Interdisciplinary Journal of Rural and Community Studies

Health challenges and coping mechanisms of female street children in Harare, Zimbabwe

Dennis Mhuru — 2025-01-17

This study explored the health challenges and coping strategies of female street children aged between 8 and 15 years. Existing studies on street children have generally viewed the problems faced by both girls and boys. This paper contributes to this body of knowledge by investigating the phenomenon of street children from a gender perspective, specifically focusing on female street children in Harare, Zimbabwe. A qualitative approach was employed, and data were collected through 17 in-depth interviews. The findings indicate that female street children face challenges such as a lack of sanitary pads, poor diet, inadequate hygiene, and substandard living conditions, all of which often result in mental health problems. To cope with these challenges, female street children engage in drug use, undertake marginal work, scavenge, beg, and rely on donations from NGOs and the government. The findings also revealed that they use clothes as facemasks and consume lemons as coping mechanisms against health needs induced by COVID-19.

Rural students' pathways to higher tertiary education in Zimbabwe: Overcoming barriers, promoting inclusion and success

Nowell Chidakwa — 2025-01-17

Accessing higher tertiary education for rural students in Zimbabwe is a complex journey shaped by various socio-economic, cultural, and geographic factors unique to their circumstances. This study examines the experiences of rural students in accessing, participating in, and attaining higher tertiary education through the lens of Freire's theory of critical consciousness. It employs a critical emancipatory research paradigm, utilising participatory action research methodologies. Twenty participants were purposively selected and actively involved as co-researchers throughout the research process to identify empowering practices that can transform their educational realities. Data was collected using focus group discussions and Photovoice, allowing participants to share narratives and visually represent the barriers in their educational journeys. Critical discourse analysis revealed various factors that shape educational trajectories, such as geographic isolation, financial constraints, a lack of collegiate guidance, and the internalisation of negative perceptions about rural identities. Findings also highlighted protective factors, including strong family and community support systems, self-determined mindsets, and engagement with college-bridging programmes. Through critical dialogues, participants explored ways to challenge internalised stigmas and develop critical literacies to navigate systemic barriers. The PAR process enhanced participants' critical consciousness and enabled them to collectively generate rural student-led solutions for equitable educational access. The importance of adopting strengths-based and culturally sustaining approaches that amplify the voices of rural students in transforming policies and practices was highlighted. Importantly, this study demonstrated the emancipatory potential of PAR in fostering resilience and self-advocacy among rural students, thereby promoting higher tertiary education as a means for social and economic mobility.

The elusive ‘promised land’: South Africa’s rural community struggles after thirty years of democracy

Theodore Nkadimeng Mahosi — 2025-01-26

This study highlights the struggles of Black South Africans in rural communities, which define inequalities and socio-economic conditions thirty years after the first democratic elections in 1994, regardless of the ANC's promise of “a better life for all.” The purpose of discussing these challenges was to explore selected areas relevant to these issues as a delimitation. A closer look at the socio-economic history of a people reveals factors and circumstances that either promote, sustain, or challenge the livelihoods of a society or community, as in South Africa, race and geographical location define social status and quality of life. Such circumstances have particularly affected Black South African rural communities, who continue to experience abject poverty and destitution. This points to a departure from the Batho Pele Principles, which aimed to focus on socio-economic development programmes. The data used was ‘desktop’ from secondary sources, reports, and policy papers deemed relevant to the study and related to the experiences and struggles of rural communities against inadequate education, sustainable livelihoods, water and sanitation, and health, among others. The study concluded that, despite the gains of democracy, more needs to be done. An Afrocentric perspective was preferred because it is suitable for conceptualising, operationalising, and understanding social human problems such as rural community struggles outside the confines of Eurocentric knowledge ‘paternalism’. An Afrocentric method was used to present the findings of the study, based on the identified subtopics.

Reclaiming epistemologies of woundedness: Pain and the politics of knowledge in African higher education

Bonginkosi Hardy Mutongoza — 2025-03-07

This paper argues that epistemologies of woundedness are essential for transforming knowledge systems historically shaped by Eurocentric and exclusionary frameworks. It explores how wounded epistemologies disrupt traditional knowledge paradigms by centring the lived experiences of communities impacted by colonialism, systemic racism, and historical violence. In postcolonial societies, such as those in Africa, where the legacies of colonialism persist, epistemic healing becomes crucial in reclaiming Indigenous ways of knowing and addressing the psychological and cultural wounds inflicted by these histories. This paper advocates for actively decolonising education systems, curricula, and research practices to restore dignity to marginalised epistemologies and create inclusive spaces for diverse perspectives. Examining the implications for education, social justice, and knowledge production, the paper highlights the need for curricula that recognise Indigenous and African philosophies, dismantling colonial structures within academic institutions, and research practices that amplify voices traditionally excluded from scholarly discourse. Ultimately, the paper calls for a comprehensive rethinking of African knowledge validation processes to foster a more just, democratic, and inclusive intellectual landscape.

Enhancing harvested rainwater quality through nanofiltration and storage practices in a rural community

Raveen Rathilall — 2025-06-03

Water scarcity remains a persistent global challenge, particularly in rural communities where untreated harvested rainwater is often the primary source of water for domestic use. This study investigated cost-effective strategies to improve the quality of harvested rainwater in a selected rural community in South Africa. A sequential mixed-methods approach was adopted to explore the community’s existing rainwater harvesting practices, associated challenges, and perceptions of rainwater harvesting. The quantitative part of the study gathered data from 221 households through convenience sampling and was analysed using inferential statistics. The qualitative part of the study gathered insights from 16 interviews using convenience-based voluntary sampling and was analysed thematically. The results revealed that the majority of the households collected and stored rainwater using rooftop harvesting systems combined with plastic storage tanks. The harvested rainwater was primarily used for cooking, drinking, and cleaning. However, contamination from inadequate storage conditions, lack of filtration systems, and exposure to environmental pollutants frequently resulted in health-related concerns surfacing within the community. The study proposes using a simple wood-based nanofiltration system as a low-cost sustainable intervention to improve water quality. In addition, the study recommends promoting hygienic practices to reduce contamination risks and improving storage practices to preserve water quality. By advocating for accessible filtration technologies and encouraging safer water storage practices, the study contributes to the advancement of safe rainwater harvesting and sustainable water management in rural communities.

Navigating inclusive practices: Experiences of families with neurodiverse learners in early childhood in the Sarah Baartman District, Rural Humansdorp, South Africa

Deidre Geduld — 2025-07-18

Inclusive early childhood education for neurodiverse learners in rural Eastern Cape is under-researched, especially regarding family, educator, and community roles amid resource constraints. This study explores the lived experiences of families with neurodiverse children and examines how inclusive practices can be co-constructed through collective agency within a rural context. Employing Participatory Action Research (PAR) within a transformative paradigm, the study is guided by Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) to investigate how social, cultural, and historical factors shape family engagement with early education. Participants were purposefully selected and included all three early childhood educators at a local Early Childhood Development (ECD) centre, the Foundation Phase Head of Department at the nearby full-service school (to which the ECD centre serves as a feeder), three parents of neurodiverse learners (from five identified, with three consenting), and two community volunteers supporting the centre. Story circles provided dialogical spaces for participants to reflect on challenges and collaboratively develop contextually relevant, culturally responsive strategies. Key findings underscore the critical role of community support, the detrimental impact of limited resources on early intervention, and the influence of cultural beliefs on inclusive practices. The study highlights the potential of community-driven approaches that leverage local knowledge and relationships to enhance inclusion. This research contributes to the discourse on inclusive education by centring families and communities as active agents in shaping equitable, locally grounded practices. It advocates for stronger collaboration among stakeholders to promote the educational rights and holistic well-being of neurodiverse learners in rural settings.

Agricultural water access conflicts among smallholder farmers in the Western Cape, South Africa

Bongani Ncube — 2025-07-20

Despite extensive legal reforms to democratise water governance, smallholder farmers in South Africa face challenges in accessing productive water. This paper describes water access conflicts among smallholder farmers in fourteen (14) historical rural towns in the Western Cape. The study examined how historical injustices, socio-economic disparities, environmental concerns, and colonial legacies have influenced current water governance and access mechanisms. Using a qualitative-exploratory framework, smallholder farmers were interviewed one-on-one (n = 119) and through focus group discussions (n = 51) to explore their understanding of water governance and agricultural water access conflicts. The findings from participant narratives were analysed thematically using Atlas.ti. The study found that historical inequities, inadequate infrastructure, differing social identities, and exclusion from decision-making perpetuate water access disparities among smallholder farmers, leading to resource conflicts. Climate change has impacted farmers, who have limited adaptive capacity due to land ownership constraints and water access barriers. Participants highlighted how these systemic issues converge to undermine investment in water-saving technologies, sustain cycles of vulnerability, and create the potential for in-group and out-group conflicts. A nuanced understanding of how social identity, particularly ‘intra-ethnicity’, and land ownership influence water access is needed. We recommend equitable water allocation mechanisms, community-based participatory governance, and investments in infrastructure to mitigate conflicts and promote sustainable water management.