Narratives of resilience among learners in a rural primary school in Swaziland

Abstract

Drawing from the concepts of social constructionism, the article provides insights on how six purposively sampled Grade 6 vulnerable children, aged between 11-15, from povertystricken families, child-headed households and those allegedly orphaned by AIDS, resiliently navigated their schooling spaces and places in one rural, primary school in Swaziland. The article uses qualitative data from semi-structured individual and focus group interviews and a participatory research method, photovoice, to foreground narrative accounts of the vulnerable children's creative coping mechanisms aimed at overcoming the unfavourable circumstances of their schooling experiences. Despite facing some home-and school-based challenges, the vulnerable children were found to display deep-rooted resilience, with or without social support and aspiration for educational attainment, seen as a viable alternative for a better future. Creative coping mechanisms that vulnerable children adopted included calculated rebellion against abusive teachers and consignment to solitude or isolation when feeling overwhelmed by unpleasant experiences. It is recommended that support strategies should involve affirming vulnerable children's voice and resilience, drawing on how these children already creatively navigate their challenges.

Assessing sources of resilience in orphans and vulnerable children in Amajuba District schools

“…It is evident that future expectations, religion/spirituality, and personality types are sources of such resilient behaviour. This finding adds to the study of Motsa and Morojele (2017) who note that resilience is deep-rooted in OVCs with aspirations for a better future, and that in the absence of psychosocial support from caregivers and society or external structures to alleviate their plight, a sense of hope and optimism for a better tomorrow was a recourse to facilitate resilience and educational success (Malindi and Theron, 2010). Hence, instead of lamenting their unpleasant and vulnerable situation and dwelling on the negative, the OVCs were more focused on what their future promised and how to achieve it.…”

“…Notably, the majority of these OVCs are also victims of violent acts such as bullying, mental torture, sexual health risks, and ostracising by teachers as a result of their academic difficulties, thereby depriving them of access to quality education (Makhonza et al, 2019; Motsa & Morojele, 2017; Mwoma & Pillay, 2015). Despite these unfavourable circumstances that could lead to mental health problems, many OVCs appear to be resiliently navigating through their educational career and life space (Machenjedze, 2014).…”

“…Despite these unfavourable circumstances that could lead to mental health problems, many OVCs appear to be resiliently navigating through their educational career and life space (Machenjedze, 2014). Motsa and Morojele (2017) pointed out that resilience is deep-rooted in OVCs with or without aspiration for educational attainment and support for a viable, better future. To provide a foreground for this study, it is essential to assess the sources of resilience in OVCs that enable them to cope with their adverse life circumstances.…”

“…Also, the study by Motsa and Morojele (2017) examined the resilience of rural primary school learners in Swaziland. Their study adopted a qualitative research approach to gain insights into how six orphaned and vulnerable children in Grade 6, aged 11‒15 years, cope with their schooling challenges.…”

A Review of Approaches, Strategies and Ethical Considerations in Participatory Research With Children

“…photography, photovoice) offer an analytical component, it can be tokenistic if children’s involvement ends with data collection. Notably, some authors use photovoice so children can give further detail about specific photographs, while they conduct the analysis without children’s involvement (Joubert, 2012; Motsa, 2017)—effectively removing children from the analysis. This limitation of the photovoice method is echoed in the literature, with Nykiforuk et al, 2011, noting that the participatory nature of their photovoice project was limited regarding “the extent to which individual participants were involved in specific elements of the research” (p.117).…”