ABSTRACT
Mental health is increasingly recognized as a foundational element shaping the growth trajectories of African youth and influencing broader continental socioeconomic outcomes. Given that over 60% of many African nations’ populations are aged 15 to 24, the prevalence of mental disorders particularly depression and anxiety poses profound challenges to individual potential and collective development. This article synthesizes recent empirical evidence demonstrating the extent of mental health challenges among African youth, articulates their multifaceted impacts on education, employment, and social integration, and situates these within systemic barriers such as under-investment, cultural stigma, and policy neglect. The analysis further explores emerging regional initiatives and evidence based intervention models that advance pathways to resilience and productivity. Recommendations emphasize integrated policy frameworks, sustained resource allocation, and culturally responsive strategies to harness Africa’s demographic dividend sustainably.

ABSTRACT
The Nile River Basin, spanning eleven countries and supporting over 300 million people, faces escalating hydro-political tensions driven by climate change, infrastructure development, and regional power asymmetries. South Sudan, which contains approximately 2.5% of the basin's water resources, remains highly vulnerable due to internal conflict, institutional weaknesses, and limited influence in regional negotiations. Understanding how hydro-conflicts impact water governance is critical for promoting sustainable development and climate resilience in this fragile context. This study examines the influence of hydro-conflicts on water governance effectiveness in South Sudan, emphasizing institutional capacity, regional power dynamics, and environmental policy. It aims to identify strategic pathways for strengthening governance frameworks, fostering cooperation, and addressing the root causes of water insecurity. Using a qualitative comparative case study approach, the research integrates semi-structured interviews with 75 stakeholders including government officials, regional organizations, and local communities and systematic document analysis of policy frameworks and institutional reports. Thematic content analysis, supported by NVivo software, was employed to identify patterns and relationships. Theoretical frameworks such as hydro-hegemony, institutional theory, and social-ecological systems guide interpretation. Comparative insights from successful basin models like the Rhine were also incorporated. Historical colonial treaties, such as the 1929 and 1959 agreements, continue to favor upstream states like Ethiopia and Egypt, marginalizing South Sudan. Institutional fragmentation, with over seven overlapping agencies operating on just 2.3% of the national budget, hampers effective management. Regional power asymmetries, exemplified by Ethiopia’s construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), which aims to generate 6,450 MW of electricity,

ABSTRACT
This study critically examines the role and effectiveness of faith-initiated peacebuilding initiatives in South Sudan’s ongoing political conflicts. Since gaining independence in 2011, South Sudan has experienced persistent violence, with over 400,000 deaths and more than 4 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) as of 2023. Despite numerous peace agreements, including the 2015 Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (ARCSS), violence has resurged, exposing the fragility of peace processes and highlighting the need for alternative peacebuilding approaches. This research explores how faith-based organizations (FBOs) and religious leaders have contributed to peace efforts, leveraging their moral authority, community networks, and traditional reconciliation practices. The study employs a qualitative, multi-sited case study methodology across three regions: Juba, Jonglei State, and Central Equatoria, involving approximately 950 participants, including church leaders, government officials, traditional authorities, and community members. Data collection involved 91 semi-structured interviews, 16 focus group discussions, archival research, and discourse analysis, analyzed through thematic coding following Braun and Clarke approach. Empirical reviews included recent studies that documented faith-based interventions, revealing a median success rate of approximately 64–73% in mediating inter-ethnic disputes, with significant variations tied to community involvement, traditional leader participation, and resource mobilization. Key findings indicate that faith actors have played pivotal roles in high-level mediation, national advocacy, grassroots dialogue, and international ecumenical diplomacy. For example, the 1999 Wunlit Peace Conference, mediated by faith leaders, successfully fostered inter-ethnic reconciliation between the Dinka and Nuer communities, illustrating the potential of religious efforts to reduce violence and promote social cohesion. Howe

ABSTRACT
This study aimed to examine the influence of post-independence ethnic politics on displacement and security challenges in South Sudan through a qualitative approach. The purpose was to understand how ethnic identities and political power struggles contributed to displacement, insecurity, and societal instability since South Sudan’s independence in 2011. Guided by a phenomenological interpretivist paradigm, the research focused on capturing the perceptions and experiences of key stakeholders, including government officials, security personnel, and displaced community members, to provide nuanced insights into these complex issues. Several theoretical lenses informed the analysis: Ethnic Identity Theory, Conflict Theory, Security Dilemma, Human Security, and Postcolonial Theory. Ethnic Identity Theory explained how ethnic affiliations influenced perceptions and group behaviours, often fueling conflicts over political representation and resources. Conflict Theory highlighted systemic inequalities and resource competition that perpetuated violence. Security Dilemma Theory illustrated how efforts by groups to secure themselves inadvertently escalated tensions, creating cycles of mistrust. Human Security shifted focus from state-centric security to individual well-being, addressing vulnerabilities faced by displaced populations, including threats to health, livelihoods, and safety. Postcolonial Theory provided critical insights into how colonial legacies and external narratives sustained ethnic divisions and conflict dynamics in South Sudan. Methodologically, the study employed semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions in key urban centers such as Juba, Malakal, and Wau. A total of 237 participants were involved: 58 government officials, 58 university students, and 121 security commanders, selected through a combination of random and purposive sampling techniques. Data was analyzed thematically to identify patterns related to ethnic influence on political beha

ABSTRACT
This study aims to analyze the implementation of Batu City Regional Regulation No. 4 of 2023 concerning Regional Taxes and Levies, specifically in the restaurant tax sector, and to identify supporting and inhibiting factors in efforts to increase Regional Original Revenue (PAD). This study uses a descriptive qualitative approach with data collection techniques such as in-depth interviews, observation, and documentation. Data analysis was conducted thematically based on the Van Meter and Van Horn public policy implementation model, which includes six main variables: policy standards and objectives, resources, implementing agent characteristics, inter-organizational communication, socio-political conditions, and implementer dispositions. The results show that the implementation of the restaurant tax policy in Batu City has been quite effective, supported by the use of tapping box technology, the preparation of targets based on academic studies, and a persuasive approach to business actors. However, several obstacles remain, such as suboptimal supervision of restaurants in non-central areas, system manipulation by some taxpayers, and limited coordination across regional apparatus organizations. New findings in this study include the enormous potential for PAD from the village culinary sector that has not been fully explored, and the effectiveness of participatory education models in improving tax compliance. This study recommends strengthening location-based data collection systems, increasing human resource capacity, expanding taxable objects, and fostering cross-sector synergy to support policy implementation. Thus, optimizing restaurant taxes can be an effective fiscal strategy for achieving regional fiscal independence in Batu City.

ABSTRACT
This paper examines the mythologies and ritual practices surrounding death and burial among the Mbum people of Cameroon, situating these customs within broader African traditional understandings of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ death. In Mbum-land, as in many African societies, burial in one’s ancestral homeland is viewed as sacred and essential for maintaining lineage continuity and ancestral connection. Perceptions of death are shaped by the deceased’s social standing, age, cause of death, and the moral judgment of their life’s conduct. The study employs a qualitative methodology, relying on both primary and secondary sources. Data was collected through oral interviews with traditional authorities, title holders, and community members, as well as researchers’ observations during funeral ceremonies. These primary accounts are complemented by a critical review of existing literature, including works by scholars such as J.S. Mbiti, Victor Turner, Tanto Talla and Arnold van Gennep. Drawing on this interdisciplinary approach, the paper argues that funeral mythologies in Mbum society are not merely ceremonial but constitute a crucial expression of indigenous epistemology, social cohesion, and moral order. These traditions, though increasingly impacted by Christian influences and Westernization, remain foundational to the Mbum cultural identity.

ABSTRACT
Leadership is a dynamic aspect of society which needs a multifaceted approach for effectiveness. In the church, especially the Adventist church in Nyanchwa Station, South Kenya Conference, young people are not fully involved in leadership, which poses a great challenge for the future management of the church. This calls for a need to research on Adventist church youth strategies for leadership to that would open ways on the inclusion of the young people in the managerial positions of the church. This study was informed by Contingency Leadership Theory (CLT) by Fielder, which informs that leadership depends on other contingent factors. The target population was 300 respondents with a sample size of 169 informants. Censors, purposive and simple random were used as sampling techniques for specific respondents. The study found that the involvement of young people in the leadership of the church is a complex and multifaceted affaire that needs diverse church strategies for its realization. It recommended the Adventist church in Nyanchwa Station to provide young people opportunities to enable them acquire leadership skills and experiences for the good of the church.