University of Kigali

INTRODUCTION:Recognition and diagnosis of child physical abuse (CPA) have become an essential foundation for child protection globally. Failure to recognise, diagnose and intervene in CPA cases may lead to significant physical, psychological, and economic consequences. In Zambia, despite the enactment of child protection legislation, the specific roles of diagnostic radiographers in the child protection pathway remain inadequately defined. Therefore, this review aimed to examine the roles of diagnostic radiographers in child protection related to physical abuse in Zambia and to identify existing gaps by comparing local with international practices. METHODS:A qualitative document analysis was conducted using the Readying, Extracting, Analysing, and Distilling (READ) approach to review national policies, non-policies, legislation, and professional frameworks relevant to child protection in Zambia, published between 1991 and August 2025. Documents were retrieved from government websites, professional regulatory bodies and organisations, and academic institutions between July and August 2025. Key data from the eligible documents were extracted using a standardised data extraction form and subsequently subjected to thematic framework analysis. RESULTS:Eleven documents met the inclusion criteria. Four key roles of radiographers in child protection were identified: (1) providing high-quality radiographic images; (2) recognising and documenting clinical signs while maintaining accurate health records; (3) reporting suspected cases of CPA to relevant authorities such as the police or the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services; and (4) acting professionally in the management of suspected CPA cases. The narrative review also identified a few gaps relative to international practice, including the absence of national imaging guidelines for CPA, limited integration of child protection content into radiography curricula, and a lack of clearly defined roles and a formal reporting framework. CONCLUSION:In Zambia, radiographers are strategically positioned to contribute to the early detection and reporting of cases of CPA. Strengthening their role requires enhancements to the radiography curriculum, the development of CPA imaging and reporting guidelines, and clearly defined roles. The implementation of these recommendations can enhance radiographers' participation in CPA and promote effective child protection practices.

Women-led startups receive disproportionately little venture capital despite delivering strong returns. This paper examines how gender bias varies across financing mechanisms—VC, debt, crowdfunding, and public grants—in the digital economy, integrating feminist entrepreneurship, finance, and institutional theories. Drawing on UK/EU firm-level data, global VC databases, and OECD/World Bank reports, three findings emerge. First, VC exhibits persistent bias through homophily and subjective evaluation, while innovation grants—governed by transparent criteria—show gender-neutral outcomes. Second, female CEO leadership moderates the link between internal financing and grant access, enabling strategic financial agency. Third, women's financing experiences differ across India, Africa, the US, and Europe, requiring contextually tailored interventions. The study reconceptualises gender bias as context-dependent and positions innovation grants as legitimacy mechanisms compensating for private market failures. Policy implications target digital economy financing across multiple regions.

Water loss and water quality deterioration remain major challenges for water utilities, particularly where pipeline leakages, damaged infrastructure, and delayed fault response contribute to Non-Revenue Water (NRW) and contamination risks. This study designed, developed, and evaluated an Internet of Things (IoT)-based automated shut-off and water filtration system for WASAC Remera Branch, Rwanda. A Design-Based Research (DBR) approach combined with experimental testing was adopted. Data were collected through observation, interviews with WASAC technical personnel, system measurements, and experimental testing. The developed prototype integrated an ESP32 microcontroller, flow and pressure sensors, leak detection sensors, automated control components, communication technologies, a water filtration unit, and a web-based monitoring platform. Rule-based algorithms were applied to sensor readings to identify abnormal pipeline conditions and automatically initiate appropriate response actions. Findings from functional testing demonstrated that the system successfully detected leakage conditions, monitored pipeline parameters, generated alerts, recorded system events, and initiated automated shut-off actions when abnormal conditions were detected. The integration of automated monitoring, rapid leak response, and water filtration provided a practical mechanism for minimizing the consequences of pipeline failures while supporting water quality management. The study concluded that integrating IoT-based monitoring, automated shut-off technology, and water filtration provides a promising approach to improving smart water distribution management. It recommends that WASAC conduct further field testing in selected high-risk distribution zones before considering wider implementation.

Faith-Based Organisations (FBOs) play a vital role in promoting spiritual growth, social welfare, community development, and humanitarian services in Rwanda, yet many continue to face challenges related to leadership effectiveness, governance, and institutional sustainability. This study examined the effect of leadership management practices — change management, strategic planning, ethical leadership, and servant leadership — on the performance of Rwanda Governance Board (RGB)-registered Faith-Based Organisations in Gasabo District, Rwanda. A descriptive cross-sectional design employing a mixed-methods approach was adopted. The target population comprised 200 senior leaders and middle managers drawn from ten RGB-registered Christian ministries; using the Yamane (1967) formula, a sample of 133 respondents was drawn through purposive and stratified sampling. Data were collected using structured questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and focus group discussions, and were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression in SPSS Version 29, complemented by thematic analysis of qualitative data. A response rate of 95.5% was achieved (127 of 133 questionnaires). Correlation analysis showed significant positive relationships between organisational performance and change management (r = .612, p < .01), strategic planning (r = .589, p < .01), ethical leadership (r = .674, p < .01), and servant leadership (r = .641, p < .01). Multiple regression analysis indicated that the four practices jointly explained 62.4% of the variance in organisational performance (R² = .624, Adjusted R² = .612; F(4,122) = 51.43, p < .001), with ethical leadership emerging as the strongest individual predictor (β = .296, p < .001), followed by servant leadership (β = .271, p < .001), change management (β = .248, p = .001), and strategic planning (β = .201, p = .004). The study concludes that leadership management practices are critical determinants of FBO performance in Rwanda and recommends that FBO leaders institutionalise ethical accountability systems, strengthen servant-leadership development, embed strategic plans into routine management, and build change-management capacity to sustain organisational performance.

Africa’s creative economy, encompassing industries such as arts, culture, design, media, film, music, and fashion, has gained increasing prominence in recent years. Despite its strong potential for job creation and economic growth, the sector faces persistent challenges that hinder its full development. This introductory chapter examines the current state of Africa’s creative economy, identifying critical gaps, constraints, and emerging opportunities. It provides an overview of the creative economy concept, key definitions, and classification models, with a focus on the African context. The chapter also discusses Nigeria’s Nollywood film industry, illustrating both its global success and ongoing structural challenges. In general, key issues across Africa’s creative sectors include piracy and weak copyright enforcement, informality, limited infrastructure and technical expertise, and insufficient government support. However, opportunities for growth lie in the continent’s youthful and expanding population, vibrant creative talent, African-inspired innovations, increasing urbanisation, advances in artificial intelligence (AI), and the potential for digital technologies to unlock access to global markets. The chapter emphasises the need for more research and scholarship on Africa’s creative economy, as well as government policies and initiatives to support the sector’s growth. Recommendations include strengthening intellectual property (IP) protection, nurturing creative talent through education, improving access to finance, and developing context-specific models for the creative industries in Africa. The chapter concludes by highlighting the importance of recognising the creative economy’s value and harnessing its potential for inclusive and sustainable development across the continent.