Dengue Fever and Mosquito Repellent Lotion

Dengue is an infection caused by a virus. You can get it if an infected mosquito bites you. It does not spread from person to person. It is a tropical disease and is commonly spread during rainy seasons. In the Philippine, dengue is reported as one of the leading causes of childhood hospitalizations. And even Adults with weak immune system are not safe with this virus. Different researches were already conducted and are still on process to find new ways on how to completely solve this dreadful virus. Some researchers are working on making a vaccine that would immune the body against it.Insect repellent on the other hand are one of the preventive measures that would decrease the risk of getting insect-bourne diseases such as malaria and dengue which are brought about by mosquitos. An insect repellent is a substance applied to skin, clothing, or other surfaces which discourages insects (and arthropods in general) from landing or climbing on that surface. They are commercially sold and used. Mosquito repellent may come in the form of Lotion, Oil, bar, soap, fabric conditioner, spray and the like.Some are chemically made and the others are made out of organic materials that possesses insect repellent properties like Lemon grass, orange and rosemary to name a few. They are all garden plants and most likely available in every garden settings. This study is focused on the use of Calendula officinalis or commonly known as â€Å"Marigold† and Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary) in the form of insect repellent lotion, specifically, against the harmful bite of the known specie of mosquito within the genus Aedes, or principally known as Aedes aegypti which are the dengue virus carrier.Why lotion? Lotion is medicated ointment which is spread on the skin(Pharmacology); cream, liquid preparation for beautifying or soothing the skin (Wikipedia English ). Lotion are widely used for cosmetics and even medicinal purposes. Someone can actually wear it throughout the day leavi ng the skin protected from different harmful factors. Skin is the only part of the body that is most vulnerable to mosquito exposure. If a mosquito repellent is applied on skin, it will discourage mosquitos and bugs from landing on it, making the person at low risk of getting the dengue virus.Statement of the Problem The main objective of this investigatory project is to produce an Insect repellent lotion, specifically, Mosquito repellent lotion made from the combination of infused Marigold and rosemary oil mixed with base lotion with the same effectiveness compare to over the counter Mosquito repellent lotion. Specifically it sought to meet the following objectives:To test the effectiveness of Marigold, Rosemary infused Mosquito repellent lotion in terms of:Mosquito repellent effectiveness.Odour †¢Moisturizing effect.Lasting effect ( including the number of mosquito bite after application).Texture on the skin Significance of the studyThere is nothing we can do to stop mosquito from sucking onto their prey. This is their only way of survival. They carry insect Bourne diseases like malaria and dengue virus which are very dangerous once they have passed it to human body. Dengue Symptoms include a high fever, headaches, joint and muscle pain, vomiting, and a rash. In some cases, dengue turns into dengue haemorrhagic fever, which causes bleeding from your nose, gums, or under your skin.It can also become dengue shock syndrome, which causes massive bleeding and shock. These forms of dengue are life-threatening. There is no specific treatment. Most people with dengue recover within 2 weeks. Until then, drinking lots of fluids, resting and taking non-aspirin fever-reducing medicines might help. People with the more severe forms of dengue usually need to go to the hospital and get fluids. In our country, everyone is familiar with this kind of disease. Most of its victims are children from schools or houses from rural to urban places being exposed to mosquito carr ying dengue.It has already taken many lives which might have been prevented if most people were properly oriented bout mosquitos’ behaviour and on how they could destroy and eliminate them for the safety of everyone. There are lots of preventive measures which are effective and safe like using mosquito repellen lotion that makes mosquitoes repel on your skin taking you out from the high risk of dengue infection. The feasibility of plant material specifically â€Å"marigold† and â€Å"rosemary† as an effective Mosquito repellent lotion is safe, easy to prepare, timely and economically.Scope and LimitationThis study is particular with the use and effects of Marigold and Rosemary which are readily available in the community or any part of the country because they are widely use as farm plants or companion plants for growing crops. The investigatory project was done at Pampanga Agricultural College. Tests, experimentations and discussions were under the supervision of PROF. REGINA D. LORIA. Questionnaires were used and answered to get the survey of the effectiveness of the study. Review of Related Literature Extracts from In a Nutshell ‘Marigold' by Jill Rosemary DaviesA popular garden plant, Marigold has been valued for many centuries for its' exceptional healing powers and is particularly remarkable in the treatment of wounds. When used for medicinal purposes, it is commonly referred to as ‘Calendula'. In appearance, Marigold looks like a large yellow or orange coloured daisy, each floret being about ?† (1. 25cm) long. A hardy annual, the plant produces its' bright flowers throughout the summer and the flower heads may grow up to 3†³ (7cm) in diameter. Marigolds' simple fruits are closely curled in the middle of the flower head, almost in the form of a ring.Hence in Germany, its' common name is ringelblume, meaning ringed flower. The plant grows to a height of approximately 20-28†³ (50-70cm). The stem is erect and branched, bearing alternate, light green, lance-shaped leaves and both stem and leaves are covered with fine hair. Marigold is described by some as without a marked scent, but others find its' odour rather heavy, while its' taste is bitter. Calendula officinalis, the botanical name, originates from the Latin word calends (which comes from calare, to call). A History of HealingMarigold has a long history of medicinal use, stretching back to the Roman's and the ancient Greeks, who drank Marigold tea to relieve nervous tension and sleeplessness. It has also been used in cooking, dying cloth and skin care and was a well-known symbol of good luck. Ancient Uses and Folklore Originally a native plant of ancient Egypt, and first introduced into Britain by the Romans, Marigold is one of the earliest cultivated flowers. It was also known to the ancient Greeks, who used it's petals for decoration, to colour foods and cosmetics and as a material dye, in addition to its medicinal uses.An infusi on of the herb was drunk to alleviate the symptoms of nervous tension and to prevent sleepless nights. Marigold has been cultivated in European gardens since about the 12th century. By the 14th century, the plant had become endowed with almost magical powers. A medieval author called Macer, who described Marigold in his Herbal, thought that merely to look at it would improve eyesight and draw out evil ‘humours' from the head:How Marigold can help:Ideal of healing cuts, scrapes, lacerations, surgical wounds and scars, small infected wounds, animal bites and scratches.Useful for skin conditions such as acne, shingles, chickenpox, dermatitis, eczema sores, impetigo spots and other systemic fungal, bacterial and viral conditions.An effective aid to healing minor first degree burns, such as sunburn.Helps to soothe bee, wasp and insect stings.An aid to healing cold sores.An antiseptic remedy for mouth and throat infections.Soothes toothache.Has a wide number of uses in childbirth, i ncluding the healing of episiotomies. Relieves sore nipples in nursing mothers.Ideal for complaints such as candida, leucorrhea and trichomoniasis.A safe remedy for babies' complaints, such as diaper rash or an inflamed navel or penis. †¢Antiseptic action helps speed children's recovery from mumps and measles. †¢A useful remedy for bruises.An excellent treatment for varicose veins and ulcers. (http://www. herbs-hands-healing. co. uk/books/online-books/in-a-nutshell-marigold-calendula-officinalis) Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis Linn. ) is a common dense, evergreen, aromatic shrub grown in many parts of the world. Historically, rosemary has been used as a medicinal agent to treat renal colic and dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation).It has also been used to relieve symptoms caused by respiratory disorders and to stimulate the growth of hair. Traditionally, rosemary has been used for improving memory, and has been a symbol of remembrance and friendship for centuries. In Moroc co, rosemary has been used to treat diabetes and hypertension (high blood pressure). The most researched constituents of rosemary are caffeic acid and its derivative rosmarinic acid. These compounds are thought to have antioxidant effects and are being studied as potential therapies for cancer, hepatotoxicity (liver toxicity), and inflammatory conditions.Currently, available studies show some promise for rosemary in the treatment of anxiety/stress (aromatherapy) and alopecia (hair loss). Current cosmetic uses of rosemary include treating cellulite and wrinkles, and normalizing excessive oil secretion of the skin. Germany's Commission E has approved rosemary leaf for treatment of dyspepsia and rosemary oil (used externally) for joint pain and poor circulation. Evidence These uses have been tested in humans or animals. Safety and effectiveness have not always been proven.Some of these conditions are potentially serious, and should be evaluated by a qualified healthcare provider. Alope cia areata (hair loss): Rosemary oil is reported to increase circulation and possibly promote hair growth in patients with alopecia areata. Additional study is warranted to confirm these findings. Anxiety/stress: Rosemary extract is frequently used in aromatherapy for treatment of a variety of conditions, including anxiety, mood enhancement, alteration of pain perception, and to increase alertness.Early study has shown benefit in reducing stress levels and increasing alertness. More study is needed to draw a firm recommendation. Tradition The below uses are based on tradition, scientific theories, or limited research. They often have not been thoroughly tested in humans, and safety and effectiveness have not always been proven. Some of these conditions are potentially serious, and should be evaluated by a qualified healthcare provider. There may be other proposed uses that are not listed below.Abortifacient, air purifier, analgesic (pain reliever), anthelmintic (expels worms), antia ging, antibacterial, anticoagulant (blood-thinning), antifungal, antioxidant, antispasmodic, appetite stimulation, atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), baldness, bronchial asthma, cancer prevention, cataracts, colic, dandruff, diaphoretic (promotes sweating), diuretic, drug withdrawal (morphine), dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation), dyspepsia (upset stomach), gout, hepatoprotection (liver protection), HIV infection, hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol), hyperglycemia, hypertension (high blood pressure), immunostimulation, inflammation, ischemic heart disease, joint pain, lice, liver cirrhosis, memory enhancement, muscle relaxant (smooth muscle), nerve regeneration, osteoporosis, paralysis, peptic ulcer disease, peripheral vascular disease, photoprotection, poor circulation, preservative, quality of life, renal colic, respiratory disorders, rheumatism, skin care (cosmetic), skin conditions (excessive oil secretion of the skin, cellulite), sperm motility, tonic, wound heali ng, wrinkle preventionCatnip, marigolds, and rosemary are other popular and familiar mosquito repellent plants. These herbs are scented with oils that mosquitoes and other bugs find unattractive. The insects avoid the plants, which hopefully translates to a reduced mosquito population in the immediate area. Catnip is a perennial herb that will come back year after year, while marigolds are annual and must be planted fresh each spring. Rosemary is a tropical plant, and it must be brought indoors during the cooler weather. The mosquito plant was designed by a Dutch botanist, who combined the mosquito repellent properties of citronella with a geranium.The result was a compact, easy to grow indoor/outdoor plant that smells of citronella, yet is ideal for the home garden. The mosquito plant requires full sun and well-drained soil. Like rosemary, it must be brought indoors during the winter, as it cannot tolerate frost and low temperatures. In addition to providing a barrier outdoors in t he garden or patio, mosquito repellent plants can also be turned into a natural bug spray. An individual can pick the leaves, flowers, and stems of the plants and crush them to release the oils. The foliage can then be mixed with alcohol, body oil, or rice vinegar, and applied to the skin. (Piontek A. 2013 What Are the Different Types of Mosquito Repellent Plants?Definition of Terms 1. Marigold-Any of about 30 species of annual herbaceous plants that make up the genus Tagetes in the composite family, native to southwestern North America. -The name also refers to the pot marigold (calendula) and unrelated plants of several families. Marigolds include popular garden ornamentals such as African marigold (T. erecta) and French marigold (T. patula), which have solitary or clustered red, orange, and yellow flowers and usually finely cut leaves. Because the strongly scented leaves discourage insect pests, marigolds are often planted among vegetable crops. 2.Rosemary-Small perennial evergre en shrub (Rosmarinus officinalis) of the mint family whose leaves are used to flavour a wide variety of food. -The bush grows 3–7. 5 ft (1–2. 3 m) tall and has short linear leaves that resemble curved pine needles, dark green and shiny above, white beneath. Bluish flowers grow in small clusters. Bees are particularly fond of rosemary. In ancient times rosemary was believed to strengthen memory; in literature and folklore it is an emblem of remembrance and fidelity. Native to the Mediterranean, it has been naturalized throughout Europe and temperate America.  © 2007 Encyclop?dia Britannica, Inc. 3. Virus-Microscopic, simple infectious agent that can multiply only in living cells of animals, plants, or bacteria.Viruses are much smaller than bacteria and consist of a single-or double-stranded nucleic acid (DNA or RNA) surrounded by a protein shell called a capsid; some viruses also have an outer envelope composed of lipids and proteins. They vary in shape. The two main classes are RNA viruses (see retrovirus) and DNA viruses. Outside of a living cell, a virus is an inactive particle, but within an appropriate host cell it becomes active, capable of taking over the cell's metabolic machinery for the production of new virus particles (virions). Some animal viruses produce latent infections, in which the virus persists in a quiet state, becoming periodically active in acute episodes, as in the case of the herpes simplex virus.An animal can respond to a viral infection in various ways, including fever, secretion of interferon, and attack by the immune system. Many human diseases, including influenza, the common cold, and AIDS, as well as many economically important plant and animal diseases, are caused by viruses. Successful vaccines have been developed to combat such viral diseases as measles, mumps, poliomyelitis, smallpox, and rubella. Drug therapy is generally not useful in controlling established viral infections, since drugs that inhibit viral d evelopment also inhibit the functions of the host cell. See also adenovirus; arbovirus; bacteriophage; picornavirus; plant virus; poxvirus.Dengue-or breakbone fever or dandy feverInfectious, disabling mosquito-borne fever. Other symptoms include extreme joint pain and stiffness, intense pain behind the eyes, a return of fever after brief pause, and a characteristic rash. Dengue is caused by a virus carried by mosquitoes of the genus Aedes, usually A. aegypti, which also carries yellow fever. There are four strains of virus; infection with one type does not confer immunity to the remaining three. Treatment focuses on relieving symptoms. Patients should be isolated during the first three days, when mosquitoes can pick up the disease from them. Prevention relies on mosquito control.Malaria-A serious relapsing infection caused by protozoa of the genus Plasmodium (see plasmodium), transmitted by the bite of the Anopheles mosquito. Known since before the 5th century BC, it occurs in tropi cal and subtropical regions near swamps. The roles of the mosquito and the parasite were proved in the early 20th century. Annual cases worldwide are estimated at 250 million and deaths at 2 million. Malaria from different Plasmodium species differs in severity, mortality, and geographic distribution. The parasites have an extremely complex life cycle; in one stage they develop synchronously inside red blood cells. Their mass fissions at 48-or 72-hour intervals cause attacks lasting 4–10 hours.Shaking and chills are followed by fever of up to 105  °F (40.  6  °C), with severe headache and then profuse sweating as temperature returns to normal. Patients often have anemia, spleen enlargement, and general weakness. Complications can be fatal. Malaria is diagnosed by detecting the parasites in blood. Quinine was long used to alleviate the fevers. Synthetic drugs, such as chloroquine, destroy the parasites in blood cells, but many strains are now resistant. Carriers of a gen e for a hemoglobinopathy have natural resistance. Malaria prevention requires preventing mosquito bites: eliminating mosquito breeding places and using insecticides or natural predators, window screens, netting, and insect repellent. See also protozoal disease.Mosquito-two-winged insect whose female has a long proboscis to pierce the skin and suck the blood of humans and animals(hypernym) dipterous insect, two-winged insects, dipteran, dipteron(hyponym) gnat(member-holonym) Culicidae, family Culicidae © 2007 Encyclop?dia Britannica, Inc. 7. Lotion-medicated ointment which is spread on the skin (Pharmacology); cream, liquid preparation for beautifying or soothing the skin Wikipedia English – The Free Encyclopedia. Methodology Collection of Plant Materials Sample plant materials were gathered at Alternative Low Input agricultural System(ALIAS) at Pampanga Agricultural College, Magalang Pampanga.Quality leaves of Marigold and Rosemary were cut from the area to be used for the making of Mosquito repellent. Plant samples were thoroughly washed with distilled water and air dried. Preparation of the Marigold-Rosemary Mosquito Repellent Lotion 20 grams of air dried Rosemary leaves (Rosmarinus officinalis) and 20 grams of air dried Marigold leaves (Calendula officinalis) were separately diffused using two beakers each containing 100 ml of Mineral oil (one of the processes of extracting Essential oils from plants, known as Oil Diffusion Method. ) with the use of heat source, so as to my experiment I used oil lamp and tripod. Oil solutions obtain from both processes were filtered using filter paper and left alone to cool.To make the obtained oils from the extraction a material that can be used for the application for skin, I used base lotion that would carry out the active components of marigold and rosemary extracts with it, making it a mosquito repellent Lotion. Base lotions are sold on the market. Commercial fragrance free lotions are also possible to be used as base lotion. Extracted oils from the sample plants were gently and slowly added with continuous stirring to a 600 ml Base lotion. After the extracted essential oils and base lotion were completely mixed, they were put to clean containers and were labelled as â€Å" Marigold-Rosemary Mosquito Repellent Lotion† Determination of its Effectiveness.To determine the effectiveness of the Marigold-Rosemary Mosquito Repellent Lotion, volunteers were asked to test the product . Five to ten (5-10) respondents, each will be given Marigold-Rosemary Mosquito Repellent Lotion that they will use for its purpose and a table/questionnaire to be answered by the respondents concerning about the effectiveness of it. The questionnaire comprised the questions pertaining to its; odour; lasting power or time of reapplications; mosquito repellent effects and other relative observations which are not related to its main purpose; its texture as applied to skin; and personal comments. All results and answer will be treated fairly and will be accepted as part of the general result and experiment.Analysis and observation of data will be the main priority. Results and Discussion 1-Very not satisfied/effective2- Not Satisfied/effective3- Satisfied/effective4- Very Satisfied/effective By average: 1-Very not satisfied/effective2- Not Satisfied/effective3- Satisfied/effective4- Very Satisfied/effective The data gathered shows that by average Rosemary-Marigold mosquito repellent Lotion obtained a satisfactory rate with regards to its overall effectiveness. Nine respondents tested the products and by analysing the data- its odor, lasting effect, mosquito repellent effect and Texture to the skin got mean average of ;2. 57, 3. 28, 3. 20 and 3. 11 respectively.Conclusion and RecommendationFrom the light of the findings, data proved that the infusion of Rosemary and Marigold oil to be used as lotion is effective as mosquito repellent. From the overall average it got a satisfactory rate as t o its effectiveness. The statements above are the bases of recommending the following suggestions: 1. Other plants that display the same characteristics of Marigold and Rosemary might also be tested. 2. A comparative test shall be used to distinguish its effects from the commercial products, 3. Laboratory test shall be conducted to accurately determine its potentials. 4. Propagation of marigold and Rosemary shall be considered.

Congestive Heart Failure

Congestive heart failure, also called CHF or heart failure, is a serious and complex disease in which the heart muscle has been damaged or has to work too hard because of heart disease and other conditions, such as obesity. Although the heart continues to beat, the damaged heart muscle is too weak to efficiently pump enough oxygen-rich blood to and from the body, resulting in potentially life-threatening congestion in the lungs and other tissues of the body. Congestive heart failure is a common complication of heart attack and other types of heart disease that damage the heart muscle. These diseases include hypertension, heart valve disorders, arrhythmias, and cardiomyopathy. Congestive heart failure can also be caused by anemia. In general, congestive heart failure affects both the left and right sides of the heart, but it can affect one side more than the other, depending on the location and severity of damage. In left-sided congestive heart failure, the left side of the heart is damaged and unable to effectively pump blood from the heart to the body. This results in blood backing up into the lungs and increasing blood pressure in the lungs. The increase in pressure causes a buildup of fluid in the lungs, which can lead to a life-threatening condition called acute pulmonary edema. In right-sided congestive heart failure, the right side of the heart is damaged and unable to effectively pump blood flowing from the body back to the heart. This results in a backup of blood and an increase in pressure in the veins that carry blood from the body to the heart. In turn, this leads to swelling (edema) of the lower extremities and sometimes of other areas of the body. Acute congestive heart failure, in which fluid builds up rapidly in the lungs and causes pulmonary edema, is an immediately life-threatening condition that can quickly lead to respiratory failure, cardiac arrest and death. Immediate emergency treatment best minimizes the risk of these and other serious†¦

Art Museum Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Art Museum - Essay Example My recent experience of visiting the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), one of the prominent art museums in Los Angeles, may be explained in this connection. It is the most significant and largest encyclopedic art museum in the region. Situated on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angels, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art has a number of great art pieces which attract people all over the world. The art museum is a storehouse of American art, ancient Islamic art, South and Southeast Asian art, Chinese and Korean art, Japanese art, modern and contemporary art, European painting and sculpture, photography, prints etc. However, it was one of the chief art pieces in the Modern Art Collection which caught my particular attention. It was 'Weeping Woman with Handkerchief' (1937) by Pablo Picasso which made me reflect on the significance of art on human world. To introduce the great art piece that won my interest, 'Weeping Woman with Handkerchief' an elegant example of the modern art especially the art by Picasso. The piece is a painting, oil on canvas. I found the luxurious piece ready for public view in Ahmanson Building 2nd Floor and the gallery display of the piece kept on changing from time to time. I approached the piece with an expectation of how it demonstrated Picasso's work in general as well as how it expressed the artist's personal life. The view of the magnificent work by Picasso has been one of my dreams for a long time and the beauty of the sight helped me appreciate the power of modern art. The size of the piece is 21 x 17 1/2 in. (53.34 x 44.45 cm). It was gifted to the museum by Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Mitchell and every one who comes to enjoy the beauty of the art recognizes the value of the gift. The piece remains one of the permanent examples of beautiful interpretive art and it remains a decoration to the Los Angeles Cou nty Museum of Art. The beauty of the piece is mainly because of the physical agony evident in the face of the lady in the picture. It is the emotional elements of the piece which attracted me more. The exploration of the main themes of the stylistic period which was noted for Cubism, Neoclassicism, and Surrealism, etc was the major concern of Pablo Picasso and it is evidently visible in the piece 'Weeping Woman with Handkerchief'. The art piece with tears all over her face is a symbol of despondency. The woman in the piece, adorned with the traditional matronly mantilla, is the manifestation of Spanish womanhood and she articulated the artist's public as well as private distress. "She was the victim of war, the grieving mother, the terrified peasant, the stunned survivor; but more specifically, she was a portrait of his lover, the artist-photographer Dora Maar, one in a long line of Picasso's muses." (Highlight from the Modern Art Collection) The dramatic relationships of the artist with women reveal the meaning of the metaphors he used in the art in order to convey the amount of his feelings over events in Spain. The symbolic elements of the pieces of art are often considered significant and as remarked before the main symbol of the piece 'Weeping Woman with Handkerchief' is the face of the woman expressing misery. It is a representation of Picasso's inner torment due to the horrendous images of the massacres in the Spanish Civil War. There is a strong political and social message that the art piece demonstrates. The artist's empathy for his lover and partner Dora also represents Picasso message

Persuasive Memo Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Persuasive Memo - Research Paper Example After a lot of reflection and consultation, I feel the company should preserve the surroundings by ensuring that water released into the environment prior to manufacturing is fully treated, which is a low cost program for Boston Beers and will reduce on water pollution. The following is a discussion on how it will benefit the community and the company. Concerns in the Community Resources such as clean water and air are getting more elusive daily, both in the community we operate within and in the world over. In Boston, Massachusetts, one of the major problems faced is water pollution (USEPA, 2013). Some members of the public continue to raise concerns over the frequent pollution of their primary water sources, water that they use for drinking, domestic consumption and industrial uses, among other things (USEPA, 2013). Often, members of the public have articulated that unclean water infiltrates their water lines, causing the water supplied to be unusable, especially domestically. In a study conducted, it was discovered that on the pollution index, water pollution in the Boston area went as high as 35.71% (MassDep, 2012). The study was based on water collected from beaches, rivers and residential areas. The beach waters were voted most polluted owing to the quantity of chemical effluent discovered on testing the samples collected from them (NRDC, n.d.). Apart from chemicals, the waters generally consisted of other wastes such as plastics and sewage. This has raised major concerns over the measures taken by the relevant parties in ensuring access to clean and usable water in the community. Where Boston Beers Comes in Boston Beers Company has a role to play in ensuring reduction in the level of water pollution in the environs of the company. The company is not solely to blame for water pollution. Even so, there are several reasons as to why the Boston Beers ought to be at the front line in making efforts to reduce water pollution. They are as listed. The samples of water that underwent testing, especially water from rivers, was high in brewery effluents. Brewery effluents are rich in nitrogen, carbohydrates, and cleaning reagents (Massachusetts Ports Authority, 2013). These are some of the wildest and most common water pollutants and are notorious for reducing oxygen in the water and consequently a rapid depletion in plant and animal life. It also leads to many avoidable ailments in the community that stem from consuming contaminated water. Secondly, Boston Beers Company performed poorly on the rating scales for measures against water pollution (USEPA, 2012). The company’s performance reflects in community’s opinions. As far as the community is concerned, Boston Beers is not doing enough to protect the environment against water pollution. This fault needs to be dealt with promptly and in the best means available. Finally, Kim Morotta of the MillerCoors once stated, â€Å"Without water, there is no beer†. Polluted water is rendered unusable for consumption and production (Massachusetts Ports Authority, 2013). As a company that is highly dependent on a steady flow of water, which is one of the primary ingredients, there is need for Boston Beers to participate actively in guaranteeing a steady flow of water. The Program and Implementation As earlier stated, the aim of the program is to protect the en

Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELT) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELT) - Essay Example Technological advances in design of all these modes of transportation have made them far safer than they have ever been since their inception. Aircraft are some of the most technologically advanced systems today, with some having the capacity to travel at the speed of sound, others capable of transcontinental flight, still others practically built to be fortresses in the sky. Ships have become more massive, or more streamlined. They have become floating island cities. Trains nowadays are technological marvels of speed and safety, carrying people from one place to another at a fraction of the time they used to. However, despite all these technological leaps, there have still been instances that disasters strike, and none of these modes of transportation have been spared from the rare occurrences of disaster. Most accidents are external in nature – lightning strikes an aircraft, an iceberg rams a ship, a bridge collapses under the weight of a train. Because of the ease at which these transportation agents bring people to their destinations, there has been a bigger volume of commuters in the world today than ever before. Therefore, there are far more people who start passengers and end up as victims of an accident, and the sad reality is, they could potentially be casualties in the final calculation. Recent accidents like that of Air France 447 where the debris of the ill-fated aircraft, an ultra-modern Airbus A330 jet carrying 228 passengers, have yet to be found, remind us of the importance of having equipment that allows for quick location of an accident. Casualties usually mount as more time passes from the time of the accident to the time rescue teams arrive. There has to be a way to decrease this time because every second literally means lives. To solve this problem, the distress radio beacons or emergency beacons were developed. They are basically tracking

Politics and Love in Contemporary Arabic Literature Essay

Politics and Love in Contemporary Arabic Literature - Essay Example In prose, western short story version, drama and novel versions replaced Arabian styles. Majority of the writers in Arabic literature have conjured love and politics in their writing. The issues discussed have shifted to feature the political atmosphere in Middle East. First, works of Adonis have grown with the political trends in Arabic countries. He uses his works to highlight aesthetics of literature and its purpose in shaping the society. His content, having pioneered prose poem in Arabic, have taken an influential as well as controversial role in Arabic modernism (Arana 87). For example, through poetry, he has championed democracy and popularized secular perspective in Middle East. His poetic genre is a cosmopolitan work, which not only tackles issues in Arab world but also the entire globe. In his poem, ‘Love’ Adonis exemplifies his unique blend of revolutionary artistic diction. Away from the traditional Arab poetry of simple language and forms, the poem revolves in the themes of politics, love, culture, and philosophy. Adonis alludes that newness in Arabic society are identifiable with Arabic character. In the poem, ‘Love’ he depicts the feel of affection for the context he is in, like the road, house, the dead, t he neighbors and the toiling hands of the world (Arana 120). The selected diction shows the high stakes in Adonis works, which invites every bit of creativity and intellect. He heightens the reader’s originality to new thoughts and realms that create curiosity. No, wonder his love for renewal and democratic consciousness won him the Goethe prestigious award. The reflection in the poem, ‘Celebrating Childhood’ affirms that the history of Arabic is not that of the sword but also lately made of great men. His literary writing still captures the current issues in Arab world. Lately, comments from Adonis on the political

SWOT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

SWOT - Essay Example The patriarch of the firm had built a culture of intricate customer service; they went deeper by understanding their customer’s needs completely Culture of intricate customer service; Through innovative means of handling their customers such as the delivery service Evergreen established its pedigree in customer service compared to its competitors. Customers and market: Their market comprised of highly educated, upper income, health conscious and informed; this means that they were able to sell easily their natural and organic foods to them. The company prided itself on immaculate service and superior and fresh products, meaning that were able easily convince their target market to buy those goods from them. The market for natural products in Rocky Mountain States had the highest rates of growth in terms of market expansion, given as 11.4 percent against a Midwest rate of merely three percent. Original marketing expertise: Their marketing technique even though simple, but it ha s been effective over the years, as the customers have grown accustomed to it. The quirky, original hand painted signs displayed both outside and indoors had a remarkable success in imprinting the company’s brand name. Strong brand and reputation: The founder had built a strong brand name through provision of quality products over a long period luring many people to the image of the brand; this in fact aided the company in the process of acquisition. Effective and efficient management: Their acquisition strategy and general management style and decentralized system of control had achieved considerable results for the firm. Their style of management was very sophisticated for such a relatively small firm; as such, styles were typical of large firms, the company introduced comprehensive appraisal of their operations. The firm holds on to their staff especially those who occupy important decision-making roles. The overall strength of the stores and the firm itself is the company ’s CEO; she is the rock of the company making important decisions that have propelled the company to its heights from the humble beginnings that it was founded upon. Norton oversaw acquisitions that contributed to a considerable degree to the company’s overall gross profits; the growth in the company’s profit is the foundation of its growth. Weaknesses: Risky acquisition style: The Company has lost money before in its mergers and acquisitions in the past three years; this process of investing in loss making enterprise was not properly thought out. Non-prime Location of the company stores: The company was located in areas that were lower in prime compared to rival supermarket chains in the same region; this might affect its level of comparability and growth potential. Lack of superior access to distribution channels compared to competitors: Larger competitors in the same area had the advantage of own branding of their own goods unlike the case study, whose produc ts were perishable and therefore unlikely to be branded. Opportunities: Political/Legal A new cross regional market: By moving out of the Rocky Mountain West region, the company had expressed its thirst for a market far away from the region of its establishment. The acquisition of the Arugula Grocers is

Mediation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Mediation - Essay Example The mediator listens to the different versions of all the parties and calms or reassures them accordingly. The mediator should have active listening skills for this stage to be successful. During this stage, the mediator clarifies statements and questions so that the parties involved understand each other. He or she may also paraphrase the stories given by the parties. The third stage is the agenda setting stage. In this stage, the mediator outlines the issues that require a solution. He or she sets the agenda for the process by summarizing the disagreements or agreements between the parties. The purpose of mediation is to resolve these disagreements in an unbiased way (Drews 44). The fourth stage is the generation of alternatives stage. The mediator employs his or her skills to generate a series of possible options for the parties (Drews 44). He or she may also guide the parties in generating alternatives. In the fifth stage, the mediator asks the parties to choose among the generated alternatives. He or she guides the parties in selecting alternatives that are satisfactory and feasible to them all. The sixth stage is ending stage. In this stage, the mediator writes the agreement as agreed by all parties. A mediation process normally involves three people. The first person is the mediator. The second and third persons are the two warring parties. However, the process may also have â€Å"support people† who assist in signing the agreements. Concluding a mediation process is the last stage of a mediation process. In case a solution is reached, the mediator concludes the process by writing an agreement that is signed by all the parties. However, if the process is not fruitful to come up with a solution, the mediator summarizes the issues raised and thanks the parties for their contributions and making progress. He then ends the session. The first advantage of

In sociocultural terms, Rodgers and Hammerstein could be said to have Essay

In sociocultural terms, Rodgers and Hammerstein could be said to have invented the American Dream. Discuss - Essay Example Richards Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II reflect upon the dream and keeping in mind the transition of American people and the nation, they worked together to make this dream come true in their musicals.   American Dream is a collective imagination that proves the existence of a world where the people’s identity would be finally realized and then the dreams would inspire each and everyone to live peacefully. In socio-cultural terms, Rodgers and Hammerstein could be said to have invented the American Dream. The development of American identity by the musical theatre has been exemplary. American dream is something very intent but superficial because of the fact that it can only be assumed in this century.   In the year 1940, a new Theatre Guild musical produced Away We Go! This was Rodgers’ and Hammerstein’s first work. Oscar Hammerstein II was a lyricist and together they created this musical that the audience found boring, serious and old-fashioned. But they made some changes in the same musical and also changed its name to Oklahoma! This development of the musical now found a new approach towards the audience and it was liked by all. The people were facing a difficult time because of the cold war and this musical provided relief and unburdened their problems with enchanting songs, like ‘ people will say we are in love,’ ‘the Surrey With the Fringe on Top,’ ‘Many a New Day,’ ‘Out of My Dreams,’ ‘Kansas City,â₠¬â„¢ ‘I Can’t Say No,’ ‘Oklahoma!’,etc. (Zinsser, 180). In socio-cultural terms, Rodgers and Hammerstein have invented the American dream because of their musical that had an awesome effect on the people living in 1940s. The musical had to be understood and felt by the audience in order to relate to the behavior of the characters that had a cultural context in the musical. This musical earned praises

International terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

International terrorism - Essay Example There is no simple reason why the people choose to join a jihad movement. According to Venhaus (2010), Al-Qaeda preys on the potential recruit’s self-definition dilemma to turn them into violent individuals. Nevertheless, the motivation to join the group is always specific to that individual since each one has to have something he seeks to fulfill in life. There are those that seek revenge and believe that jihad is a way out for their frustrations in life. Those that are looking for status enlist into the movement as a means for recognition. There are still some individuals who join Al-Qaeda as a way of searching for their identity. Furthermore, some see enlisting as an adventurous endeavor that can be thrilling to them. These factors added to the hard-line stance of non-compromising ideologies of the terror group (Aaron, 2008) make the reasons youth join jihadist movements a complex one. Venhaus (2010) gives five misconceptions that people have concerning Al-Qaeda recruits, the first mistaken belief that Venhaus dispels is that the recruits are crazy. The author argues that such recruits are in control of their mental faculties although anyone who is not familiar with the workings of such movements would think otherwise. This school of thought concurs with Sageman (2008) assertion that persons with antisocial disorders cannot to be relied on and are prone to compromising the security of an underground group like al-Qaeda. Such individual cannot be tolerated in the organization and are throw out or some choose to leave on their own violation when they realize that the spirit of suicide terrorism is a readiness one has to have to give up for the greater good. Further, hardship it takes to trace information and training added to the organizational demand for secrecy as applied to its vetting would not accommodate a member with unstable mind. In her article, Curcios (2005) notes actual reasons the recruits

Solvency ratio indicates Essay Example for Free

Solvency ratio indicates Essay The solvency The solvency ratio indicates whether a company’s cash flow is sufficient to meet its short-term and long-term liabilities. The lower a companys solvency ratio, the greater the probability that it will default on its debt obligations. Current ratio The ratio is mainly used to give an idea of the companys ability to pay back its short-term liabilities (debt and payables) with its short-term assets (cash, inventory, receivables). The higher the current ratio, the more capable the company is of paying its obligations. A ratio under 1 suggests that the company would be unable to pay off its obligations if they came due at that point. While this shows the company is not in good financial health, it does not necessarily mean that it will go bankrupt as there are many ways to access financing but it is definitely not a good sign. Current ratios for Sports UK For year 2012 For year 2011 Acid test ratio A stringent indicator that determines whether a firm has enough short-term assets to cover its immediate liabilities without selling inventory. The acid-test ratio is far more strenuous than the working capital ratio, primarily because the working capital ratio allows for the inclusion of inventory assets. Acid test ratio for Sports UK For year 2012 For year 2011 Performance ratio Calculates a measure of a specific aspect of performance, which might involve things which you can attach a number to, or an indicator that something did or did not happen in the requited way. Ratios are very good way to measure them using only a financial record. This record bellows shows performance of sports UK. 2011 Stock turn over= 72215 = 3.05 times 23611 2012 Stock turn over= 23611 x 365 = 119.3 days 72215 2011 debt collection period = 9024 x 365 = 962 days 34212 2012 debt collection period = 9098 x 365 = 904 days 36696 2012 asset turnover= 153487 = 0.64 237028 2011 asset turnover= 159921 = 0.73 219013 Profitability ratios Measures that indicate how well a firm is performing in terms of its ability to generate profit. Those ratios measure financial metrics that are used to assess a businesss ability to generate earnings as compared to its expenses and other relevant costs incurred during a specific period of time. For most of these ratios, having a higher value relative to a competitors ratio or the same ratio from a previous period is indicative that the company is doing well. Profitability ratios of Sports UK for 2011 Gross profit margin =81272 x 100 =52.95 153487 Net profit percentage = 6741 x 100 = 43.9 153487 ROC E= 10753 x 100 = 21.9 49097 Profitability ratios of Sports UK for 2012 Gross profit margin =83199 x 100 =52.02 159921 Net profit percentage = 6742 x 100 = 39.0 159921 ROC E= 10310 x 100 = 20.9 49227

Microeconomics And Tourism In South Africa Tourism Essay

Microeconomics And Tourism In South Africa Tourism Essay South africa is a country that a has a famous history of racial divisiveness and diversity, but today the rainbow nation is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Africa and in the world as a whole. In the following report we will analyze the microeconomic situation in South Africa. This will help us decide weather the hotel we have chosen is, in fact, the best one. In order to achieve our goal, we will look at the history of the country and talk about South African government and politics. We will also analyze the countries economic situation by looking at the economic growth since 1980, the principal trading partners, the impact of the 2010 World Cup and finally the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as well as the type of the market economy. Furthermore we will analyze the local economy of the city of Cape Town where the Hotel is located. Thus looking at the lodging Industry and analyze weather the economic strategy is successful or not. We will achieve this by identifying its Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats of the tourism industry as well as for the Arabella Western Cape Hotel and Spa. Finally we will identify the competitors of the Hotel. With this in mind we will begin to define what are our criteria to classify the best hotel and identify weather this Hotel is indeed the best one or not. In the end we will present our conclusions that prove that Hotel can be classified as the best one in South Africa. History of the Country South Africa is located at the southernmost point of the African continent. It has a long 2798 km coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans. It is one of the largest and most powerful states in Africa with a population of over 50 million inhabitants. The African country has been inhabited for more than three million years. This country is also known as the cradle of mankind. Diversity in South Africa began very early with the San and the Khoekhoe peoples in the 6th century BC and evolved ever since making it one of the most ethnical diverse country in the world. This diversity is a big part of the rainbow nations conflictual history. In 1487 white settlers set foot for the first time with the portuguese explorer Bartolomeo Dias Today. Later in 1961 it became a republic, but apartheid rules did not leave with the British retreat. Apartheid gave a bad image of South Africa in the world, and other wealthy nations of the world began to boycott its economy because of its racial policies and oppression. But when Nelson Mandela was freed in 1991 the situation started to change, he was elected as president on the first non-racial elections on 27th of April 1994. Since then South Africa came a long way, a black man Jacob Zuma is currently at the head of the state since he was elected in May of 2009. The country has been given the trust and privilege to host last summers biggest event worldwide: the FIFA World Cup which showed the world what South Africa has achieved. They have 11 official languages, the main ones are Zulu, Xhosa and Afrikaans followed by English. It is a member of the African Union, the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the Common Wealth of Nations, the International Monitory Fund and the NEPAD (New Partnership of Africas Development). Mandelas nation has three capitals, Cape Town which is the legislative capital, Pretoria which is the executive capital and Bloemfontein which is the judicial capital. Johannesburg is not a capital although it is the largest city. It is a middle income emerging country that has a large amount of supplies thanks to their natural resources. The country has a very developed finance, communication, energy and transportation sectors and is ranked as 17th largest stock exchange in the world by the WTO and is in the top 30 in the world in accordance to its GDP. Economy in South Africa The South African economy is ranked as a upper-middle income economy by the World Bank. About a quarter of the population is unemployed and lives on less than US   $1.25 a day. This table shows the economy growth from 1980 to 2010 : Year Gross Domestic Product (bln USD) US Dollar Exchange (early January) Unemployment rate Per Capita Income (as  % of USA) 1980 80.547 0.8267 Rand 9.2 22.56 1985 57.273 2.0052 Rand 15.5 9.81 1990 111.998 2.5419 Rand 18.8 13.10 1995 151.117 3.5486 Rand 16.7 13.24 2000 132.964 6.1188 Rand 25.6 8.47 2005 246.956 5.6497 Rand 26.7 12.34 2010 354.414 7.462 Rand 24.8 15.06 The majority of economical transactions occur around 4 areas: Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Durban and Pretoria. They are the economical heart of the country and the hubs to the rest of the world. Although these megalopolis can be compared to those of the western world, disparity amongst the countrys region remains. The development is marginal and poverty and HIV are still prevalent. The government demonstrated its commitment to open market, privatization and a favorable investment climate with its introduction of the Growth, Employment and Redistribution (GEAR) strategy which is a South African neoliberal macroeconomic strategy implemented in 1996. As its name says the GEAR strategy   has four more objectives that are embedded on this strategy namely: economic growth, full employment, price stability and balance payment stability. The Rand is the most actively trended emerging market currency in the world. The Rand was the best performing currency against the US dollar between 2002 and 2005, according to the Bloomberg Currency Scorecard. Principal international trading partners of South Africa include Germany, the United States, China, Japan, The United Kingdom and Spain. Chief exports include corn, diamonds, fruits, gold, metals and minerals, sugar and wool. Machinery and transportation equipment make up more than 1/3 of the value of the countrys imports. Other imports are chemicals, manufactured goods and petroleum. Also, South Africa has a big agricultural sector and an exporter of farming products. There are almost a thousand agricultural cooperatives and businesses throughout the country. Agricultural exports constituted 8 % of the countrys exports for the last 5 years and it contributes that 10% of formal employment to the country. Finally, South Africas economy depends largely on the tourism industry which has been identified as one of the key economic sectors with excellent potential for growth. Directly and indirectly, tourism constitutes approximately 7% of employment in South Africa. To develop and exploit the countrys tourism potential, infrastructure and support facilities of which hotels, like the one we chose, are an integral part. The hospitality industry in South Africa has experienced a steady growth during the past years. Different issues in the government really affected the hospitality sector of the country, but there is a reason now to be optimistic.   By hosting the FIFA World Cup it was a great opportunity to boost their economy and especially the tourism sector. A total of 309.554 foreign tourists arrived in South Africa for the primary purpose of attending the event. The continent counted 34% of the worlds foreign tourists, followed by Europe with 24% and Central and South America with 13% The total expenditure in South Africa by tourists who came specifically for the 2010 FIFA World Cup amounted to 3.7 million euros.   The average length of stay of tourists during this period was 10.3 nights.Total awareness of South Africa as a leisure and tourism destination increased by 9% following the event. The intention to visit South Africa in the Short term increased by 35% following the event.   The industry is creating jobs and wealth, it could also play a crucial role in making the countrys economy to be a better one. However, fragmentation remained some serious impediments to South Africas hospitality industry growth. The industry revolved in different types of businesses, such as airlines, boats, bus companies, hotels, car hire, festivals and events, tour guides, retailing and sightseeing destinations. Therefore the South Africans must be proactive and take responsibility to continue to drive change. After the positive market sentiment recorded last September 2010, the tourism industry is in a very good shape especially since 2009 was a particularly bad year also due to the world economy crisis. South Africas tourism boom has had a predictable effect on the performance of the countrys hotels.   South Africa GDP per capita The GDP has grown by more than 4 times in 30 years, that is due to the political and social development since 1980 and especially the abolition of the apartheid which lead to more open economical choices. According to the World Bank, South Africas GDP per capita is currently U$D 3,764 (South Africas GDP adjusted by inflation, divided by the total population). From 1960 until 2008 this figure was U$D 3096.02, with a historical peak of U$D 3764 in December 2008 and a historical low of U$D 2207 in 1960. Although the GDP seems to be increasingly rising, the unemployment rate has reached a dramatical number, 24.8% of the South Africans population is unemployed the rate rose by 15 points since 1980. Demand According to the Horwath Worldwide Hotel Industry Study (2001) South Africa remained the most popular African destination in terms of arrivals in 2000. South Africa is also increasingly becoming a popular international conference destination attracting a large amount of customers from the MICE market. In addition, South Africas hospitality industry continues to attract international investors especially once it was set to host the FIFA world cup and since then investors have been flowing in. In 2010 South Africa recorded 5.5 million arrivals. There was growth in tourist arrivals to South Africa from all regions, with the highest growth coming from the Americas at 91.3% (74,545). Asia and Australasia grew by 41.0% (30,216) and the Africa air markets grew by 30.8% (20,611), while Europe and the Africa land markets grew by 19.1% (43,672) and 5.3% (63,770) respectively.The demand in the tourism industry in South Africa is growing exponentially and the government, investors and hospitality professionals are working together so that the supply meets the constantly rising demand. Supply Profit maximization Profit maximisation is the process by which a hotel determines the price and output level that returns the greatest profit. There are 2 typical ways to achieve profit maximisation: Focus on minimising and control expenses Focus on maximising revenue The Leisure and Tourism Industry South Africa South Africa is known as one of the most sophisticated and promising countries in the whole African continent, and has shown as we have seen it, a strong and consistent improvement in the economy. Its scenic beauty, cultural diversity and reputation for delivering value for money have made it one of the worlds fastest growing leisure and business travel destinations (BRICS countries). Being highly diverse in terms of its, culture, tourist activities and infrastructure. It adapts to every tourism niche, from business, eco- and cultural tourism through to adventure and sport tourism. Its tourism sector began growing significantly since 1994, and due to the importance government gives to tourism in the country. Tourism also generates much of South Africas tax revenue as much as $655 billion in 2005 and influences government spending in infrastructure such as highways, airports, etc. Growing three times faster then the world average. It has become a really important sector, which is creating millions of jobs, employing 212 millions of people. South Africa is becoming more popular among tourist destinations, with 860 000 arrivals per month (statistics from 2008) from which over 10% come from outside of the African continent. The tourism industry has generated a revenue of $3.4 trillion, which represents around 3% GDP. The hosting of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in June and July 2010 remarkably contributed to the countrys economy and development of hundreds of hotels and other hospitality establishments Sà Ã‚ ¾uth à Ã‚ friÑ Ãƒ Ã‚ ° is therefore tà Ã‚ °rgà Ã‚ µting numerous different segments of tourism industry. Such as the afore mentioned domestic tourism, business tourism, eco tourism, cultural tourism but also the adventure tourism. Business Tourism The award of the 2010 FIFA World Cup was just one sign that South Africa was seen as a stable and modern country compared to other African countries. It proved that it posses first-class infrastructure and is an ideal location for intà Ã‚ µrnà Ã‚ °tià Ã‚ ¾nà Ã‚ °l Ñ Ãƒ Ã‚ ¾ngrà Ã‚ µssà Ã‚ µs à Ã‚ °nd Ñ Ãƒ Ã‚ ¾nvà Ã‚ µntià Ã‚ ¾ns.Thà Ã‚ µ Ñ Ãƒ Ã‚ ¾untry hà Ã‚ °s wà Ã‚ µll à Ã‚ ¾và Ã‚ µr 1 000 wà Ã‚ ¾rld-Ñ là Ã‚ °ss Ñ Ãƒ Ã‚ ¾nfà Ã‚ µrà Ã‚ µnÑ Ãƒ Ã‚ µ à Ã‚ °nd à Ã‚ µxhibitià Ã‚ ¾n Ñ Ãƒ Ã‚ µntrà Ã‚ µs. Sà Ã‚ ¾uth à Ã‚ friÑ Ãƒ Ã‚ ° is tà Ã‚ °rgà Ã‚ µting businà Ã‚ µss trà Ã‚ °và Ã‚ µllà Ã‚ µrs for the main reason that they spà Ã‚ µnd à Ã‚ ¾n à Ã‚ °và Ã‚ µrà Ã‚ °gà Ã‚ µ thrà Ã‚ µÃƒ Ã‚ µ to four timà Ã‚ µs mà Ã‚ ¾rà Ã‚ µ thà Ã‚ °n the là Ã‚ µisurà Ã‚ µ travellers. This thrà Ã‚ ¾ugh tà Ã‚ ¾urs and leisure activities such as experiencing the African culture and safari, but also luxury golf courses, shopping and relaxation- bà Ã‚ µfà Ã‚ ¾rà Ã‚ µ à Ã‚ ¾r à Ã‚ °ftà Ã‚ µr thà Ã‚ µir businà Ã‚ µss à Ã‚ °Ãƒâ€˜Ã‚ tivitià Ã‚ µs à Ã‚ °nd thrà Ã‚ ¾ugh rà Ã‚ µturn trips. à Ã‚ n à Ã‚ µstimà Ã‚ °tà Ã‚ µd 6-7% à Ã‚ ¾f Sà Ã‚ ¾uth à Ã‚ friÑ Ãƒ Ã‚ °s fà Ã‚ ¾rà Ã‚ µign visità Ã‚ ¾rs in 2007 wà Ã‚ µrà Ã‚ µ businà Ã‚ µss tà Ã‚ ¾urists. Tà Ã‚ ¾tà Ã‚ °l dirà Ã‚ µÃƒâ€˜Ã‚ t spà Ã‚ µnding by businà Ã‚ µss tà Ã‚ ¾urists tà Ã‚ ¾ $ 2.4 billià Ã‚ ¾n that year. Sà Ã‚ ¾uth à Ã‚ friÑ Ãƒ Ã‚ °s Ñ Ãƒ Ã‚ ¾nfà Ã‚ µrà Ã‚ µnÑ Ãƒ Ã‚ µ industry mà Ã‚ ¾và Ã‚ µd up tà Ã‚ ¾ 3oth plà Ã‚ °Ãƒâ€˜Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã‚ µ in thà Ã‚ µ Intà Ã‚ µrnà Ã‚ °tià Ã‚ ¾nà Ã‚ °l à Ã‚ ¡Ãƒ Ã‚ ¾ngrà Ã‚ µss à Ã‚ °nd à Ã‚ ¡Ãƒ Ã‚ ¾nvà Ã‚ µntià Ã‚ ¾n à Ã‚ ssà Ã‚ ¾Ãƒâ€˜Ã‚ ià Ã‚ °tià Ã‚ ¾ns là Ã‚ °stà Ã‚ µst tà Ã‚ ¾p-40 list à Ã‚ ¾f là Ã‚ µÃƒ Ã‚ °ding dà Ã‚ µstinà Ã‚ °tià Ã‚ ¾ns in thà Ã‚ µ wà Ã‚ ¾rld. Domestic Tourism In 2006 domestic travel grew by 2.7%, nearly 12 million South Africans inhabitants took 37 million internal trips. In those trips 29 million tourists were visiting their family and friends, 2.8 million were traveling for holiday and 1.9 million for business reasons. The issue the tourism department is dealing with, is the challenge to turn the domestic tourism market from visiting family to leisure tourism and thus optimize the increase in the market. Furthermore, the tourism department is running a program called Shot Left, which works on the principle that encourages South African population to travel inside of the country. This is achieved by providing information about tourist attractions, access to tour operators, reasonable prices and tour packages. Eco Tourism Eco tourism is the fastest growing segment of tourism in South Africa thanks to its divà Ã‚ µrsà Ã‚ µ Ñ limà Ã‚ °tà Ã‚ µs rà Ã‚ °ngà Ã‚ µ frà Ã‚ ¾m trà Ã‚ ¾piÑ Ãƒ Ã‚ °l in thà Ã‚ µ sà Ã‚ ¾uth-à Ã‚ µÃƒ Ã‚ °st tà Ã‚ ¾ dà Ã‚ µsà Ã‚ µrt in thà Ã‚ µ Ñ Ãƒ Ã‚ µntrà Ã‚ °l rà Ã‚ µgià Ã‚ ¾n. Thà Ã‚ µ Ñ Ãƒ Ã‚ ¾untrys wildlifà Ã‚ µ is và Ã‚ °rià Ã‚ µd , à Ã‚ °nd is suppà Ã‚ ¾rtà Ã‚ µd by à Ã‚ °n à Ã‚ µxtrà Ã‚ °Ãƒ Ã‚ ¾rdinà Ã‚ °ry bià Ã‚ ¾là Ã‚ ¾giÑ Ãƒ Ã‚ °l divà Ã‚ µrsity. It creates opportunities for tourists which include bird-watching, nature photography, hiking and mountaineering, botanical studies and snorkeling. National and provincial parks in South Africa the world famous Kruger National Park as well private reserves, involve local communities in the management and conservation of natural resources. These communities are becoming aware of their responsibility to the environment, and with that they are also financially benefiting from ecotourism. The countrys prà Ã‚ ¾tà Ã‚ µÃƒâ€˜Ã‚ tà Ã‚ µd à Ã‚ °rà Ã‚ µÃƒ Ã‚ °s increased to 8%, à Ã‚ °nd its mà Ã‚ °rinà Ã‚ µ prà Ã‚ ¾tà Ã‚ µÃƒâ€˜Ã‚ tà Ã‚ µd à Ã‚ °rà Ã‚ µÃƒ Ã‚ °s grew up tà Ã‚ ¾ 20%, in 2010. Adventure Tourism Bà Ã‚ µing à Ã‚ °t thà Ã‚ µ sà Ã‚ ¾uthà Ã‚ µrn tip à Ã‚ ¾f à Ã‚ ° là Ã‚ °rgà Ã‚ µ Ñ Ãƒ Ã‚ ¾ntinà Ã‚ µnt, Sà Ã‚ ¾uth à Ã‚ friÑ Ãƒ Ã‚ ° à Ã‚ ¾ffà Ã‚ µrs 3 000 kilà Ã‚ ¾mà Ã‚ µtrà Ã‚ µs à Ã‚ ¾f Ñ Ãƒ Ã‚ ¾Ãƒ Ã‚ °stlinà Ã‚ µ à Ã‚ °là Ã‚ ¾ng with the mà Ã‚ ¾untà Ã‚ °ins. Thà Ã‚ µ Ñ Ãƒ Ã‚ ¾untrys divà Ã‚ µrsà Ã‚ µ tà Ã‚ µrrà Ã‚ °in, tà Ã‚ ¾gà Ã‚ µthà Ã‚ µr with à Ã‚ ° Ñ limà Ã‚ °tà Ã‚ µ suità Ã‚ µd tà Ã‚ ¾ à Ã‚ ¾utdà Ã‚ ¾Ãƒ Ã‚ ¾r à Ã‚ °Ãƒâ€˜Ã‚ tivitià Ã‚ µs mà Ã‚ °kà Ã‚ µ it à Ã‚ °n idà Ã‚ µÃƒ Ã‚ °l hunting grà Ã‚ ¾und fà Ã‚ ¾r à Ã‚ °drà Ã‚ µnà Ã‚ °linà Ã‚ µ sà Ã‚ µÃƒ Ã‚ µkà Ã‚ µrs. Sà Ã‚ ¾uth à Ã‚ friÑ Ãƒ Ã‚ ° à Ã‚ ¾ffà Ã‚ µrs wà Ã‚ ¾rld-Ñ là Ã‚ °ss Ñ limbing, surfing, diving, hiking, hà Ã‚ ¾rsà Ã‚ µbà Ã‚ °Ãƒâ€˜Ã‚ k riding, sà Ã‚ °fà Ã‚ °ri, mà Ã‚ ¾untà Ã‚ °in biking, rivà Ã‚ µr rà Ã‚ °fting à Ã‚ °nd just à Ã‚ °bà Ã‚ ¾ut à Ã‚ °ny à Ã‚ ¾thà Ã‚ µr à Ã‚ µxtrà Ã‚ µmà Ã‚ µ à Ã‚ °Ãƒâ€˜Ã‚ tivity. Cape town Cape Town is the most popular tourism destination for international arrivals as well as locals. Approximately 1.6 million tourists visited Cape Town in year 2006 and their total spending resulted in $10 billion of revenue. Cape town has recently expanded their International Convention center and now hosts 10% of all conferences and meeting of Africa for international and local business tourists. Also real estate business and construction market has hit its peak, when during the 2010 World Cup many people started to buy summer houses in the city or relocating there permanently. As we can see, there is a tendency for international tourists to visit South Africa more from year to year, which results in overnight stays and demand for accommodation and FB. Furthermore, the Cape Town beaches are very popular for their uniqueness and layout because of the difference in the water temperature. The Atlantic Coast average water temperature is around 13 ° Celsius, and the False Bay has an average temperature between 16 and 17 ° Celsius. Though colder, the Atlantic Coast is famous for its big waves and hosts different events including the Red Bull Big Wave Africa. Issues Unemployment   Has an extreme unemployment rate, which interacts with other social and economic problems( education, crime and poor health outcomes) over 60% of unemployed have been without jobs more than a year. In second quarter of 2010 a number of people with work fell from 61.000 to 12.700 million. Income inequality The country is ranked in the top 10 countries in the world for income inequality. Black people are poorer than colored people Indians and Asians who are poorer than Whites. Public sector strikes In August and September 2010 SA unions organized a 4 week national strike involving 1.3 million public sector workers, demanding a 8.6% wage increase. The strike ended when the government had raised its 5.2% wage increased to 7.5%. Illegal immigration Many South African employers have employed migrants from poorer neighboring countries( Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Malawi and others) for a lower pay than South African citizens. Electricity crisis After unsuccessful attempts by the government to encourage private construction of power generation capacity, the state-owned power supplier Eskom started experiencing deficiency in capacity in the electrical generating infrastructure in 2007. The lack of capacity was triggered by a failure at Koeberg nuclear power station. The supplier has been criticized for failing to adequately plan for and construct sufficient electrical generating capacity. The crisis was resolved in few month, but the margin between available capacity and national demand is still low. The government and Eskom are planning new power station (in 2025). SWOT analysis of the Tourism Industry Strengths: Weaknesses: Emerging economy Union strikes Low labor and fixed costs High poverty level Low tax Lack of skilled labor Better infrastructure and increased destination Unstable currency awareness since FIFA 2010 High rates of HIV/AIDS Opportunities: Threats: Growth of tourism from USA and European countries High crime level Low cost airlines companies (domestic market growth) Economic recession Government spending in tourism Unstable US Dollar Hosting of the 2020 summer Olympics Racial differences Arabella Western Cape Hotel and Spa Description Created in 1998, the Arabella Western Cape Hotel and Spa is situated on the Southwestern coast of South Africa 45 minutes, by car, from Cape Town. The hotel is embraced by the Kogelberg Mountains and bordered by the Bot River Lagoon. The Hotel is near the Cape Wine Route in the the souther tip of Africa near Cape Agulhas, and only 15-minute drive from Hermanus. Perfectly suitable for those who want to relax from the hectic life but dont want to go far away from civilization, the region where the hotel is located is rich in bird life, exquisite mountain landscapes and endless recreational activities. For guests on business there are special conference facilities that deliver standards of professionalism and comfort. General Manager Rob Kucera has been promoted to GM of the Arabella Western Cape Hotel and Spa after three years as a hotel manager at the Westin Grand in Cape Town. Rob joined The Westin Grand Cape Town Arabella Quays as an experienced hotelier, his most notable achievement is the establishment of an extremely focused and effective management team. His business acumen and leadership skills will undoubtedly add tremendous value to the Arabella Western Cape Hotel and Spa and its employees. Rob Kucera has extensive experience, impeccable values and immense dedication added to a huge passion for the industry. These mentioned qualities have definitely earned him the respect from his seniors, peers, employees and guests alike. Rob Kucera has made a tremendous impact on the hotel industry this far in his career and we look forward to his continued success, says Friedrich Schaefer, COO and Area General Manager of Arabella Starwood SA. Facilities Apart from the standard facilities and services as: business center, shopping mall, valet and car rental service, airport transportation service (pick up and drop off), beauty salon, 24 hours Front Desk and Concierge service, childrens playground and babysitting service, restaurants with classic or traditional food, an wireless high internet access coverage on the premisses. The Arabella Western Cape Hotel and Spa provides its guests with : Chapters Library Arabella Spa with indoor and outdoor pools and jacuzzis and massage treatments The African Rainforest Experience- a world first sauna treatment developed in South Africa using African products and inspired by African rains The Sport club with a fitness center, tennis courts, horseback riding, fishing and kayaking The Unique golf course, recently voted the Number Two Golf Course in South Africa and the Top Golf Course in the Western Cape by The Complete Golfer magazine Rooms and Rates The Hotel has 265 rooms in total and brings Deluxe Rooms ( Rate is 1.672 ZAR) These large rooms are perfectly arranged for utmost comfort. Each Deluxe Room has a private balcony or terrace that overlooks garden or swimming pool. Most of 46 rooms are furnished with king size beds or twin single beds. The room can accommodate 2 adults and 1 child under two in a camping cot. Grand Deluxe Rooms (Rate is 1.950 ZAR Around 213 Euro) Offer the same style and comfort as Deluxe Room but has the additional benefit of a magnificent view of the Bot River Lagoon and Arabella Golf Course. Deluxe Suites (Rate is 2.850ZAR around 310 Euro) The room has a separate bedroom and lounge, divided by wooden sliding doors for additional privacy. The bathroom is large and for extra luxury equipped with TV set. A large balcony with loungers offers view of the perfectly manicured grounds and swimming pool. The Deluxe Suites can accommodate 2 adults and 2 children under the age of 12 and one child under the age of 2. Grand Deluxe Suites (The Rate is 3.500 ZAR around 380 Euro) The Grand Deluxe Suite provides the exceptional luxury and comfort of the Deluxe Room, with the addition of magnificent views of the Bot River Lagoon and Golf Course. Presidential Suites (The Rate is 6.500 ZAR around 705 Euro) The room offer luxury and comfort in a superbly appointed private setting complete with a 24 hours butler service to attend to your requirements. The entrance lobby affords access to the guest bathroom and beautiful lounge furnished with a fireplace. A study, accessible through the lounge, ensures a quite area to work or conduct business. Awards Arabella Western Cape Hotel and Spa is the Winner of: Africas Leading Luxury Hotel Africas Leading Spa Resort South Africas Leading Spa Resort   Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide Inc alliance The Arabella Western Cape Hotel and Spa is part of the Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide Inc. Founded by Barry Sternlicht, it is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world, with 1000 properties in nearly 100 countries with over 145,000 employees. They have a variety of brands include : Le Mà ©ridien ®, ElementSM Hotels, AloftSM Hotels, Sheraton ® Hotels Resorts, The Luxury Collection ®, St. Regis ® Hotels Resorts, Westin ® Hotels Resorts, W Hotels ® and Four Points ® by Sheraton. In 1993 Starwood Capital buys its first hotels and by 1994 owns interests in more than 30 properties. Nowadays Starwood celebrates the opening of its 1000th   hotel in China named The Sheraton Qiandao Lake hotel. Environmental sustainability: Starwood aims to conserve energy and water, reduce waste and enhance indoor environmental quality for Starwood guests. This year, in more than 90,000 rooms, guests staying in Starwood properties will be encouraged to turn off the lights. Properties will participate by dimming or turning off non-essential interior lighting, using candlelight in appropriate public areas such as restaurants and bars. Starwoods trailblazing eco-chic boutique Element Hotels brand was launched as the first major hotel brand to mandate that all U.S. properties pursue the U.S. Green Building Councils (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certificate. Globally, Starwood is increasingly focused on integrating environmental sustainability into its operations and it was important to create a partnership with a world-class organization like CI to continue to move that work forward in the most inpactful way, said Sandy Swider, Vice President of Global Citizenship for Starwood. SWOT analysis of the Arabella Western Cape Hotel and Spa Strengths: Location: The Arabella Western Cape Hotel and Spa is situated only 45 minutes from Cape Town offering all the benefits of the city but, at the same time, giving its guests the tranquility and privacy of a remote location. Upscale hotel: Rated a 5 star hotel The Arabella offers only the highest quality service Web page: Very interactive and beautifully designed Starwood alliance: High quality standards and strength of the brand name, the Arabella Western Cape Hotel and Spa profits of the Starwoods achieved awards and new projects such as the Green policy History of the country: Rich historical heritage monuments and architecture Multicultural surrounding Developed infrastructure and superstructure Weaknesses: Location: The hotel is outside of the city area thus the hotel guests have some trouble getting transportation to it, even though the local transportation has improved, the regional transportation is not used at its fullest Lack of skilled labor: All though the school enrollment percentage has grown, this mainly concerns the primary education level. Skilled hoteliers are therefore still foreigners, such as Hotel School students like ourselves. Opportunities: Sports tourism: As we have seen in 2010, South Africa has been given the FIFA World Cup and presented an important economical growth, increasing the potential of their tourism sector. Having this experience, South Africa qualifies for the 2020 summer Olympic Games. We think that The Arabella Western Hotel and Spa should prepare its facilities to accommodate not only the visitors there to watch the games but also the athletes and their needs. Going green policy: Cape Town is ranked 30th greenest city in the world, plus the Arabella is following Starwoods Green Project and by incorporating the ideas and start attracting an eco friendly market segment. Threats: Unemployment rate: With the recession the unemployment rate has increased over the years. making the recovery harder. Furthermore the growth in the South African tourism will feel the crisis if the unemployment rate doesnt decrease, directly influencing the hotel. Seasonality and Occupancy level South Africa is rarely affected by seasonality issues because being situated at the most southern tip of Africa it has an ideal climate whole year round. During high seasons : November January, March April, June July and September October; the occupancy level at the Arabella Western Cape Hotel and Spa is situated, in average, between 85%-95% For the rest of the year, on few occasions that we can call a low season, the occupancy level at the Arabella Western Cape Hotel and Spa is in average 60%-65%. Competitors Within South Africa there are a lot of hotels and up and coming hotels. There is also a necessity for hotel rooms as there is a continuous increase of various tourists. The Marine Hotel Price: 200 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ for standard room No of rooms:64 40 minutes ride to city center Facilities: Spa, small conference room for 80 people and The collection boutique Auberge Provence Guesthouse Price : 390 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ for standard room No of rooms:90 1 hour drive to city center Facilities: 3 restaurants, Spa and Wellness center, conference rooms max 50 people. Mosselberg On Grotto Beach Price: 190 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ No of rooms: 110 1 hour ride to city center Facilities: Swimming pool, Lounge area, Games center, Free Wireless. One and only Cape town Price : 550 Euros No of rooms : 131 Located in the city center Facilities : OneOnly Spa Cape Town, Beauty Center, one Michelin star restaurant (chef Noby Matsuhisa), Conference room for 112 guests maximum. The Vendome Hotel Cape Town Price: 260 Euros No of rooms: 143 Located in the city center Facilities: outside pool, Conference facilities for approximately 220 guests, classic lounge, airport transfer. Based on the research, all the nearest 5 star hotels are very similar when it comes to location. However the prices are different. We discovered that Arabella Western Cape Hotel and Spa is larger than all the nearest hotels. Our hotel is the best place and offers the most, not only for leisure travelers but also for business ones. Long term sustainability Finally we are looking at the actions and ideas that the Arabella Western Cape Hotel and Spa can implement in order to continue to develop and become what we call sustainable in long term. An effective sustainable plan will help and maybe even ensure long life span for the hotel. By thinking about the environment and how our actions affect it we can predict issues that we will have to deal with in the near future. Therefore we can anticipate the loses and c

Implementation Of Child Friendly Schools

Implementation Of Child Friendly Schools This article explores the contribution of Comparative and International Research in the successful implementation of Child Friendly Schools in Kenya. Emphasis will be placed on the background of CFS, current practices and emerging critics, success stories, problems and pitfalls and what CIR can do to subjugate some of these challenges. In the introduction section, the essay will start by examining literature surrounding the concepts of CIR and CFS in relation to global agendas; explore how CFS came into existence and the driving forces behind it. We then go on to focus on a case study of CFS in Kenya, discussing the role of CIR in the Kenyas CFS, arguing that CIR is used as a political tool in creating educational policy, rather than a research method or an intellectual inquiry. The article will further critically analyze challenges facing CFS and how knowledge on CIR can contribute to achieving the aims and objectives of CFS. A conclusion based on the literature and authors experien ce will then be drawn. Throughout the article we build a case in favour of CIR arguing that the strength of voices of comparative researchers lie on uncritical transfer of policies and practices from one context to another which could otherwise open a Pandoras Box. Introduction Perhaps, one of the growing fields in education in the modern age is comparative and international education, judged by the volume of studies reported in the literature. Central to this is that many countries around the world have formulated some of their educational policies based on findings from CIR. With the current wave of globalization, researchers and experts, especially in the field of education, are always trying to find ways of streamlining their educational policies with the global trends. According to Giddens (1990:64), globalization is the intensification of worldwide social relations which link distance localities in such a way that local happenings are shaped by events occurring many miles away and vice versa. Global forces therefore have an impact on shaping local practices with global trends. In order to do this tactically and critically, comparative and internal research remains cutting edge in informing people about the realities, the challenges and the possible ef fects of uncritical transfer of ideas. Interestingly, global agendas in matters related to education are prioritized towards basic education as opposed to adult education or higher education. In Africa, this would be probably because, as Oketch (2004) points out, basic education yields higher rates of returns compared to higher education. This has subsequently caused government and non-governmental organizations to focus more on improving the quality of basic education. Child-friendly schools (CFSs) in Kenya is an example of a non-governmental initiative sponsored by UNICEF with the aim of not just providing children right to education but the right to the right education. In other words, CFSs are more concerned with the quality of basic education in addition to its access. The emergence of CFSs in Kenya was catapulted by the forces of agendas 1 and 2 of Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) which emphasizes on the provision of basic education. The term quality in education is dynamic because of the social, political and eco nomic context at which it is used. Because of differences in contexts, it is imperative that knowledge of comparative and international research be used in designing policies and pedagogy in CFS that fit that particular context. But the question is: how can CIR be helpful in successful implementation of CFS in Kenya? To answer this question, this essay hinges on two broad concepts: Comparative and International Research and Child Friendly Schools. Literature Review In this section, the author will look atà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Concepts of Comparative and International Research (CIR) and Child Friendly School (CFS) CIR is a fusion of two broad areas of research: Comparative Research and International Research. To understand its full meaning, it is important we define the two areas of research separately. In his definition of comparative research, Mills et al (year) argue that: Comparative research is a broad term that includes both quantitative and qualitative comparison of social entities. Social entities may be based on many lines, such as geographical or political ones in the form of cross-national or regional comparisons. (p. 621) A similar perception was echoed by Noah and Eckstein (1969: 127), who described comparative education as an intersection of the social sciences, education and cross-national study [which] attempts to use cross-national data to test propositions about the relationship between education and society and between teaching practices and learning outcomes. In light of this definition, comparative research in the context of education can be defined as a study of two or more entities or events (Crossley Watson 2003) with the underlying goal of searching for similarity and variance. Cross-national or regional comparisons may include comparing educational policies, pedagogy, educational leadership and so on. According to Mills et al (2006: 621), the search for variance places more emphasis on context and difference in order to understand specificities. International education, on the other hand, can be defined as the application of descriptions, analyses and insights learned in one or more nations to the problems of developing educational systems and institutions in other countries (Wilson 2000a: 116). Thus, international research is concerned with research carried out across two or more countries, often with the purpose of comparing responses between them. This might be done in order to devise strategies that work well across both or all these cultures or to suggest local adjustments to a global strategy There is a close relationship between comparative and international education. Epstein (1994: 918) points out, that international educators use findings derived from comparative education to understand better the processes they examine, and thus, to enhance their ability to make policy. We can therefore draw from the above two definitions that CIR in education as a method of comparing both qualitative and quantitative entities in education across different countries, societies or cultures with the aim of identifying similarities and differences. It is however important to note that not all international research is comparative, and not all comparative research is international or cross-national. According to UNICEF, a child-friendly school is both a child seeking school and a child-centred school: It is child seeking because it actively identifying excluded children to get them enrolled in school. It is a child-centred school because it acts in the best interests of the child leading to the realization of the childs full potential, is concerned about the whole child: her health, nutritional status, and well-being and concerned about what happens to children before they enter school and after they leave school. A CFS system recognizes and respects childrens right and responsibilities; it provides the enabling environment to realize childrens right not only in schools, but also in childrens home and their communities. These include children from conflict zones, street children and children with disabilities. The Child-Friendly Schools model (see fig 1) is based on simple, rights-based concepts that would have all schools be: Safe, healthy and protective; Staffed by trained teachers; Provided adequate resources and the appropriate physical, emotional and social conditions for children to learn, develop their talents and reach their potential. Fig 1: Model of the Child-Friendly School Source: UNICEF, 2009. The CFS model provides a framework for planning (and monitoring the effectiveness of) strategies for increasing access to quality basic education with the specific focus on the development of strategies to include those children hitherto excluded from education (UNICEF, Global Education Strategy, 2007). International and Local Pressures and their influences to formation of CFS in Kenya Education in sub-Sahara Africa, and indeed in Kenya, is crafted from both influences by global trends in education and the legacies of colonialism. Chisholm and Leyenderker (2008) observe that: Since 1990, the goals and purpose of education in sub-Sahara Africa has been reshaped by four interconnected developments: globalisation, the changed focus of international aid agencies towards development assistance, the adaptation of sub-Sahara African countries to the new world order with its new political emphases, and the spilling over of new pedagogical ideas from the USA and Europe into sub-Sahara Africa. (p 198) Kenya is a signatory to a number of conventions in education, including the Convention to the Rights of the Child (1989), the World Declaration on Education for All (Jomtien, 1990), the Dakar accord and the Millenium Development Goals (2000). In achievement of education development goals, Kenya is bound to, among other things, quality education by MDGs. The Jomtien call for access for access, equity, quality and democracy in education appeared to promise both social and economic development (Chisholm and Leyenderker, 2008). Social and economic development, and continues to be believed, requires educational change and educational change is necessary for social and economic development (ibid:). Educational change, in turn, is perceived to depend on, amongst other things, the input from relevant development assistance projects. These projects, in the arena of education, are typically formulated with reference to internationally negotiated development agendas (like the MDGs) and priority (Crossley Watson, 2003). An example of these projects in Kenya is CFSs which are supported by United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF). The Education Section of UNICEFs Programme Division introduced the Child Friendly Schools (CFS) framework for schools that serve the whole child in 1999 (Chabbott, 2004). Theoretical underpinning of introducing CFS framework in Kenya The increased reliance of foreign aid to support education reform in Kenya has been accompanied by a transition, from understanding education as a human right and the general good to viewing it primarily in terms of its contribution to national growth and well-being through the development of the knowledge and skills societies are deemed to need. (Arnove Torres 2007:359). Occasional voices continue insisting that education is liberating, that learning is inherently developmental (ibid: 359). With the global concern that Sub-sahara Africa countries may not achieve Universal Primary Education (UPE) by 2015 unless the progress is accelerated (Carceles et al., 2001; Bennel, 2002), Kenya responded by introducing Free Primary Education (FPE) policy in 2003 with both local and global pressure. The rationale behind introducing FPE was (apart from the pressure from global and international agendas) to alleviate poverty attributed to lack of literacy skills. The success story behind implementation of FPE policy is the increased enrolment at primary schools by nearly 50%, from 5.9 million in 2003 to 9.38 million pupils according to the Kenya Economic Survey 2011. One of its standout achievements was the enrolment of the late Kimani Maruge, the worlds oldest person to start primary school, he enrolled in the first grade in 2004, aged 84, he holds the Guinness World Record for this. Besides the enormous enrolment rates resulting from free primary education, there are concerns about t he quality of schooling in primary schools in Kenya. There are not enough textbooks, classrooms are overcrowded and the infrastructure in many schools is inadequate for the numbers of pupils attending. Many of the schools do not have sanitation facilities. The teacher-pupil ratio is quite high: according to UNESCO there are more than 40 pupils per teacher, on average. All of these factors militate against the provision of quality teaching. There is no magic wand for fixing this problem of quality in education. In response to this CFS were introduced in Kenya by UNICEF. According to UNICEF (2006): The challenge in education is not simply to get children into school, but also to improve the overall quality of schooling and address threats to participation. If both quality and access are tackled, children who are enrolled in primary school are likely to continue, complete the full cycle, achieve expected learning outcomes and successfully transition to secondary school. (p. 1) The CFS framework (see appendix 3) aims at promoting child-seeking, child-centred, gender-sensitive, inclusive, community-involved, protective and healthy approaches to schooling and out-of-school education with a general goal of improving the quality of learning. Since CFSs are concerned with the quality of learning, it is important we look at the meaning of quality. The national examinations to obtain the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) at the end of primary cycle and the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) at the end of secondary cycle are designed to evaluate the extent to which the primary and secondary graduates master the curriculum content. In other words, the national test scores are used as the indicators of quality. The limitation of this indicator is that it does not take into account the context at which learning takes place i.e. the learning environment, learners unique characteristics etc. There are many definitions of quality but one of the descriptions of quality which emphasizes on the context was by Coombs. In his definition, Coombs (1985) suggests that quality: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ pertains to the relevance of what is taught and learned to how well it fits the present and future needs of the particular learners in question, given their particular circumstances and prospectsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ in the nature of its inputs (students, teachers, facilities, equipment, and supplies); its objectives, curriculum and educational technologies; and its socioeconomic, cultural and political environment. (p. 105) From his definition, Coombs puts context into consideration i.e. needs of the learner, cultural and political contexts. In addition, he emphasizes on the relevance of what is taught and learned and how it fits the nature of particular learners in question. The fact that CFS emphasizes on learner-centered pedagogy and puts the child at the centre or focal point in the learning process raises the idea of what is regarded as valuable knowledge and how this knowledge is acquired in this particular context. This leads us to the inquiry on the school of thought or paradigm behind introducing a contextualized CFS framework. CFS as an approach to education is premised on constructivism, a theory of knowledge arguing that humans generate knowledge and meaning from interaction between ideas and real experiences. According to constructivists, the notions of reality and truth are socially constructed and in different context with the understanding that knowledge is subjective and embedded in mul tiple realities. Thus, quality of learning should be viewed in the context in which it is occurs. Mainstreaming CFS model into the Kenyas educational system: Whose voice Matters? Challenges in implementing CFS in Kenya Access and Quality Dilemma: Which one should be first priority? As I mentioned earlier, one of the role of CFS in Kenya is to improve the quality of learning. But the access to education is still a challenge in Kenya and there is fear that Kenya will not have achieved EFA goals 1 and 2 by the year 2015. As we near the 2015 set deadline for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, at a time when hopes should be high, universal access to primary education in Kenya seems to be slipping away. Many comparative researchers argue that different countries have different educational problems and it is the countrys obligation to identify what should be the priority and why. Aksoy (2008: 218) insists that: While developed countries are mainly engaged in activities to increase the quality of education, or they practice and seek new techniques and methods of learning and teaching, developing countries struggle to provide equal opportunities for education, trying to increase the rate of participation of all citizens in basic education, which is actually compulsory. To deal with its educational problems, each country works out countrywide or local solutions, depending on the nature of the problem. The tone of such statement is more closely allied to the question of priority. Priority in one country may not be a priority in another. In Kenya, the major problem basic education is facing is of access while higher education is facing the problem of quality. CFS focus more on quality, but in the Kenyan context, access to education is still a problem in basic education even after the introduction of FPE. The CFS concept of quality can however suit very well in small state commonwealth countries which have almost universal access to basic education. It has been noted that small sates have now shifted education priorities towards focus in school effectiveness, quality and inclusion (Crossley Watson 2003) and CFS in Kenya should learn from small states that the priority should now be on access to basic education before shifting to quality. Atomizing the child: is child-centred the solution to quality CFS? A key feature of a right-based, CFS system is that it is linked tightly to the child-centred learning process. CFS advocates for child-centred learning where a child is treated as a single entity or an atom in learning processes. The idea of atomizing a child has its drawbacks derived from child-centred learning. First, there is an oversight on early year development behaviour of the child. Psychologists believe children undergo various levels of development and their learning behaviours are different at each level. For instant, Vygotskys (1978) concept of the zone of proximal development (ZPD) implies that a child cannot ordinary create ZPD by himself; he needs the more expert individual to bridge the gap between his current development level and his proximal level of development. Secondly, a child-friendly, democratic learning environment may not work successful in overcrowded classrooms and school with limited resources like it is the case in Kenya. Thirdly, child-centred learning weakens the role of the teacher. The idea that a child must be active in construction of knowledge is often understood to imply a diminishing role for the teacher in learning process who now becomes a coach or a facilitator. A call for paradigm renovation, from an exclusively child-centred learning to a combination of both child-centred learning and teacher-centred learning approach is important so that the weakness of one method is complemented by the other method. Several comparative studies concur with this blended approach. What Lessons can Kenya learn from other Countries in Implementing CFS? A Review on the Contribution of Comparative Research The term that is commonly used in Kenya and indeed many Africa countries in the initial processes of designing an educational policy is benchmarking. Essentially, this is usually a comparative study which is carried out either locally and/or internationally in trying to compare different models of policy framework with the aim of critical adaption or adoption. Lessons are well learnt when a comparisons are made, and this underscores the strength and significance of comparative research. Moreover, since problems transcend national borders, it is prudent to seek possible solutions from a similar experience in another country, and this explains why international research is important. Kenya can learn from other countries that are either progressing or failing to implement CFS because lessons can either identify opportunities or gaps, based on comparative analysis. The first lesson to be learned is that documenting the emerging good practices and lessons learned within the regions is useful in informing evidence based programming and advocacy to enable us to achieve better results. For example, a Global Evaluation Report published by UNICEF in 2009 on comparative studies of how to six countries (Guyana, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand) with different experiences implementing CFS, demonstrated the following: CFSs in varying contexts successfully apply the three key principles of CFS models-inclusiveness, child-centredness and democratic participation. Schools operating in very different national contexts, with different levels of resources and serving populations with different needs have succeeded in being child-centred, promoting democratic participation, and being inclusive. Schools that had high levels of family and community participation and use of child-centred pedagogical approaches had stronger conditions for learning, that is, students felt safer, supported and engaged, and believed that the adults in the school supported the inclusion and success of each student. (UNESCO, 2009) Kenya can use this success report to assist in providing a broader perspective on the ways in which CFSs can contribute to quality in the countrys unique context. The caution should however be that any steps taken should have hindsight of the current context in the country to avoid uncritical transfer of practice which may end up opening a Pandoras box. Secondly, through CIR, studies of educational systems that share similar problems can provide information for learning possible consequences. A recent comparative evaluation research conducted by UNESCO in Nigeria, Gunaya, Thailand and the Philippines on CFS pedagogy gave different findings. While teachers in Nigeria and Guyana mainly focused on meeting basic instructional material needs (textbooks, paper), many teachers in Thailand and the Philippines focused on having greater access to information and communication technology (UNESCO 2009). Kenya experiences the same challenge as Nigeria and Gunaya, and data from these countries can be used to learn how they coping with inadequate basic instructional material. The caution here should be, that common problems may prevail in different countries, but common model cannot be applied because each country has different culture/context (Crossley Watson, 2003:39). This provides invaluable information of what to adopt, modify or avoid. Conclusion It is worthy reiterating Crossley'(2003) emphasis that context matters and different countries have different needs and priorities even if they are faced with the same challenges. The value of CIR is studying foreign systems of education in order to become better fitted to study and understand our own (Sadler 1900, reprinted 1964:310). Thus, this essay has not provided, and has not sought to provide, solutions to empirical problems affecting CFS, but has presented an overview of the contribution of CIR in improving successful implementation of CFS in Kenya. As such, the essay acknowledges the role of CIR in stimulating critical thinking and reflections about CFS system, its success and failures, strengths and weaknesses. This critical reflection facilitates self evaluation in our own context and the basis for determining appropriate courses of action. The article also hints that CIR helps us understand global agendas and how they shape educational development projects from organizati ons and development agencies like UNICEF. Recommendations and Way forward for Comparative and International Research in Education While policy borrowing and cross-national educational comparison have been central concerns of the field of comparative education since its inception, political, economic, and cultural changes worldwide have challenged comparativists to consider new questions of power, politics and relevance in relation to educational policy transfer and diffusion processes. First, it has been argued that politicians who talk about educational development or economic development talk less about education and its role in economic development. This means that if comparative researches are to have their voice heard, then it should focus on strengthening multidisciplinary directions both in vertical and horizontal orientation. Secondly, in 1980s, comparative education focused majorly on the issue of policy, but it has now been shifted to qualitative research with an aim of gaining information at grassroots level. This has been catalyzed by the fact that culture is a complex phenomenon and understanding i t requires researchers to focus more on specific, small-scale contexts.