Received March 5, 2018; Revised April 6, 2018; Accepted April 12, 2018

Abstract: Agriculture is the mainstay of many economies in the developing world. The sector, however, is facing a myriad of challenges, most notably, climate change and its associated risks. Unreliable and unpredictable rainfall patterns have continuously decimated agricultural productivity and overall household welfare. Therefore, many households are increasingly diversifying into the non-farm sector to supplement their agricultural income and thus adapt to climate change. With projections pointing to more frequent and severe climate change conditions, there is urgent need to develop and/or strengthen existing adaptation mechanisms. To this end, the current study focused on non-farm activities and climate change adaptation in Kathonzweni sub-county, an ASAL region in Kenya. Specifically, the study assessed the nature, characteristics and significance of non-farm activities pursued by farmers in the study area in an effort to circumvent the effects of climate change. A descriptive survey design was employed while multistage sampling was used to determine the sample size of 313 from a population of 41878 households. Data collection was effected using a semi-structured questionnaire. Based on the study findings, nonfarm activities play an important role in household adaptability to climate change impacts. A Pearson correlation between various income and total household income established a strong positive correlation for non-farm income (r=0.873, p=0.000), a moderately positive correlation for farm income (r=0.474, p=0.00) and a weak positive correlation for ‘other’ sources of income (r=0.171, p=0.024). The study recommends increased government efforts in capacity building of rural populations as well as in the establishment of sustainable non-farm enterprises

Received March 5, 2018; Revised April 4, 2018; Accepted April 11, 2018

Abstract: There is no doubt it is all silent! HIV and AIDS are no longer the threatening health diseases that dominated the local and international daily news! Are HIV and AIDS no longer imminent health challenges, particularly among the youth in slums in the contemporary World today? The paper explores the critical implications of this silence yet no cure seems to be on the table yet! Why are funding allocations and the vibrancy that used to be there diminishing yet people are still dying in the midst of little support and international attention? A recent study on the coping mechanisms of the poor in Slum settlements in Kenya revealed that while it was a death sentence to be HIV positive or be living with full brown AIDS, apparently people are intentionally exposing themselves as a strategy to qualify for socioeconomic support safety nets! The study adopted a mixed research design with both qualitative and quantitative perspectives predominantly applied. Out of the 136 females and 89 males, structured observation and interviews, with key informants and focus group discussions were employed in data collection. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyze quantitative data, while qualitative data was analyzed and processed through key themes emerging from the respondents. The paper concludes that once the trend becomes an alarming challenge since life is back to normal with safe sex being a none material concern at the Global arena, the stakeholders are likely to revive funding sources and renew their strategy on protection projects, which would be too late to salvage the devastation the scourge will have imposed on society. Definitely the water will have spilled! Apparently there is need to restructure the HIV and AIDS policy framework and revive mutual collaborative support to save the innocent citizenry in whose view, the danger is out of hand and sex is seen as a free social good for mutual interaction and appreciation of human co-existence.

Received March 5, 2018; Revised April 4, 2018; Accepted April 13, 2018

Abstract: This study sought to assess English language teachers’ awareness in integration of cross cutting concepts into the English language teaching curriculum. The research objectives were: to identify the types of integration in English curriculum, challenges encountered in the integration of cross cutting themes in the English language curriculum, and to predict possible solutions. The research used mixed methods approach, therefore descriptive analysis was used. The findings of the study revealed that, the notion of ‘integration’ is still anonymous to almost all English language teachers in secondary school and thus by default teachers are practicing transdisciplinary integration type which is the type of integration within the same discipline. It was also clear from the study that English language teachers encounter various challenges in the implementation of integrated English language curriculum such as awareness of integration idea neither the cross-cutting concepts, inadequate teaching/learning resources, teachers are not used to team teaching among others. The study also recommends teachers to have self-initiatives and schools to conduct indoors and outdoors in-service training among others. The study also recommends further study for a large population.

Received April 14, 2018; Revised April 26, 2018; Accepted May 7, 2018

Abstract: Diarrhoea, an easily preventable disease, has remained a public health problem among children underfive years of age globally. Caregivers’ risk behaviours for diarrhoea are well known. However, the relationship between settlement type and caregivers risk behaviors for diarrhoea is not clear. The overall objective of this study was to determine the relationship between settlement type and caregivers’ behavioural risk factors for diarrhoea in children. A cross sectional study was conducted in Mwanza City from June to August 2016. Validated structured questionnaire for diarrhoea survey developed by United States Agency for International Development was employed for data collection. Principle component factor analysis was performed to reduce variables that had less weight before employing cross tabulation, bivariate and binary logistic regression. The results showed that settlement type has no association with caregivers risk behaviours for diarrhoea in children. Therefore, strategies of improving infrastructure in unplanned settlements for the purpose of reducing childhood diarrhoea should be accompanied with educating community on how to quit from diarrhoeal risk behaviours, because individual behaviour is not influenced by type of settlement where he resides.