“It’s because they care”:Understanding pathways to classroom concentration problems among HIV-affected children and youth in western Kenya

Children and young people living in households affected by HIV are experiencing poorer educational outcomes compared to their peers. This article explores how different forms of marginalisation interface and manifest themselves in classroom concentration problems, undermining their education. This mixed qualitative methods study was conducted with teachers and pupils from three primary and three secondary schools in the Siaya County of Western Kenya. Specifically, it involved 18 teachers through individual interviews and 51 HIV-affected children and youth through individual interviews (n = 47) and Photovoice (n = 51). Verbatim transcripts were imported into NVivo10 for thematic indexing and analysis. The analysis revealed three core pathways to classroom concentration problems amongst HIV-affected pupils. One, a general ‘lack of care’ and neglect in the context of household poverty and illness, meant that many of the participating pupils went to school hungry, unable to follow classes. Others were teased by peers for looking visibly poor, and felt anxious when in school. Two, some HIV-affected pupils play a key role in keeping their household afloat, generating food and income as well as providing practical support. ‘Caregiving’ pupils often reported coming to school exhausted, with limited physical and mental energy left for learning. Three, many participating pupils had their minds at home (‘caring about’). They were concerned about sick or frail household members, thinking about their next meal and care needs. Although the pupils demonstrated an admirable attentiveness to the needs of others, this came at a heavy price, namely their ability to concentrate in class. The paper argues that care ethics, household poverty and familial HIV are central to understanding the classroom concentration problems of HIV-affected pupils. To ensure school-going children and youth affected by HIV have the same opportunities as their peers, education initiatives must simultaneously alleviate both household poverty and other challenges pertaining to familial HIV

Young carers in Western Kenya: collective struggles and coping strategies

Whilst young caregiving in Africa is not a new phenomenon, research exploring the circumstances and well-being of young carers in Africa is recent and remains scarce. However, similar to studies about orphaned children, the literature on young carers has a tendency to represent them as vulnerable and passive victims at risk of poor mental health, downplaying structural problems such as poverty and undermining the active participation of children and community members in building resilience. This thesis contributes to an already emerging critical trend that seeks to counterbalance this narrow focus by exploring how children, through an interaction with their social environment, cope with difficult circumstances. In doing so, the thesis addresses conceptual gaps in the coping literature and develops, through an iterative process, a social psychology of coping. This thesis draws on a participatory action research project that involved 48 children and 16 adults from two rural communities in the Bondo district of Kenya. Data were collected through multiple methods (daily diagrams, historical profiles, community mapping, photovoice, draw-and-write exercises, essay writing, individual interviews and group discussions) over a two-year period. The thesis provides an example of how research can be conducted through an intervention and in partnership with an NGO, illustrating how socio-ethical research can be conducted in a poor rural African setting. A thematic content analysis reveals the complex nature of caregiving and brings forward new empirical findings of young carers, including the continuity of their caregiving experiences, socio-cultural influences on caregiving as well as the kind of care they provide. The analysis also reveals some of the social and psychological coping strategies that the children draw upon. These include the children�s ability to mobilise social support, engage in income-generating activities and build positive identities based around a social recognition of their responsibilities. As a result of these empirical accounts, the thesis concludes that the ability of a child to cope is shaped by 1) the on-going negotiation between individual and community which shapes a person�s identity and access to local support networks and resources to tackle adversity, 2) the quality of the community they live in and its ability to share resources and 3) the children�s different abilities to negotiate community support. This social psychological conceptualisation of coping opens up new levels of analysis for research and intervention, which take account of the need to identify and bolster the social psychological resources evident within communities that can facilitate or hinder support. To strengthen the resilience and coping of young carers and their communities, the thesis points towards the viability of community-based capital cash transfer programmes and gives detail to the social psychological resources that can facilitate or hinder the building of orphan competent communities

“Free” primary education in Kenya: social inequalities in the making

Dr Morten Skovdal of University of Bergen and LSE says it is a matter of urgency that the Kenyan government makes sure that free primary education stays free

Children's role in the community response to HIV in Zimbabwe

Introduction: Recent debates on how to achieve an optimal HIV response are dominated by intervention strategies that fail to recognize children’s role in the community response to HIV. Whilst formal responses are key to the HIV response, they must recognize and build on indigenous community resources. This study examines adult’s perspectives on the role of children in the HIV response in the Matobo District of southern Zimbabwe. Methods: Through a mix of individual interviews (n = 19) and focus group discussions (n = 9), 90 community members who were active in social groups spoke about their community response to HIV. Transcripts were subjected to a thematic analysis and coding to generate key concepts and representations. Findings: In the wake of the HIV epidemic, traditional views of children’s social value as domestic ‘‘helpers’’ have evolved into them being regarded as capable and competent actors in the care and support of people living with HIV or AIDS, and as integral to household survival. Yet concurrent representations of children with excessive caregiving responsibilities as potentially vulnerable and at risk suggest that there is a limit to the role of children in the HIV response. Conclusion: Community volunteers and health staff delivering HIV services need to recognize the ‘‘behind the scene’’ role of children in the HIV response and ensure that children are incorporated into their modus operandi — both as social actors and as individuals in need of support

Qualitative research for development: a guide for practitioners

How do we know whether our development programmes are reducing poverty and empowering the most vulnerable people? What evidence do we have to support our theory of change? Qualitative research for development aims to build the research capacity of development practitioners so that their work benefits from the significant contributions offered by solid qualitative research. The book guides development practitioners through the process of planning, conducting and reporting on a qualitative study, whilst simultaneously highlighting the role of qualitative research in improving the impact, quality and accountability of development programmes. It covers in detail data collection methods such as Participatory Learning and Action, Photovoice, Individual Interviews, Focus Group Discussions and Observations. It demystifies qualitative research and builds the skills and confidence of development practitioners to use qualitative methods authoritatively, and to communicate findings to different audiences. The book draws on considerable hands-on experience and incorporates case studies from Save the Children and other international organizations to illustrate 'good practice'. To facilitate learning, all the chapters include a series of practical activities that can help the reader to engage actively with the material. This book is an indispensable learning tool for all development practitioners within NGOs and government departments, as well as researchers and students engaged with applied qualitative research in the context of development

Beyond education: what role can schools play in the support and protection of children in extreme settings?

This paper seeks to contribute to the development of the field of ‘schools in extreme settings’ as a specific problem space for research that informs school-focused policies and interventions to support children in adversity. Through a review of articles in this issue of International Journal of Education Development, we argue that such a field can facilitate a much needed discussion on the role of schools in supporting and protecting vulnerable children, highlighting how schools both contribute to and actively address disadvantages and hardship facing children. We end the paper by charting out key research areas for the field. We caution against earmarking schools and teachers as actors responsible for ameliorating the impacts of complex social problems in the absence of efforts to embed schools in supportive local community, national and global responses to support such a trend