times, it can be so acute that everything as planned get stalled, and at the same time down with stress-related illnesses. This could interfere with normal work and social life, and, of course; general well-being.
Whilst in that situation, it would be important to successfully manage stress and keep track with life normal life routines, be healthy, able to work and overcome nasty people. Any moment one fell sick, would be a tea party and a kind of victory for the saboteurs.
They (saboteurs) would laugh their heads off. Unless portrayed as a camouflage to them, one's weakness should never be showed. If they were, saboteurs' position would be strengthed the more.
These people do anything to inflict pain on whoever they choose as their target. Their different forms of hurting might be to defame, hate campaign, attracting others into the hurting or suffocating business against their victim -while surprisingly devoting entire day's time on designing insults, negative wishes and actions, or pray for calamity to befall their victim.
The climax could be making plans to take away life of a person or people in target, and eventually, execute the plan. To them pain felt by perceived “enemy” would be their happiness or satisfaction -to keep reinforcing their actions.
The same reinforcement could encourage them to continuously fail progress of others, to damage their reputation, to grab only assets possessed and remorselessly destroy victim's good character developed over years.
In dealing with such troublesome persons, a survival, interaction or relationship-boundary management and achievement plan, or as a combination, ought to be pooled and pursued. For example, finding caring friends -to safely oversee one's sensitive assets, to provide safe food to eat and water to drink, or find trustworthy eating places, to share one's troubles with, to derive inspirations and encouragement, among others. Meanwhile, at personal level, the victimized person could make it a habit to do physical exercises -to help the body cope with pressure.
Making use an existing network of friends created over time -to support one's cause in terms of living-space sharing, discover career development opportunities, share and strength one's vision -through moral support given by the friends' network, and many other ways.
Doing so, would help one realize cherished peace and experience relief or reduced pressure, elevated self-esteem and confidence in pursuit of his or her goals, above the negative forces and subsequently escape the enslavement.
In the process of achieving one's goal, expectations must be known -like necessity to struggle and painfully accept to maneuver through the success path -regardless of the size of the “dragons” along. A lot of patience would be needed, and time bought to have the toxic situation overhauled.
Of course, so often, there can be set backs and tears of a suffering man or woman, but at the same time, one has to reassure himself or herself that through belief, hardworking, mental and action-focussed pattern, one runs several miles away from his or her troubles.
Through activities like meditation, physical exercises, religious or faith-related activities, creating healthy social circles, and channeling one's time on positive aspects of life, giving the toxic people space to reduce possible mental and physical damage or their recur.
One must set himself or herself into strength mode and continue to grow that way, with determination, self-belief and self-assurance that all will be fine. A kind of self-resuscitation, which requires putting an idea under frequent practice -to finally be there as planned.
Coming out of the constantly provoking distracters of wellness, achievement, and the time-wasting on dealing with toxic people, requires identifying one's abilities that could foster success, developing self-belief and beginning the long walk to trouble-relieving success.
To do that, the victim must visualize, realize and recognize that it is a fact that they must save themselves from the toxic social environment and acknowledge that current conditions will change for the better. Then, a self-rescue plan could follow and subsequent change actions -integrating career development and relocating oneself in a better development-enabling area.
It is these that positively prove the real worth of oneself past progress-saboteurs, rather than languish in misery caused by the toxic individuals. The new standards set would be geared to redefining oneself -towards achievement and generate motivating power to come out of the oppressive chains and attain harmony and peace in life.
Personal hobbies and interests would be the closest “ally” to make use of. These help take one's time away from the distractions of toxic people -as well as help reduce the emotional and mental damage that could have penetrated deep into the self.
Similarly, making social contributions through one's hobbies and interests could help undo their negative criticisms and plans. They too could help market the best of one's personality to the community. In the area of career development it could as well be a big plus, as one might identify a talent to exploit or even attract employers.
It would be important, as well, that one creates partnerships in the course of developing career goals. They could, in most cases, be of the type -who have been the the field longer. Such partnerships may be with old friends to begin with, much as good approach to strangers too yield excellent partnerships.
After some time of testing ones abilities and competencies with partners or business friends, further introductions could be made of ones accomplishments to organizations and firms that may need the services, skills or knowledge. But adding problems to already existing ones must, with immediate, be minimized. Some strangers might rake any little achievement so far.
Networks too could be invested into in terms of time, and if need be -spend money. Much of the information one lacked would with network members. They could be effectively utilized, when searching for opportunities out there -through strategic interactions, chats or otherwise, and conclusions would be made -as to where opportunities for personal development are.
Also necessary, would be; seeking any chance available of furthering one's education or strengthening curriculum vitae -through experiential learning. They could be either short term or long-term training -aimed at acquiring new skills. As a consequence, one's goal of positive personal experiences, and of peace and harmony would be enabled.
An opportunity got from one's social networks could be rather act as a ladders to higher career steps, than calling it the end of career-goal pursuit. It could be habit for one to send job applications elsewhere and everywhere in relentless attempts towards positive changes in his or her life. As career authors put it, “the moment one enters an organizations, he o she soon makes possible attempts to exit,” which indeed is a true reflection of an ambitious person.
For one to swiftly move through a career development course successfully, he or she must consult with most relevant information and resource persons around. And, be the kind, who has concretized a reading culture.
Important, also, would be the act of sharing one's vision with friends -who are positive about life. This could help greatly strength mentally one's commitment to the set plan for change actions, give confidence and enhance more creativity around obstacles in the path to one's goal (s).
Friends' compliments, encouragement and advices or constructive criticisms would be the source of positive personal attributes. It would be doing injustice to oneself, if helpful criticism was not taken for self correction. Most of it might be re-directing or suggesting him or her to re-think and get onto the right path.
Sparing time for prayer and/or meditation would be another avenue to consider along one's path to positive personal growth and development, and liberate oneself from the infringes of poverty, dehumanization and misery. Saboteurs, like any life challenge or obstacle, could stall or delay progress and toxic to individual survival, but manageable -if one really knew what he or she wanted in life.
Indeed, if one had saboteurs around himself or herself, it would be a kind of war or struggle -whose duration can be had to calculate. Instead, it could more of just commitment to the relentless fight for self-liberation, or for others.
Some people might choose to call it psychological warfare (imagined attack or imagined planned attack). Also called mind game (s) between individuals and groups, or even nations -which could be followed by potentially injurious actions targeting their victims.
And some say it is the most decisive kind of war, since after disabling a victim, he or she retains life, but with untold trauma, as well. Actually, if not treated, the victim could lose himself to insanity.
The other kind of war is that involving physical confrontation. It might be an armed or an unarmed confrontation. An armed is that involving gun shoot-outs, metal bar or any other, but lethal weapon, while unarmed considers fist and kick-administration to physically harm another person, or other people.
It is important that individuals under constant acts sabotage from sadists form defense and escape values that clearly define their goals and relationship with others -along the path of positive individual growth and development.
In that disregard, appropriate ways of interaction and behavior will be developed not only to fail saboteurs' dangerous missions, but to reduce or control mental and physical damage. Lowly, animals have varied ways of dealing with enemies -like being confrontational, adapting or prisonisation, and retreating or relocating.
It is a trying moment -which requires highest possible adaptation abilities. These can be acquired through training, socialization with toughed-up people or through successful experiences of hardships caused by toxic environment or people.
Alternatively, others would be so focussed on their values that no attention to saboteurs' actions. Making them as of no meaning -during the time of sabotage -especially that is psychological.
It will not be very long when, they (saboteurs) begin to look foolish and retreat filled with shame, or asking themselves why they were doing such a thing -especially without attention-reward being given to them. It is a non-violent strategy proposed by the humanists , which calls on the oppressed not to acknowledge evil deeds of the aggressor.
Unfortunately, not many can keep off their attention to the worst provocation. They will want to revenge -which later turns out to be the long-awaited game for the aggressor, now that attention has been given.
Stress could be encountered whilst under too much pressure to deal saboteurs' distracting actions, and the fact that one might be surrounded by insults, acts to deprive and deface. At times, it can be so acute that everything as planned get stalled, and at the same time down with stress-related illnesses. This could interfere with normal work and social life, and, of course; general well-being.
Whilst in that situation, it would be important to successfully manage stress and keep track with life normal life routines, be healthy, able to work and overcome nasty people. Any moment one fell sick, would be a tea party and a kind of victory for the saboteurs.
They (saboteurs) would laugh their heads off. Unless portrayed as a camouflage to them, one's weakness should never be showed. If they were, saboteurs' position would be strengthed the more.
These people do anything to inflict pain on whoever they choose as their target. Their different forms of hurting might be to defame, hate campaign, attracting others into the hurting or suffocating business against their victim -while surprisingly devoting entire day's time on designing insults, negative wishes and actions, or pray for calamity to befall their victim.
The climax could be making plans to take away life of a person or people in target, and eventually, execute the plan. To them pain felt by perceived “enemy” would be their happiness or satisfaction -to keep reinforcing their actions.
The same reinforcement could encourage them to continuously fail progress of others, to damage their reputation, to grab only assets possessed and remorselessly destroy victim's good character developed over years.
In dealing with such troublesome persons, a survival, interaction or relationship-boundary management and achievement plan, or as a combination, ought to be pooled and pursued. For example, finding caring friends -to safely oversee one's sensitive assets, to provide safe food to eat and water to drink, or find trustworthy eating places, to share one's troubles with, to derive inspirations and encouragement, among others. Meanwhile, at personal level, the victimized person could make it a habit to do physical exercises -to help the body cope with pressure.
Making use an existing network of friends created over time -to support one's cause in terms of living-space sharing, discover career development opportunities, share and strength one's vision -through moral support given by the friends' network, and many other ways.
Doing so, would help one realize cherished peace and experience relief or reduced pressure, elevated self-esteem and confidence in pursuit of his or her goals, above the negative forces and subsequently escape the enslavement.
In the process of achieving one's goal, expectations must be known -like necessity to struggle and painfully accept to maneuver through the success path -regardless of the size of the “dragons” along. A lot of patience would be needed, and time bought to have the toxic situation overhauled.
Of course, so often, there can be set backs and tears of a suffering man or woman, but at the same time, one has to reassure himself or herself that through belief, hardworking, mental and action-focussed pattern, one runs several miles away from his or her troubles.
Through activities like meditation, physical exercises, religious or faith-related activities, creating healthy social circles, and channeling one's time on positive aspects of life, giving the toxic people space to reduce possible mental and physical damage or their recur.
One must set himself or herself into strength mode and continue to grow that way, with determination, self-belief and self-assurance that all will be fine. A kind of self-resuscitation, which requires putting an idea under frequent practice -to finally be there as planned.
Coming out of the constantly provoking distracters of wellness, achievement, and the time-wasting on dealing with toxic people, requires identifying one's abilities that could foster success, developing self-belief and beginning the long walk to trouble-relieving success.
To do that, the victim must visualize, realize and recognize that it is a fact that they must save themselves from the toxic social environment and acknowledge that current conditions will change for the better. Then, a self-rescue plan could follow and subsequent change actions -integrating career development and relocating oneself in a better development-enabling area.
It is these that positively prove the real worth of oneself past progress-saboteurs, rather than languish in misery caused by the toxic individuals. The new standards set would be geared to redefining oneself -towards achievement and generate motivating power to come out of the oppressive chains and attain harmony and peace in life.
Personal hobbies and interests would be the closest “ally” to make use of. These help take one's time away from the distractions of toxic people -as well as help reduce the emotional and mental damage that could have penetrated deep into the self.
Similarly, making social contributions through one's hobbies and interests could help undo their negative criticisms and plans. They too could help market the best of one's personality to the community. In the area of career development it could as well be a big plus, as one might identify a talent to exploit or even attract employers.
It would be important, as well, that one creates partnerships in the course of developing career goals. They could, in most cases, be of the type -who have been the the field longer. Such partnerships may be with old friends to begin with, much as good approach to strangers too yield excellent partnerships.
After some time of testing ones abilities and competencies with partners or business friends, further introductions could be made of ones accomplishments to organizations and firms that may need the services, skills or knowledge. But adding problems to already existing ones must, with immediate, be minimized. Some strangers might rake any little achievement so far.
Networks too could be invested into in terms of time, and if need be -spend money. Much of the information one lacked would with network members. They could be effectively utilized, when searching for opportunities out there -through strategic interactions, chats or otherwise, and conclusions would be made -as to where opportunities for personal development are.
Also necessary, would be; seeking any chance available of furthering one's education or strengthening curriculum vitae -through experiential learning. They could be either short term or long-term training -aimed at acquiring new skills. As a consequence, one's goal of positive personal experiences, and of peace and harmony would be enabled.
An opportunity got from one's social networks could be rather act as a ladders to higher career steps, than calling it the end of career-goal pursuit. It could be habit for one to send job applications elsewhere and everywhere in relentless attempts towards positive changes in his or her life. As career authors put it, “the moment one enters an organizations, he o she soon makes possible attempts to exit,” which indeed is a true reflection of an ambitious person.
For one to swiftly move through a career development course successfully, he or she must consult with most relevant information and resource persons around. And, be the kind, who has concretized a reading culture.
Important, also, would be the act of sharing one's vision with friends -who are positive about life. This could help greatly strength mentally one's commitment to the set plan for change actions, give confidence and enhance more creativity around obstacles in the path to one's goal (s).
Friends' compliments, encouragement and advices or constructive criticisms would be the source of positive personal attributes. It would be doing injustice to oneself, if helpful criticism was not taken for self correction. Most of it might be re-directing or suggesting him or her to re-think and get onto the right path.
Sparing time for prayer and/or meditation would be another avenue to consider along one's path to positive personal growth and development, and liberate oneself from the infringes of poverty, dehumanization and misery. Saboteurs, like any life challenge or obstacle, could stall or delay progress and toxic to individual survival, but manageable -if one really knew what he or she wanted in life.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Effectively Writing a Concept paper
A concept-paper is one (paper) that carries a concept. Much as paper is singular, when written on, they turn out to be approximately between 2-4 pages (one sided), while a concept is a set of related ideas to be acted upon to cause reality effect.
The ideas being on paper wraps up the term concept-paper. The paper shows systematic steps to be followed over a given period of time in pursuit of the goal, or main objective. Some planners attempt to show the fate of old work-force and assets at the end of the project.
Different options are taken that include; laying them (workers) off, training and recruiting them for the new project phase, recommending them to sister organizations or transferring them to areas -where old project is still running.
As for the assets, often auctioning is done to get rid of them. Winning a grant comes with excellent concept paper writing. Its quality could significantly affect success with donors positively. The following tips could be of help -developed after comprehensive reviews of donor needs.
Being brief and focused
Easy to read and understand
Begin with project title
On the same page (first page) indicate area (s) of operation, organization or business name, physical address, then the name, title, phone and email of the contact or primary person
Give an introduction about the entire document. It can be a summary of entire document -sometimes bundled as introduction/background. It is important to show supportive statistics to help build interest and confidence from funding representatives.
Purpose: -indicate problem to be taken advantage of and justification -backed by some statistics.
Project description: -showing the goals and objectives. Objectives are measurable outcomes relating to the goal. They must be realistic and achievable.
Activities: -indicating the steps or pathways for project development. These too must be related to the project objectives and goal.
Target group, area of coverage and population size be considered,-history and projected sustainability of clientele base, competitors present and uniqueness of services or products.
Partnership and Collaboration: organizations to work with, where to consult and seek help, or to merge resources for a common activity.
Show anticipated benefits and out comes, the significance or relevancy of the project -putting in mind the beneficiaries
Critical, also, is the monitoring and evaluation tool that give extent of achievement under given indicators for such achievement. It tells us whether goals were met or not. There must be coherent system of record keeping and activity or events monitoring. Challenges, then, get brainstormed about to clear organizational way to the goal.
Still, as part of measuring success, evidence of impact in form of photos and stories too are kept. Impact assessment while in contact with community are carried out. As well show the indicators of such success.
Then organizational or project strength and weaknesses -while figuring out how to get rid of the challenges or weaknesses as opportunities). Give some references of organizational or project achievements so far (if any) and statement of management competency.
Inputs and support resources: show the quality of human resource and assets required
Indicate costs for organization or project development processes, items or input (s) and time within which to make accomplishments. Showing the details of the budget to include; cost of items and services or activities, of what quantity, and total cost.
Summary of organizational or project management structure -best if team players attached their brief Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Show referees, recommenders, or promoters (at least three).
The ideas being on paper wraps up the term concept-paper. The paper shows systematic steps to be followed over a given period of time in pursuit of the goal, or main objective. Some planners attempt to show the fate of old work-force and assets at the end of the project.
Different options are taken that include; laying them (workers) off, training and recruiting them for the new project phase, recommending them to sister organizations or transferring them to areas -where old project is still running.
As for the assets, often auctioning is done to get rid of them. Winning a grant comes with excellent concept paper writing. Its quality could significantly affect success with donors positively. The following tips could be of help -developed after comprehensive reviews of donor needs.
Being brief and focused
Easy to read and understand
Begin with project title
On the same page (first page) indicate area (s) of operation, organization or business name, physical address, then the name, title, phone and email of the contact or primary person
Give an introduction about the entire document. It can be a summary of entire document -sometimes bundled as introduction/background. It is important to show supportive statistics to help build interest and confidence from funding representatives.
Purpose: -indicate problem to be taken advantage of and justification -backed by some statistics.
Project description: -showing the goals and objectives. Objectives are measurable outcomes relating to the goal. They must be realistic and achievable.
Activities: -indicating the steps or pathways for project development. These too must be related to the project objectives and goal.
Target group, area of coverage and population size be considered,-history and projected sustainability of clientele base, competitors present and uniqueness of services or products.
Partnership and Collaboration: organizations to work with, where to consult and seek help, or to merge resources for a common activity.
Show anticipated benefits and out comes, the significance or relevancy of the project -putting in mind the beneficiaries
Critical, also, is the monitoring and evaluation tool that give extent of achievement under given indicators for such achievement. It tells us whether goals were met or not. There must be coherent system of record keeping and activity or events monitoring. Challenges, then, get brainstormed about to clear organizational way to the goal.
Still, as part of measuring success, evidence of impact in form of photos and stories too are kept. Impact assessment while in contact with community are carried out. As well show the indicators of such success.
Then organizational or project strength and weaknesses -while figuring out how to get rid of the challenges or weaknesses as opportunities). Give some references of organizational or project achievements so far (if any) and statement of management competency.
Inputs and support resources: show the quality of human resource and assets required
Indicate costs for organization or project development processes, items or input (s) and time within which to make accomplishments. Showing the details of the budget to include; cost of items and services or activities, of what quantity, and total cost.
Summary of organizational or project management structure -best if team players attached their brief Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Show referees, recommenders, or promoters (at least three).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)