Testing water in poor or emergency areas
UNSW research can immediately determine if water is drinkable in emergency relief or poor areas where human waste could be contaminating the water supply, contrasting with the three days it normally takes to test water, limiting the spread of disease and saving lives.
Land conflict in Uganda
Having surveyed northern Uganda, UNSW has identified the causes of land conflict in the region and has come up with two interventions, charcoal kilns and bee farming, that will reduce violence, better sustain food and forest supplies, and provide income for community members.
Helping developing country regulators to advance financial inclusion by promoting the delivery of financial services over mobile devices
Ross is helping developing countries to regulate and support the delivery of financial services by mobile device, helping citizens to save significant amounts of time and money in making their financial transactions, while also minimising corruption and theft.
Summer School Exchange in Uganda
Improving tax research and education
Chris conducts workshops for tax research students at the University of Pretoria, advises and mentors PhD students, and arranges symposia where they and other academics from across Africa can learn from international stars of the tax research world, lifting research, education and publication standards.
Assessing water quality in Tanzania
Fiona was part of a global team that assessed the relationship of a weather and climate variability with water quality from a number of different water sources in Tanzania, demonstrating the key contributor to poor water quality is storage in the household.
Creating communication signals to keep wildlife away from farmed cattle, conserving wildlife and cattle numbers
UNSW is simulating wildlife communication signals to minimise wildlife and cattle conflict around the Okavango Delta, reducing the killing of both to ensure to the sustainability of local farming and the local tourism sector that relies on the presence of wildlife in country where tourism is the second biggest industry after mining.
Applying scientific and stakeholder management approaches to ensure the sustainability of the Okavango river system and surrounding wildlife
Projects by UNSW researchers around the Okavango River are assisting governments in managing this vital water resource that is under threat, protecting the wildlife and tourism industries that rely on it for the long term.
Studying the movements and behaviours of hippos around The Okavango River in Botswana
UNSW is pioneering the research of hippo behaviour, making a big step towards preserving hippos in Botswana and across Africa for the long term as the human population expands and poses an increasing threat to hippo habitats and numbers.
Facilitating the training of Africa-based PhD students
Jerry is facilitating the training and education of Africa-based Masters and PhD students, helping to plug the brain drain from African universities and lift overall academic standards for the long term.
Training university teachers, mainstreaming of women’s roles in the farming sector and empowerment of women in business
Prem is training university teachers in Uganda to help enhance the quality of teaching and lift the standard of graduates. She is also researching women’s roles in the workplace in Africa around issues of gender equity, roles and opportunities for women, and training for capacity building and empowerment.
Screening for cervical and breast cancer and training of nurses and surveying women about domestic violence and reproductive health
Robyn and her team have launched a cervical and breast cancer screening service for women in northern Uganda, helping to curb alarmingly high rates of deaths from both. They are also surveying women about domestic violence and reproductive health to inform policy and services that improve women’s health.
Selling solar systems under a PAYG model, and helping villages to form cooperatives to access better finance, and energy and agricultural prices
To help Malawians access much needed energy, Shanil has co-founded a start-up that sells solar systems to households under a friendly pay-as-you-go (PAYG) model. His other start-up helps villages in Malawi to form cooperatives and adopt permaculture practices, increasing their quality of life.
Determine the impact of refugees, and causes of land conflict and potential solutions
Having determined the positive impact refugees have on the local population in Kenya, Sarah is now working with Anne Bartlett on ways for Ugandan locals to reduce the number of trees used in charcoal production, helping to limit deforestation and promote a healthier relationship between locals and their land.
Educating about the benefits of physical activity and diet programs for people with severe mental illness, and implementing programs around both
Phil provided workshops for hospital staff and medical students in Uganda about the benefits of physical activity and healthy eating for people living with mental illness, and he plans to create a gym at the main psychiatric hospital to improve patient well-being and help address cultural stigmas around mental illness.
