Dominik’s Radio Times

Feature

Child-Headed Households In Zimbabwe

Feature
Feature
Programme
Community Chest
Date
31 October 2008

About this feature

In this episode of Community Chest, Dominik speaks with Andrew Mavisa about the rise of child-headed households in Zimbabwe caused by the HIV and AIDS epidemic. The discussion explores the survival strategies these children employ, the impact of extreme hyperinflation on aid organizations, and the risks associated with HIV and AIDS through the song 'Injuga'.

In this episode of Community Chest, Dominik speaks with Andrew Mavisa regarding the rise of child-headed households in Zimbabwe, which increased from approximately 50,000 in 2002 to about 318,000 in 2005. Mavisa explains that these households form when parents die or become terminally ill, primarily due to HIV and AIDS. The discussion covers survival strategies, such as renting rooms or selling animals, and how hyperinflation exceeding 231 million percent hinders aid organizations. Mavisa also notes that while some children are absorbed by extended families, others face extreme hardship. The segment includes a song choice, 'Injuga', selected because it concerns the risks people take regarding HIV and AIDS.

Topics

  • Survival strategies of child-headed households in Zimbabwe
  • Impact of political and economic instability on social welfare
  • Causes and transmission of HIV/AIDS in Africa

Participants

  • Dominik
  • Andrew Mavisa

Listen · selected clips

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Selected clip

Andrew: What A Child-Headed Household Is

Community Chest · Spoken extract

Andrew, a PhD researcher at UEA, defines child-headed households in Zimbabwe: households where children take charge because their parents have died, mainly of HIV and AIDS, or are terminally ill, and take over securing food and making decisions.

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Child-headed households are households where children are taking charge of households because their parents have died, mainly because of HIV and AIDS, or parents are terminally ill and they cannot perform their normal duties within the households.

We have quite a number of programs and projects to assist these children, but unfortunately, the number of the children who require support is increasing every time, and the government cannot meet the the demands of these children. Right? Are there even still

Through blood transfusion, there is a lot of screening that goes on the screening of blood, so you don't find people being infected through blood transfusion. But the main route of HIV transmission is through sexual intercourse.