Resilience and religion in children and youth in Southern Africa

Abstract

This article focuses on the relationship between religion and resilience in children and youth in difficult situations. The article builds on two data collections: (a) a retrospective study where preschool teacher students from Zambia and Swaziland wrote about a difficult period in their childhood and what made them to cope; and (b) an interview study where orphans in schools in Swaziland where interviewed about their situation and needs. The authors found a great number of spontaneous references to religion in the data. The article analyses the stories and interviews in the light of previous research and theory. The article shows how religion can have a great impact on children in crisis. It can be a source of vulnerability or resilience.

Keywords:

• resilience
• spirituality
• education
• childhood crisis
• religious coping