An investigation of challenges and coping strategies of orphan caregivers: a case study of caregivers families in Jimma town

Abstract

This study was initiated to understand the challenges faced by orphan caregiver families and their coping strategies in Jimma town. It was a phenomenology design conducted in selected families. Using a qualitative approach and as a sampling method, non-probability sampling of which purposive sampling were selected to conduct the research. Findings from the study were gathered through key informant interviews with 30 caregivers and three focus group discussions with respective kebeles leaders, religious leaders and CBO's representative from six to ten members from each group and document analysis. Data analysis was done by the help of qualitative analysis using thematic analysis and the data are generated parallel with data gathered. According to the finding of the study, even if high socio economic challenges faced the orphan caregiver, they are willing to care and support the orphan children. Moreover, majority of the caregiver are still in needs of caring and supporting the orphan children but what matter is the age of the caregiver ( since they are relatively aged ) and economic capacity of the household. The caregiver has been got psychological satisfactions while supporting the orphan children particularly the caregiver who has more than ten and above years of experience. Nevertheless, in spite of their positive attitude towards caring and supporting the orphan children, the study confirm that the orphan caregivers faced numerous challenges together with his/her families. These challenges has its own degrees/levels. As a result, some of the challenges were either minimized or unsolved based on the kinds of the problem associated with the holistic service of the children development. In line with this, the need of the orphan children is not meet as a majority and very few of the needs of the children is relatively touched using different coping strategies that the caregiver employed. According to the majority of the caregiver responded, the study put the challenges rankly and the top three challenges of the caregiver were provision of food and nutrition, children education related expense and clothing were the major one when we compare with other key components of holistic service. Either to solve or minimize the top challenge, the caregiver exert their efforts to meet the basic survival needs of the orphans through different coping strategies. The study findings found out that the commitment of orphan caregiver and struggle with the challenge of care and support plus effort made for searching different coping mechanism is together with integrating and considering them as a family member is highly appreciable. However, caregiver families were practically not coping with the orphan problem fully but the children is survived and still living in the family with their unfulfilled need. The study find out that the caregivers were got some assistance from NGO and CBO for care and support of the orphan children through different ways and the caregiver consider the support as one coping strategies so as to solve or minimize the challenge they encounter. This is verified by the study done by Abebe. A et..al,(2007) noted that: The society, government, NGO, FBO and CBO's inherit the role of guardian to the OVC and have to meet huge challenges when attempting to ensure the psychosocial wellbeing of these children. Generally, according to the caregiver responses, the study concluded that the need of the orphan children is not fully fulfilled in line with social, psychological, physical, spiritual, and educational need due to lack of sufficient resources to provide care and support for the children to the standard and beyond. The findings call for a comprehensive intervention programme that addresses challenges of orphan caregiver in supporting the orphan children in order to fulfil their need to the standard in line with their holistic development.