Browsing by Subject "ubuntu"

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    A Developmental Social Work Practice Framework for Promoting Healthy Human Relationships for and Amongst Youth in South Africa
    (Springer, 2021-01-02) Gxubane, Thulane; Noyoo, Ndangwa
    Young people are exposed to various sources of vulnerabilities due to their stage of human development and their socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. They are often confronted with enormous social and peer pressures, as well as challenges of having to live up to the expectations of their families, community and society in general. These pressures and expectations usually result in intrapersonal and interpersonal conflicts. The former usually leads to intense anger, anxiety and sometimes depression which manifest in unhealthy relationships with the self. The latter usually contributes to destructive human relationships and interpersonal violence. Dysfunctional human relationships have a major negative impact on young people’s social functioning. Healthy human relationships are essential in establishing good social support systems, which could enhance young people’s sense of belonging and social functioning. A developmental practice paradigm requires social workers to promote the prevention of destructive human relationships, and to intervene as early as possible in ameliorating emerging troublesome human relationships. This chapter focuses on a developmental social work practice framework for promoting healthy human relationships for and amongst youth in South Africa. It proposes a developmental and restorative practice framework, which could promote resilience and healthy human relationships for and among youth.
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    Mobility, space and urbanism: a study of practices and relationships among migrants from African countries in Cape Town, South Africa
    (2023) Chekero, Tamuka; Nyamnjoh, Francis; Ross Fiona
    This study examines the ways in which migrants' diverse experiences in urban Cape Town are mediated by their mobility, movement, and circulation of necessary livelihood objects and ideas. I explore how social formations are individually and collectively created and co-created by migrants' daily interactions, encounters, experiences, and social dynamics in the city. The research is innovative in its deliberate option not to classify migrants based on their country of origin (except where necessary to explain the experiences of actors), thereby challenging stereotypes and preconceptions about African migrants and migration as “people out of place”. Data for this study were gathered using a multi-sited ethnography between 2019 and 2021. Numerous visits in various Cape Town neighbourhoods, observations, interactions, and participation in migrants' social activities, as well as formal and informal interviews and group discussions with a sample of Cape Town's migrant population, were used. The data gathered were analysed using the framework of incompleteness and conviviality, to understand how migrants in Cape Town foster and sustain social networks, such as hushamwari (friendship) and mutuality inspired by ubuntu. The empirical data reveals that the category “migrant” generates and reinforces particular kinds of “borders” and “boundaries” that limit and restrict the mobility potential, access to space and livelihood opportunities of the people so categorized. Some of these obstacles consist of profiling based on belonging and non-belonging, roadblocks set up by law enforcement and local hostilities that implicitly or overtly target them. Due to the precarious nature of their situation, migrant women are confronted with a greater number of challenges. In addition to these challenges, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic added another layer of difficulty to the problems that migrants face. Their livelihoods, sources of income, and as a direct result, remittances were all negatively impacted. In coping with the challenges, migrants form connections with diverse people and embrace various social networks, such as hushamwari, inspired by ubuntu and conviviality. Social networks are an important factor in assisting migrants in gaining access to opportunities for livelihood, sending available money and goods home (during the COVID-19 lockdown) and developing sociality. Even though social networks exist, they are not easily accessible to everyone and will not last indefinitely. They may suffer and strain since they are not immune to conflicts, friction and tension. Conflicting religious practices, beliefs, and values have been demonstrated to strain and pose challenges to migrant social networks. Though social networks may be disputed among migrants as a result of conflict, the social bonds made through conviviality, mutuality, hushamwari and ubuntu appear to be strong and promising. By embracing these concepts, this study portrays migrants as rational individuals who rely on numerous interconnections and creative interdependencies to survive in Cape Town. In conclusion, this study underscores that more than nationality, networks such as hushamwari, which are built on incompleteness, ubuntu, and conviviality are more important in the everyday interactions, encounters, and livelihood struggles of migrants, and it is important to foreground this in research on urbanism and its cosmopolitan imperative.
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    The mixed experiences of pregnant women with physical disabilities in accessing and utilising antenatal care services in rural south-western Uganda
    (2023) Nuwagaba, Ponsiano Kabakyenga; Clow, Sheila; Lorenzo, Theresa
    Background: In low- and middle-income countries, several environmental barriers impede accessibility to antenatal care (ANC) services for women with disabilities, yet ANC is a critical entry point for pregnant women to receive quality maternity care services. These barriers are more pronounced in rural areas than urban areas in Uganda. Although the World Health Organisation recommends that ANC services should be designed and continually improved based on locally generated data to address access barriers, the experiences of rural pregnant women with physical disabilities are largely undocumented. Aim: This study aimed to investigate the experiences of pregnant women with physical disabilities in accessing and utilising ANC services and suggest strategies for improving the services in rural south-western Uganda. Objectives: The study sought to: - describe the accessibility of ANC services - explain the utilisation of ANC services - explore the relationship between women with physical disabilities and health care providers - explore how women with physical disabilities and midwives understand disability and the provision of ANC services in rural south-western Uganda Methods: An interpretive qualitative study using a multiple case study design was conducted. Twelve women with physical disabilities and six midwives from three health facilities in Sheema district in south-western Uganda, East Africa, were selected as study participants. Women were sampled using snowball sampling. Midwives and health facilities (health centre III, health centre IV and general hospital) were sampled using purposive sampling. Data was gathered through in-depth face-to-face interviews with the women and midwives, a focus group discussion with the women, and direct observation of the physical environment at the three health facilities, from November 2020 to January 2021. Data was transcribed, translated, and thematically analysed with support of NVivo software. Ethical approval was obtained from University of Cape Town and Uganda National Council of Science and Technology, including a Risk Management Plan for preventing the transmission of Covid-19. Findings: Four themes were generated: 1. ‘Optimising wellbeing' was shaped by exercising agency, accessing family and community support, and aligning policy and practice. 2. ‘Undermining wellbeing' involved ignorance and mental ill-health (including emotional and spiritual oppression), sociocultural prohibitions, and inaccessible transport and mobility systems. 3. ‘Unresponsive ANC policy to women's specific needs' included the integrated nature of ANC services, unresponsive ANC policy, and unaccommodating health facility designs. 4. ‘Improving quality of ANC services' related to women's mixed experiences, preparing midwives and other health workers through education, training, and mentoring, and enabling disability inclusion for fit-for-purpose ANC services. Conclusion: Despite a few enablers optimising their wellbeing, rural pregnant women with physical disabilities experience many barriers that negatively impact on their pregnancy experiences and pregnancy health care. Women's spirituality is integral to their wellbeing. Justice, equity, and respect for their human dignity need to be underscored in ANC policy, health system and infrastructure planning, and midwifery education, training, and practice. The establishment of accessible quality ANC services within under-served areas benefits all women. The spirit of Ubuntu, which may facilitate women's participation and functioning at the family, community, and health facility levels, cannot be overemphasised. Going forward: An integrated framework for disability inclusive family- and communityfocused ANC services for rural communities is proposed. This framework needs to be tested to determine its efficacy in other rural African settings. A further study to explore the effectiveness of maternity waiting homes from the perspective of women with physical disabilities and the community in the context of rural Ugandan setting is suggested.