Poverty as it concerns women is often approached in terms of the three contributing
factors that have been underscored in the women-in-development and gender-and development (WID/GAD) literature: (1) the growth of female-headed households
(FHHs), (2) intra-household inequalities and bias against women and girls, and (3)
neoliberal economic policies, including structural adjustments and post-socialist
market transitions. This study focused on female-headed households (FHHs). The aim
of the study was to analyse the feminisation of poverty and the empowerment of
female-heads of households and the approaches that underpin them in Odi, a post genocide community. Located within an interpretivist paradigm, this study used a
qualitative research approach alongside a case study research design. The target
population was FHHs in Odi community. Semi-structured interviews (face-to-face) and
a focus group discussion (FGD) was used to generate data. A total of 17 participants
was purposively selected to participate in the study. Unique to this study are the
poverty policy guidelines that are proposed based on the findings that emanated from
the study. Amongst its findings, the study established that the experiences of female
heads of households who were participants in this study did not cloud their sense of
who they are and the impact that the environment has on their welfare and well-being.
To this end, they needed no one to tell them that they are poor and in light of that,
showed no anger when they stated that poverty has been “created” – mainly
influenced by the environment/government activities – and/or “inherited” – they believe
it is a continuation of their parents’ status. Through the power of self-perception,
narrative and reflection, as standpoint theory promotes, most participants indicated
that they were deprived of time to spend on their families and social events.
Accordingly, this deprivation fosters ageing and unhappiness – conditions that result
in people looking older than their age. In short, many of the participants stated that the
life they live is not the one they would choose but is the life chosen one for them, given
the fact that the situation in Odi community is detrimental to their well-being.
Nonetheless, they are hopeful that if they are empowered, they will be able to live a
good life, as Sen’s capability approach holds that capabilities can be enhanced.
Armoede onder vroue word dikwels bekyk op grond van die drie faktore wat in die
literatuur oor vroue in ontwikkeling (VIO) en gender en ontwikkeling (GEO) genoem
word: (1) ’n toename in die getal huishoudings met ’n vrou as gesinshoof (HVG’s); (2)
die ongelykheid van en vooroordeel jeens vroue in huishoudings; en (3) neoliberale
ekonomiese beleide, waaronder strukturele aanpassings en die oorgang na ’n post sosialistiese mark. Hierdie studie was gerig op huishoudings met ‘n vrou as gesinshoof
(HVG’s). Die feminisering van armoede en die bemagtiging van vroulike gesinshoofde
in Odi, ‘n gemeenskap wat die rassemoord oorleef het, sowel as die benaderings wat
hierin gevolg word, was die studieonderwerp. In hierdie studie word ‘n kwalitatiewe
benadering en ‘n gevallestudienavorsingsontwerp gevolg vanuit ’n interpretatiewe
paradigma. HVG’s in die Odi-gemeenskap was die teikenbevolking. Data is met
behulp van half gestruktureerde onderhoude (onder vier oë) en ‘n
fokusgroepbespreking (FGB) ingesamel. Die sewentien deelnemers aan hierdie
studie is doelbewus gekies. Riglyne vir ‘n armoedebeleid is op grond van die
bevindings van hierdie studie voorgestel. Daar is bevind dat die vroulike gesinshoofde
wat aan hierdie studie deelgeneem het, geen illusies gehad het oor wie hulle is en
watter uitwerking die omgewing op hulle welsyn en welstand het nie. Hulle was bewus
dat hulle behoeftig is. Die vroue was geensins wrokking toe hulle vertel het dat hulle
armoede “geskep” en/of “oorgeërf” is nie. Na hulle mening is hulle armoede deur die
omgewing en regeringsbeleid “geskep”, en het hulle hul armoede van hulle ouers
“oorgeërf”. Uit die krag van hulle selfbeskouing, selfbesinning en vertellings, soos die
standpuntteorie aanvoer, het die meeste deelnemers te kenne gegee dat hulle min tyd
het om by hulle gesinne te wees en sosiale gesellighede by te woon. Hulle ontberings
gee aanleiding tot verdriet en voortydige veroudering – die deelnemers lyk veel ouer
as wat hulle in werklikheid is. Lewensomstandighede in die Odi-gemeenskap
benadeel hulle welstand en baie deelnemers het laat blyk dat hulle hul lewens nie self
gekies het nie, maar dat dit vir hulle gekies is . Nogtans is hulle hoopvol. Hulle glo dat
as hulle net bemagtig kan word, sal hulle lewens verbeter. Dit strook met Sen se
vermoëbenadering en siening dat vermoëns verbeter kan word.
Ubumpofu maqondana nabesifazane kuvame ukusondelwa kubo ngokwezici
ezintathu ezinomthelela eziye zagcizelelwa emibhalweni yokuthuthukiswa
kwabesifazane nobulili nokuthuthukiswa (WID/GAD): (1) ukukhula kwemindeni
ephethwe abesifazane (FHHs); (2) ukungalingani kwangaphakathi kwekhaya kanye
nokuchema kwabesifazane namantombazane; kanye (3) nezinqubomgomo
zezomnotho nezokuncishiswa kwezindleko zikahulumeni, okuhlanganisa ukulungiswa
kwesakhiwo kanye noguquko lwemakethe yangemva yezindlela zokukhiqiza
nokusabalalisa ezilawulwa umphakathi. Lolu cwaningo lugxile kwabesifazane
abayizinhloko zemindeni (FHHs). Inhloso yalolu cwaningo wukuhlaziya
ukucindezelwa kobumpofu kwabesifazane kanye nokufukula abesifazane
abayizinhloko zemindeni kanye nezindlela ezibasekela e-Odi, umphakathi wangemva
kokubulawa ngokobuzwe. Njengoba kufakwe ngaphakathi indlela yemvelo
yokuqoqwa kwemininingwane njengezingxoxo nokubhekwa, lolu cwaningo
lusebenzise indlela yocwaningo yokuqoqa nokuhlaziya imininingwane engezona
izinombolo ehambisana nendlela yocwaningo esetshenziselwa ukukhiqiza ukuqonda
okujulile, okunezici eziningi zendaba eyinkimbinkimbi empilweni yayo yangempela.
Inani labantu okuhloswe ngalo kwakungama-FHH emphakathini wama-Odi. Izingxoxo
ezihlelwe kancane (ubuso nobuso) kanye nengxoxo yeqembu okugxilwe kuyo (FGD)
zisetshenziswe ukwenza imininingwane. Isamba sabahlanganyeli abangu-17
bakhethwa ngenhloso ukuthi babambe iqhaza ocwaningweni. Okuhlukile kulolu
cwaningo imihlahlandlela yenqubomgomo yobumpofu ehlongozwayo ngokusekelwe
kulokho okutholwe okuphuma ocwaningweni. Phakathi kokutholakele, ucwaningo
lwathola ukuthi okuhlangenwe nakho kwabesifazane abayizinhloko zemindeni
ababebambe iqhaza kulolu cwaningo akuzange kufiphaze umuzwa wabo wokuthi
bangobani kanye nomthelela imvelo enawo enhlalakahleni nasekunethezekeni
kwabo. Kuze kube manje, bebengadingi muntu ozobatshela ukuthi bampofu futhi
ngenxa yalokho, abazange bakhombise ukuthukuthela lapho bethi ubumpofu
“badalwa” - ikakhulukazi buthonywe imvelo/imisebenzi kahulumeni - kanye/noma “ifa”
– bakholelwa ukuthi kuwukuqhubeka kwesimo sabazali babo. Ngamandla okuzibona,
okulandisa kanye nokuzindla, njengoba inkolelo-mbono ikhuthaza, iningi
labahlanganyeli libonise ukuthi lalincishwa isikhathi sokuchitha nemindeni yabo kanye
nemicimbi yokuzijabulisa. Ngokunjalo, lokhu kuncishwa kukhuthaza ukuguga
nokungajabuli - izimo eziholela ekutheni abantu babukeke bebadala kuneminyaka
yabo. Ngamafuphi, iningi lababambe iqhaza liveze ukuthi impilo abayiphilayo akuyona
abangayikhetha kodwa yimpilo abakhethelwe yona, ngoba isimo sasendaweni yase Odi silimaza ukunethezeka kwabo. Noma kunjalo, banethemba lokuthi uma benikwa
amandla, bazokwazi ukuphila impilo enhle - njengoba indlela yekhono likaSen ibamba
ukuthi amakhono angathuthukiswa.
