Who Is There For Me? Evaluating the Social Support Received by Adolescent Girls Transitioning From Institutional Care in Zimbabwe

Abstract

Adolescent girls draw resources from different stakeholders to meet their livelihood needs during and after institutional care. Thus, an understanding of the nature of social support being provided is important in addressing poverty in the institutional context. Using the DFID sustainable livelihood approach, this qualitative study evaluated the social capital being accessed by adolescent girls transitioning from two institutions in Harare, Zimbabwe. Institution A is state-owned whereas B is run by a non-governmental organisation. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with thirty-two adolescent girls (sixteen in care and sixteen care leavers) and two focus group discussions were held with eight girls in each participating institution. Results from the study suggest that due to limited capacity, lower levels of engagement by different transition stakeholders and a fragmented service delivery system, adolescent girls lack adequate social support during and after institutional care, resulting in poverty. To promote the achievement of sustainable livelihoods, the authors recommend the development of a service delivery model that provides a continuum of support to adolescent girls in the institutional context as a distinct social group and increased investments in transition research and programming.

Keywords:

• adolescent girls
• social capital
• stakeholders
• transition
• sustainable
• livelihoods
• institutional care

Acknowledgments

The doctoral study that informed this article was made possible by the scholarship awarded by Graca Machel Trust and Cannon Collins Educational and Legal Assistance Trust.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Pamhidzayi Berejena Mhongera

Pamhidzayi Berejena Mhongera is a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. She is an alumnus of the Echidna Global Scholars at the Brookings Institution and her research interests are on social and economic empowerment of vulnerable groups including children and families in adversity. Correspondence to: Pamhidzayi Berejena Mhongera, University of Pretoria, Department of Social Work and Criminology, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, South Africa. Email: [email protected]

Antoinette Lombard

Antoinette Lombard is a Professor in Social Work and Head of the Department Social Work and Criminology, University of Pretoria, South Africa. She is an established rated researcher by the South African National Research Foundation (NRF) and has more than 50 publications in national and international journals. Her research interests are developmental social work and social work education. Email: [email protected]