Mekelle University (Tigrinya: መቐለ ዩኒቨርሲቲ) is a higher education and training public institution located in Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia, 783 kilometers north of Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa. Mekelle University is one of the largest public universities in Ethiopia. It has seven colleges, eight institutes, and more than 90 undergraduate and 70 postgraduate programs. The student intake capacity of Mekelle University has reached 31,000 or 10% of Mekelle's population.
War and conflict result in destructive and persistent setbacks to the development of human societies. Despite ample quantitative reports, the lived experiences of communities affected by war have not been explored in depth. Therefore, this study aims to explore the lived experiences of health and nutrition among war-affected communities. Host community members and internally displaced people (IDPs) were selected and 24 Focus Group Discussions and three Key Informant Interviews conducted. Audio recorded data was transcribed, translated and imported to Atlas-ti version 20 software for analysis. Coding and in-depth reading helped to identify further conceptualization. Thematic analysis was conducted based on descriptive phenomenology. Five themes emerged, including: “memorizing cherished events of the prewar period,” “the shattered livelihoods of the community,” “nonstop interruption of food aid intensifies severe malnutrition,” “reverting the wheel of the three delays,” and “the nexus of poor hygiene and sanitation, health care disruption, and hunger worsens disease outbreaks.” Delays in women’s decisions to seek health care for labor due to fear of atrocities emerged under the theme “reverting the wheel of the three delays.” The health and nutrition of the IDPs and host communities in Tigray were totally crumbled. Local economic and social services and infrastructure were devastated, disorganized, and uncoordinated, failing to fulfill the demands and expectations of the people of Tigray during the war and postwar period. Thus, there is an urgent call to rebuild the shattered livelihoods of the IDPs and host communities.
This study aims to assess the geological challenges associated with potash solution mining in the active rift of the Dallol Depression and to propose an optimised borehole design for Circum Minerals Limited. An integrated approach combining satellite image interpretation, field observations, borehole data, and seismic images was utilised to produce detailed geological and structural maps and to characterise subsurface evaporite sequences. The seismic images and borehole logs acquired by the company were interpreted to demarcate subsurface features, whereas three-dimensional models derived from multiple well logs and fence diagrams enhanced stratigraphic interpretation. The nearest neighbour polygon method was used to estimate the total potash deposits of the concession area. The high-resolution seismic data were interpreted in conjunction with the subsurface geological map generated from borehole data using Rockworks 15 software. The borehole data indicated that the stratigraphic sequences of the evaporite deposits (salt deposits and muddy salt) consist of clastic materials, upper halite, marker beds, sylvinitite member, upper carnallitite member, bischofitite member, lower carnallitite, kainitite member, lower halite unit, and a basal clastic unit. The evaporite sequence in general, and the upper halite and bischofitite members in particular, show two distinct thickening trends: towards the rift-axis and towards the rift center. The total potash resource is estimated at approximately 18.81 billion tons, of which 3.57 billion tons remain unexploited due to the effects of fault confinements. The existing borehole designs limit the company's total extraction capacity. To improve recovery both from intact and fault-bounded potash deposits, this study recommends the addition of 16 systematically located boreholes, considering the deposit geometry and resource distributions, to enhance potash recovery and promote sustainable mining practises.
In vitro propagation using shoot apical meristem culture provides a reliable method for producing uniform, disease-free sugarcane planting material. This study aimed to optimize hormone regimes for two French genotypes, FG03-418 and FG04-754, and highlighted their genotype-specific responses that improved shoot initiation, multiplication, rooting, and acclimatization efficiency. This study optimized in vitro propagation of two French sugarcane genotypes (FG03-418 and FG04-754) using shoot apical meristems under a randomized design, revealing genotype-specific responses to plant growth regulators. FG03-418 showed optimal initiation on MS medium with 0.75 mg/L 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP), while FG04-754 responded best at 1.25 mg/L BAP. During multiplication, FG03-418 produced the highest shoot number (11.56 ± 0.68) at 1.5 mg/L BAP + 0.5 mg/L 1-Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and achieved maximum shoot length and leaf number (5.47 ± 0.31) at 2.0 mg/L BAP + 0.5 mg/L NAA, whereas FG04-754 exhibited optimal shoot growth at 2.0 mg/L BAP + 0.5 mg/L NAA. Root induction was most effective on half-strength MS medium supplemented with NAA, at 5.0 mg/L for FG03-418 and 4.0 mg/L for FG04-754, producing mean root lengths of 7.05 ± 0.13 cm and 5.27 ± 0.14 cm, respectively. Acclimatization in a greenhouse substrate of sand, soil, and compost (1:2:1) resulted in survival rates above 95
Abstract Humanitarian supply chains (HSCs) are critical for delivering aid to vulnerable populations, particularly in crisis-prone regions like the Tigray region of Ethiopia. This study explores the major barriers affecting HSC operations in refugee camps in the Tigray region of Ethiopia during and after the recent conflict. Using a mixed-methods approach, the research identifies key challenges, including government bureaucracy, inadequate infrastructure, funding uncertainties, and human resource limitations. Administrative approvals contributed approximately 25–40% of total delivery lead-time, particularly for cross-regional movements and imported relief items. Delays in customs clearance, travel permits, and movement authorizations resulted in average postponements of 2–6 weeks per shipment cycle, severely affecting time-sensitive supplies such as food rations and medical commodities. Respondents/organizations experiencing repeated authorization delays reported delivery reliability rates falling below 65%, compared to benchmark humanitarian targets of 85–90%. Also reported is that damaged or inaccessible road networks increased transportation lead times by an estimated 30–50% compared to pre-conflict baselines. Inadequate warehousing capacity forced humanitarian agencies to operate with buffer stock levels reduced by approximately 20–35%, increasing exposure to supply disruptions. Respondent organizations dependent on single or short-term donors experienced budget execution gaps of approximately 15–30%. Additionally, the study indicates that only about 40–55% of logistics staff in camp operations had formal training in humanitarian logistics or supply chain management. The findings underscore the need for innovative strategies to address these barriers, including enhancing inter-agency collaboration, investing in staff training, improving infrastructure, and adopting flexible funding mechanisms.
Groundwater pollution is an emerging universal issue. This study evaluates groundwater suitability for drinking and irrigation in Samalpatti-Sevathur carbonatite complexes, focusing on Fluoride (F⁻), and Nitrate (NO₃⁻) contamination and associated health risks. Seventy-five groundwater samples were collected in February 2025 and analyzed. F⁻ concentration in groundwater ranged 0.18-4.6 mg/L, and NO₃⁻ ranged 4.99-182.55 mg/L. Only 33.3
