Experiences, challenges, and coping strategies of Zimbabwean mothers caring for their minor children without family support whilst residing in South Africa

Abstract

Background to the study: Family support and Zimbabwean migration is commonly alluded to by various researchers globally and in South Africa. The reason for migration is mainly financial opportunities. One of the common encounters migrants come across is the lack of support from family members left behind. There is a deficiency of research assessing the experiences, challenges, and coping strategies of Zimbabwean mothers caring for their minor children without family support whilst in South Africa. Research is required as the number of Zimbabwean mothers migrating to South Africa is not decreasing, and the challenges they experience add to the overwhelming high volumes of cases needing social service intervention. Aim: The research aimed to investigate the experiences, challenges and coping strategies of Zimbabwean mothers caring for their minor children without family support. Methods: Qualitative research methods were employed to explore and describe the experiences, challenges and coping strategies of Zimbabwean mothers caring for children without family support whilst residing in South Africa. A qualitative study from phenomenological research design supported by explorative, descriptive, and contextual strategies was implemented. The theoretical framework underpinned by the strength based approach and coping theory to guide this study was employed. The population is comprised of Zimbabwean mothers who are caring for their children. Purposive and snowball sample selection was applied, and data was collected by conducting semi structured interviews inclusive of open-ended questions enclosed in an interview guide. The six stages of data analysis proposed by Clarke and Braun (2013) were applied and for data verification, Guba’s model was implemented (cited in Bryman 2016). Ethical principles such as informed consent, confidentiality, anonymity, and compensation management of information were adhered to and participants in need of debriefing were referred. Results: The results of the research study revealed certain themes such as family relationships and relationships with community members; source of income; experiences of Zimbabwean mothers about lack of family support; emotional expressions and emotions about lack of family support; challenges encountered without family support; emotional feelings from experiences and challenges due to lack family support; adopted strategies to cope with challenges and experiences about lack of support from family members. There were varying and common events in their responses that contributed to the presentation of this report. Summaries, conclusions and recommendations for social workers, education and continued development training and future research were deliberated.

Lemorago la patlisiso eno: Badiradipatlisiso ba le bantsi mo lefatsheng le ka mo nageng ya Aforika Borwa ba a tle ba kwale dipatlisiso mo ba umakang ntlha ya go ema nokeng malapa a baagi ba kwa nageng ya Zimbabwe ba ba direlang kgakala le legae la bona. Gore batho ba direle kgakala le magae a bona go le gantsi ke ka ntlha ya gore ba kgone go iponela madi a ba ka iphedisang ka ona. E nngwe ya dikgwetlho tse batho ba ba direlang kgakala le magae a bona ba kopanang le yona ke go se enngwe nokeng ke balelapa ba ba setseng kwa gae. Ga go na dipatlisiso tse di phuruphutshang seo bomme ba kwa Zimbabwe ba itemogelang sona, dikgwetlho tse ba kopanang le tsona le gore ke eng se ba se dirang gore ba kgone go itshokela seno jaaka ba malapa a bona ba sa ba thuse go godisa bana ba bona fa bona ba tlile mo tirong mo nageng ya Aforika Borwa. Go botlhokwa gore go diriwe dipatlisiso ka ga seno gonne palo ya bomme ba kwa Zimbabwe ba ba tswelela go nna ba ntse ba tla go batlana le ditiro ka fa nageng ya Aforika Borwa ga e fokotsege e bile dikgwetlho tse ba kopanang le tsona di oketsa mathata a mantsi a ba nang le ona a a tlhokang go thusiwa ka ditirelo tsa tlhokomelo ya baagi. Maikemisetso a patlisiso: Maikemisetso a patlisiso eno ke go phuruphutsha seo bomme ba kwa Zimbabwe ba itemogelang sona, dikgwetlho tse ba kopanang le tsona le gore ke eng se ba se dirang gore ba kgone go itshokela seno jaaka ba malapa a bona ba sa ba thuse go godisa bana ba bona fa bona ba tlile mo tirong. Mekgwa e e dirisitsweng mo patlisisong: Mo patlisisong eno go dirisitswe mekgwa ya go dira dipatlisiso ka go ela maemo tlhoko mme ka yona go etswe tlhoko maitemogelo a bomme ba kwa Zimbabwe le go tlhalosa maitemogelo a bona, dikgwetlho tse ba kopanang le tsona le gore ke eng se ba se dirang gore ba kgone go itshokela seno jaaka ba malapa a bona ba sa ba thuse go godisa bana ba bona fa bona ba tlile mo tirong mo nageng ya Aforika Borwa. Go dirisitswe mokgwa wa go dira dipatlisiso ka go ela tlhoko maitemogelo a batho ba bangwe mme ona o tshegediwang ke maano a go ela tlhoko, a go tlhalosa le a go bua ka seo patlisiso e ikaegileng ka sona. Mo go kaeleng patlisiso eno go dirisitswe kakanyo ya leano la go tsamaisa tiro e e itshetlegileng bogolosegolo ka dikgato tsa go tla ka ditharabololo mmogo le kakanyo ya dikgato tsa go itshoka. Batho ba dipatlisiso tseno di dirilweng mo go bona ke bomme ba kwa Zimbabwe ba ba ikgodisetsang bana ba bona. Go dirisitswe dikgato tse maitlhomo a tsona e leng go fitlhelela ntlha e e rileng mmogo le dikgato tsa go dira dipatlisiso tse di golaganeng, mme tshedimosetso e bokeleditswe ka go tshwara dikopano le batho ba go diriwang dipatlisiso ka bona go ba botsolotsa dipotso tse di botlhotshwana tse di tsentsweng ka fa teng ga lenaneo la dipotsolotso. Go dirisitswe gape le dikgato di le thataro tsa go sekaseka tshedimosetso tse di kwadilweng ke Clarke le Braun (2013), mme go netefatsa boammaruri jwa tshedimosetso eno go dirisitswe mokgwa wa netefatso ya boammaruri jwa tshedimosetso wa Guba o o fitlhelwang mo go (Bryman 2016). Go latetswe gape le metheo yotlhe ya maitsholo a a amogelesegileng a go dira patlisiso a a jaaka go neelwa tetla ya go ka dira patlisiso ke batho ba o dirang patlisiso ka bona, go netefatsa gore tshedimosetso e e ka ga bona ga e pepesiwe gotlhe, go fitlha maina a bona a nnete, go latela thulaganyo ya go duelela bao ba neelaneng ka tetla ya go dirisa tshedimosetso ya bona. Batho botlhe ba ba tsayang karolo mo patlisisong eno ba ba tlhokang go tlhalosetswa gape ka botlalo mosola wa patlisiso eno le bona ba tseetswe matsapa a go tlhalosetswa. Dipoelo tsa patlisiso eno: Dipoelo tsa patlisiso di ribolotse dintlha tse di rileng: go utlwana ga masika le baagi mo motseng; fo megolo e tswang teng; maitemogelo a bomme ba kwa Zimbabwe ba ba sa thusiweng go godisa bana; ka fao ba ntshang botlhoko jo ba bo utlwang le ka fao ba sa thusiweng ke masika a bona; dikgwetlho tse ba kopanang le tsona ka ntlha ya go se thusiwe ke ba maseika a bona; kutlobotlhoko e ba leng mo go yona ka ntlha ya maitemogelo a bona le dikgwetlho e leng ka ntlha ya go se thusiwe ke masika a bona; dilo tse ba di dirang gore ba kgone go itshokela mathata a go se enngwe nokeng ke bamalapa le masika. Mo dikarabong tse ba di neileng, e leng tsona tse di dirileng gore go kgonagale gore go tlhagisiwe pegelo eno, go ne go na le mo dikarabo tsa bona di neng di tshwana le mo dikarabo tsa bona di neng di farologana. Mo pegelong eno go samaganwe le ditemana tsa tshosobanyo, tsa go garela kgang le tsa ditshitshinyo go tswela mosola batlhankedi ba ba thusang baagi, barutabana le go thusa mo mererong ya katiso ya go tsweletsa tlhabologo le ya dipatlisiso tsa mo isagong.