• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.41-49
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• 2023

Objectives: Rwanda reported a stunting rate of 33% in 2020, decreasing from 38% in 2015; however, stunting remains an issue. Globally, child deaths from malnutrition stand at 45%. The best options for the early detection and treatment of stunting should be made a community policy priority, and health services remain an issue. Hence, this research aimed to develop a model for predicting stunting in Rwandan children. Methods: The Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey 2019-2020 was used as secondary data. Stratified 10-fold cross-validation was used, and different machine learning classifiers were trained to predict stunting status. The prediction models were compared using different metrics, and the best model was chosen. Results: The best model was developed with the gradient boosting classifier algorithm, with a training accuracy of 80.49% based on the performance indicators of several models. Based on a confusion matrix, the test accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and F1 were calculated, yielding the model's ability to classify stunting cases correctly at 79.33%, identify stunted children accurately at 72.51%, and categorize non-stunted children correctly at 94.49%, with an area under the curve of 0.89. The model found that the mother's height, television, the child's age, province, mother's education, birth weight, and childbirth size were the most important predictors of stunting status. Conclusions: Therefore, machine-learning techniques may be used in Rwanda to construct an accurate model that can detect the early stages of stunting and offer the best predictive attributes to help prevent and control stunting in under five Rwandan children.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.99-108
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• 2019

This study aims to explore key factors which influence user's decision-making on the adoption of e-learning. We integrated UTAUT and Information Success Models to test that four independent factors affect student satisfaction to use e-learning in Rwanda's higher education. Data was collected by surveying students of University of Rwanda and Protestant Institute of Social Sciences (n=206). The analysis results showed that performance expectancy, facilitating conditions and effort expectancy except for social influence have a significant effect on students' satisfaction. This can help university administrators understand the factors that influence students' adoption of e-learning and incorporate these results into Rwanda's e-learning design and implementation. In final, Rwanda's government can contribute to establishing the e-learning policy and allocating its relevant resources centered on student needs.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.116-124
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• 2017

The study makes an attempt to investigate the causal nexus between carbon dioxide emissions, GDP per capita, industrialization and population with an evidence from Rwanda by employing a time series data spanning from 1965 to 2011 using the autoregressive distributed lag model. Evidence from the study shows that carbon dioxide emissions, GDP per capita, industrialization and population are co-integrated and have a long-run equilibrium relationship. Evidence from the Granger-causality shows a unidirectional causality running from industrialization to GDP per capita, population to carbon dioxide emissions, population to GDP per capita and population to industrialization. Evidence from the long-run elasticities has policy implications for Rwanda; a 1% increase in GDP per capita will decrease carbon dioxide emissions by 1.45%, while a 1% increase in industrialization will increase carbon dioxide emissions by 1.64% in the long-run. Increasing economic growth in Rwanda will therefore reduce environmental pollution in the long-run which appears to support the validity of the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis. However, industrialization leads to more emissions of carbon dioxide, which reduces environment, health and air quality. It is noteworthy that the Rwandan Government promotes sustainable industrialization, which improves the use of clean and environmentally sound raw materials, industrial process and technologies.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.567-576
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• 2020

One of the main challenges receiving much attention in the Rwandan agriculture and food industry in recent decades is the increases in maize prices. Indeed, a rise in maize prices causes higher living expenses for households because maize, which is a major staple food crop, constitutes a significant share of total food consumption among households in Rwanda. The aim of this study was to assess the extent of integration and how prices are transmitted between retail and wholesale markets of domestic maize in Rwanda. This study used monthly data of retail and wholesale prices of maize from January 1995 to December 2019. This empirical investigation was based on a linear cointegration approach and an asymmetric error correction model framework. Using the augmented dickey-fuller residual-based test and the Johansen Maximum Likelihood cointegration test, the results revealed that the retail and wholesale markets of maize are integrated. Hence, prices in these markets do not drift apart in the long run. The results of the Granger causality test revealed that there is a unidirectional causal relationship flowing from wholesale prices to retail prices, i.e., wholesale prices influence retail prices. Accordingly, the results from the asymmetric error correction model confirmed the presence of a positive asymmetric price transmission between wholesale and retail prices of maize in Rwanda. Thus, we suggest that policymakers take a critical look at the causes and factors that may influence asymmetry price transmission.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.59 no.1
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• pp.61-65
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• 2021

Diarrheal disease is the second leading cause of mortality and morbidity in children under 5 years old worldwide, and is the most common cause of malnutrition in sub-Saharan Africa. In Rwanda, diarrhea is the third leading cause of death in children under 5 years old. This study examined the association between sociodemographic factors and diarrhea in children under 5 years using the data of 7,474 households in the 2014-2015 Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey. Overall prevalence of diarrhea in this study was 12.7% in children. An increased risk for diarrhea was found for children aged 12-23 months (odds ratio (OR)=4.514), those with a low economic status (OR=1.64), those from the Western province (OR=1.439), those with poorly-educated mothers (OR=5.163), and those with families engaged in agricultural activities (OR=1.624). In conclusion, sociodemographic factors significantly affect the risk of developing diarrhea in children under 5 years in Rwanda. Designing and implementing health education promoting awareness of early interventions and rotavirus vaccination are essential to reduce diarrheal diseases for the Rwandan community.

• Asia-pacific Journal of Multimedia Services Convergent with Art, Humanities, and Sociology
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• v.8 no.10
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• pp.471-479
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• 2018

This paper on the socioeconomic role of One Dollar Campaign project initiated by Rwanda Diaspora in the reconstruction of the country after 1994 genocide against Tutsi tends to show how Rwanda Diaspora contributes to the socioeconomic development of their home country. The 1994 genocide against Tutsi in Rwanda has destroyed the country and the Rwandan society; and rebuilding the trust, unity, hope and socioeconomic status of genocide survivors in particular and of all Rwandans in general had to engage all Rwandans wherever they were. The focus of this paper is to assess the change on socioeconomic status of the beneficiaries of the one dollar campaign project initiated by Rwanda Diaspora which aimed to help genocide survivor orphans to have a shelter. The results showed that the amount of money contributed by Rwanda Diaspora for this project is of paramount importance as it exerts a positive impact on genocide orphan survivors' daily life, change of their socioeconomic status and to the country's development in general.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Building Construction
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.467-475
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• 2019

Delay is one of the most critical issues for construction projects and leads to huge losses in both developing and industrialized countries. The construction sector in Rwanda, a rapidly-developing nation, is no exception. Delays can be mitigated only once we have identify their primary causes, and these may not be the same in each region. This study aims to ascertain the main critical factors responsible for delays in building construction in Rwanda through an intensive literature review and questionnaire survey. A total of 40 delay causative factors were obtained from a literature review and were further classified into nine major categories. The questionnaire survey was distributed to about 80 respondents from clients, contractors, and consultants. From the list of 40 different factors, the top twelve most critical causes were identified as stoppage of work due to cash flow constraints, delay in approving design documents, confidentiality of physical plan, price fluctuations and delay in approving significant change, change orders, delay in performing inspections, Ineffective project planning, inadequate drawing details, unqualified labor, lack of materials on the market and dishonesty.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.241-253
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• 2022

The negative impact of climate change on the agricultural sector is rapidly increasing, and it is urgent to prepare policies at the government level to mitigate it. In the case of Rwanda's agricultural sector, which lacks the government's budget and farmers' capital, efficient and effective policy implementation is of paramount importance. To this end, rather than establishing related policies in the public sector from the top down, it is necessary to establish a bottom-up customized policy that is reflected in policy establishment by identifying the characteristics and behaviors of farmers who actually participate in adaptation activities. In this study, the effects of farmers' characteristics and farmers' perception status/adaptation status to climate change on the selection of adaptation methods for climate change were analyzed. 357 rice farmers randomly selected from Eastern Rwanda were surveyed to explore the information related to farmers' perception to climate change and adaptation methods as well as basic information of the farm. Research shows that the probability of selecting a variety of adaptation methods rather than not responding to climate change increases the younger the age, the higher the education level, and the easier access to climate information and credit. As a policy proposals, it is judged that public support such as strengthening agricultural technology support services, including more detailed guidance for elderly and low-educated farmers, and improving access to farm loan services by agricultural financial institutions is needed. In addition, it is necessary to adjust the planting time and cultivation method, provide timely information related to climate change, and provide crop variety improvement services to farmers.

• Journal of the Architectural Institute of Korea Planning & Design
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.83-94
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• 2018

UNESCO has continued to work in Africa, especially in the six southern sub-Saharan countries, and Asia, where international cooperation is needed. The CLC (Rwanda Community Learning Center) covered in this study aims to create a regional learning center in Rwanda and to recover local communities and provide learning environment. During the course of this study, we conducted field trips for actual planning and reviewed the current state of educational and cultural facilities that recently opened and are operated, and found implications. In consultation with the Rwandan Educational Commission, the site for CLC was decided, the building was designed, and the construction is about to start. The results of this study are as follows. First, in addition to the efforts of the activists in the village, which can be considered the smallest unit of a local community, the approach for establishing an architectural space and active education and community environment can be evaluated as a result of experimental efforts. Second, we can pay attention to the attempts to realize local communities. The bridge business is based on the multi-purposes such as early childhood education, technical education for adults, and community restoration of local residents and it reflects space and program plans for this purposes. It also reflects detailed plans such as differentiating the flow planning depending on users' time of use. Third, we can explain the characteristics of architectural planning considering local characteristics such as active use of local materials. Due to the characteristics of a developing country, there were significant considerations on maintenance, and to this end, the plan included plans for the environment and use of materials that are easily maintained. In addition, the participation of local residents in the process of establishment was suggested as a possibility to serve an educational role.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.61 no.3
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• pp.304-309
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• 2023

Intestinal parasitic infections are a public health burden and a major cause of illness in developing countries. The diseases lead to various health threats, including growth retardation and mental health-related disorders, especially in children. We assessed the risk factors for intestinal parasitic infections among children aged 12-59 months residing in Nyamasheke District, Rwanda. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted using secondary data from 1,048 children aged 12-59 months whose stool samples were examined for the presence of intestinal parasites and whose results were registered in the laboratory information system in 2020. The prevalence of intestinal parasites in children aged 12-59 months was 53.2%. The dominant parasites were Ascaris lumbricoides (13.1%), followed by Giardia lamblia (10.9%), Entamoeba histolytica (7.9%), Trichuris trichiura (6.5%), hookworms (1.7%), and Taenia species (1.4%). A significant association was observed between intestinal parasites and the literacy of mothers or children's caregivers (odds ratio (OR)=5.09, P<0.001). Children from farming households were 2.8-fold more likely to contract intestinal parasitic infections than those from nonfarming households (OR=2.8, P<0.001). A significant association was also observed between intestinal parasites and food safety (OR=4.9, P<0.001). Intestinal parasitic infections were significantly associated with hand hygiene practices after using the toilet and washing fresh fruits before eating (P<0.001). The information gathered will help public health providers and partners develop control plans in highly endemic areas in Rwanda.