An analysis of the effects of parent emigration on the social security of children left behind: the case of Highfield, Harare in Zimbabwe

Abstract

This study examined the perspectives of caregivers on how parental emigration impacts the social security of children left behind in Highfield, Zimbabwe. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews with caregivers, as well as focus group discussions with teachers and social workers respectively, were used to obtain qualitative data. To select the research participants, the study employed a non-probability sampling technique through purposive sampling. The study drew upon three theories as a theoretical lens to contextualise the findings: Bowen's Family Systems Theory, Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Family Systems Theory, and the theory of motivation from Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. As part of the qualitative research, thematic analysis was used to describe the effects of parental emigration on the social security of the children left behind. Findings reveal the varying, complex, and perpetual social security challenges children face in the absence of their parents since, in Zimbabwe, there are no specific social security policies in place for such children who are left behind. Various stakeholders, including caregivers, communities, emigrant parents, government, and non-governmental organisations, must play a leading role in protecting the children left behind, as the social security that they can provide guarantees that the children will thrive, even when their parents are absent due to parental emigration.

In hierdie studie is by kinderversorgers verneem watter invloed ouers se emigrasie op die bestaansekerheid van hulle agtergeblewe kinders in Highfield, Zimbabwe uitoefen. Kwalitatiewe data is verkry deur in lewende lywe halfgestruktureerde onderhoude met kinderversorgers te voer en groepbesprekings met afsonderlik onderwysers en maatskaplike werkers te organiseer. ‘n Doelgerigte onwaarskynlikheidsteekproef is gedoen om deelnemers aan die navorsing te kies. Die bevindings word volgens drie teorieë vertolk: Bowen se Gesinstelselteorie, Bronfenbrenner se teorie van Ekologiese Gesinstelsels, en die Motiveringsteorie wat uit Maslow se hiërargie van behoeftes spruit. As deel van die kwalitatiewe navorsing is die uitwerking van hul ouers se emigrasie op hulle agtergeblewe kinders se bestaansekerheid tematies ondersoek. Daar is bevind dat verskeie komplekse en ewigdurende bestaansprobleme agtergeblewe kinders in die gesig staar. Aangesien Zimbabwe geen welsynsbeleid vir hulle het nie, behoort emigrantouers, kinderversorgers, die samelewing, die staat en nieregeringsorganisasies hulle kragte saam te snoer om die bestaan van agtergeblewe kinders te verseker.

Dinyakišišo tšedi hlahlobile diponego tša bahlokomedi mabapi le gore phalalo ya batswadi e huetša bjang tšhireletšego ya leago ya bana bao ba šetšego kua Highfield, Zimbabwe. Dipotšišo tšeo di lokologilego tšeo di botšišitšwego bahlokomedi ka o tee ka o tee, le dipoledišano tša dihlopha tša dikgahlego tša go swana gammogo le tša barutiši le badirelaleago ka go fapana ga bona, di šomišitšwe go hwetša tshedimošo goba datha ya boleng. Go hlaola bakgathatema ba dinyakišišo, nyakišišo ye e šomišitše mokgwa wa go kgetha batho ka go lekana, ka go ba kgetha go ya ka lebaka. Dinyakišišo di šomišitše diteori tše tharo bjalo ka Teori ya Mananeotshepedišo a Lapa a Bowen, Teori ya Mananeotshepedišo a Tikologo ya Lapa a Bronfenbrenner, le teori ya tlhohleletšo go tšwa go Maemo a Dinyakwa a Maslow. Bjalo ka karolo ya nyakišišo ya boleng, tshekatsheko ya dihlogotaba tša diteng e šomišitšwe go hlaloša ditlamorago tša phalalo ya batswadi go tšhireletšego setšhabeng ya bana bao ba šilwego morago. Dipoelo di tšweletša dihlotlo tša go fapafapana, tše di raraganego le tše di tšwelago pele tša tšhireletšego setšhabeng ya bana, tšeo bana ba lebanago le tšona ge batswadi ba se gona, ka ge kua Zimbabwe, go se na dipholisi tše di itšego tša tšhireletšego setšhabeng ya bana tšeo di lego gona mabapi le bana bao ba šilwego morago. Bakgathatema ba go fapafapana, go akaretšwa bahlokomedi, ditšhaba, batswadi ba bafaladi, mmušo, gammogo le mekgatlo ye e sego ya mmušo, ba swanetše go raloka karolo ya boetapele ya go šireletša bana bao ba tlogetšwego morago, ka ge tšhireletšego ya leago yeo ba ka fanago ka yona e netefatšgo gore bana ba tla tšwela pele, le ge batswadi ba se gona ka lebaka la phalalo ya batswadi.