Rural children’s role in buffering household poverty through ganyu (piecework) in Zambia

Abstract

In Zambia, the ways in which social change intersects with rural livelihoods to increase children’s workload and commodify their labour are poorly understood. In this article, changing patterns of rural children’s work are seen as necessitated by their evolving household roles and contributions in an increasingly rural cash-based economy. Drawing on child-focused qualitative research in rural Lundazi district in Zambia, it is explored how children use a traditional labour practice called ‘ganyu’ (piecework) to ameliorate poverty. The infiltration of the cash-based economy, amplified by the Economic Structural Adjustment Programmes, a predominantly adult-centred traditional informal socio-economic levelling mechanism of ganyu, and its evolution into more cash-oriented transactions increasingly involving children are discussed. Although ganyu has largely been seen as characterized by exploitative labour relations, the empirical findings from this research indicate the complex ways in which the practice is empowering children and their families. The resources accrued through ganyu are vital for both personal and household well-being. The findings of this study have important implications to rethink not only contentious issues of child labour but also dominant narratives of childhood that fail to take into account children’s lived experiences as situated in local, social, economic, and cultural contexts.

Keywords:

• child-poverty
• household poverty
• ganyu
• child work
• monetization of labour
• Zambia

Notes

1 In Lundazi, food crops need to last most households until the next harvest in order for the household to have adequate consumption balance.

2 5ZMW is 5000ZMK in old currency that was rebased on 1 June 2013. Therefore, 5ZMW = 89 US cents as per oanda.com on 10 December 2013. Although some direct quotes may refer to old currency, all conversions are in new currency.

3 See also Bourdillon (2014) on the benefits of children’s work.