Research with childheaded households in rural Zimbabwe:

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Research with child-headed households in rural
Zimbabwe
methodological issues and challenges
Monica Francis-Chizororo mc62_at_st-andrews.ac.uk
or chizororo_at_yahoo.co.uk
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Background
Research Title The Social Dynamics and
Experiences of Child-Headed Households in the Era
of HIV/AIDS in rural Zimbabwe
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• Research Questions
• How did the child-headed households evolve?
• What is the structure and constitution of the
  CHHs?
• How do the orphaned children manage their
  households (in terms of their socialisation
  process, household gender relations and survival
  means)?

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Research Methodology
Fig 1 Data Collection Process
Stage 2 Life History Interviews
Stage 7 Key Informant Interviews
Stage 3 Participatory Diagramming techniques
Stage I Participant Observation
Stage 6 Drama
Stage 4 Focus Group Discussions
Stage 5 Essay Writing
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Aim of the Presentation

• Issues Arising
• Sampling or recruitment of research participants
• Appropriateness of research techniques used
• Empathy and Reciprocity

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• Identification of research participants

• Further marginalisation
• Possible exploitation of CHHs
• If it was not because of me, you would not be
  participating in this research.

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• Appropriateness of techniques used

Participation facilitated rapport and trust with
the children
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Active participation increased the depth of
understanding through doing as well as observing
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• Appropriateness of techniques used

By the end of the research I had become the
childrens mother, sister, mother-in-law, a
friend, etc
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In-depth interviews brought memories that often
led to the orphans (including the researcher)
crying
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I did not realise that there were other children
heading a household. It was an eye opener (HB)
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3. Empathy and Reciprocity
. I had to make reasoned decisions such as
giving assistance instead of remaining impartial
and sticking to regulative codes of ethic
procedures (Murphy and Dingwall, 2001)
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Conclusion

• This work is difficult and full of tension,
  contradictions, etc.
• However
• We need to listen to childrens voices

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Acknowledgements

• University of St Andrews and the Russell Trust
  (Scotland-UK)
• Tsungirirai-Zimbabwe
• All the CHILDREN