As a result of the Zimbabwean socio-economic and political crisis many have joined the Diaspora leaving their children behind in the care of others. Qualitative research in the form of in-depth semi-structured interviews carried out with seventeen adolescent Zimbabwean Diaspora orphans evidenced a number of emerging themes that illuminate how these adolescents view their situation, such as symptomology of depression, feelings of abandonment and rejection, conflicting feelings, lack of social support, the importance of communication, role changes and additions, materialism, challenges presented by relationships with caregivers, and vulnerability to sexual abuse and molestation. Most of the themes do not appear to be country specific but are shared by adolescent Diaspora orphans world-wide. Defence and coping mechanisms employed by these adolescents to cope with parental absence were also identified. Recommendations aimed at optimising their integration in society and suggestions for further research in this field conclude this study. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Thesis (MDF (Development Finance))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Meer en meer mense werk buite hul land van herkoms as ooit tevore, en die geld wat hulle stuur na hul tuislande kan bestempel word as ‘n belangrike ekonomiese krag. Hierdie geld kan ’n belangrike rol speel in die ekonomie wat die geld ontvang. Die geld wat reiswerkers tuis stuur word remise of geldsending genoem en oortref reeds Offisiële Ontwikkelingshulp en oortref selfs Buitelandse Investering in sommige lande. Hierdie navorsingsverslag fokus op Zimbabwe, ’n land waarvan die ekonomie volgens sommiges reeds lank gelede moes ineengestort het. Die studie ondersoek tot watter mate geldsending die Zimbabwe ekonomie beskerm teen ineenstorting. Die verslag gebruik ’n opname onder verskeie rolspelers om te wys hoe geldsending die Zimbabwe ekonomie beskerm teen internasionale uitsluiting en sanksies. Zimbabweërs wat die ekonomiese swaarkry vrygespring het in hul land van herkoms stuur voortdurend geld na vriende en familie. Remise word deels gebruik as investering in kleinsake, terwyl deel van die buitelandse valuta investeer word in komoditeite wat die land moeilik deur offisiële kanale sou kon bekom. Die studie het bevind dat geldsending in 2005 en 2006 ongeveeer 25.5% en 25 persent respektiewelik tot die Bruto Nasioanle Produk van Zimbabwe bygedra het. Die studie het verder ’n paar interresante bevindinge gemaak. Een van hierdie is die ongedokumenteerde verskynsel van defleksie van geldsending na meer stabiele ekonomieë of geldeenhede. Sulke remise word dan in die land gehou waar dit gegenereer is, of dit word gestuur in ’n stabiele geldeenheid, of dit word selfs in die vorm van produkte soos kos gestuur. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: More and more people are working outside their countries of citizenship than before. These people are now a major economic force to their countries of origin as they are sending a lot of money to relatives back home. This income plays a key role in receiving economies. The money migrants send home is referred to as remittances and the amount transferred globally has eclipsed official development assistance (ODA) and in some economies it is well ahead of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). This research focuses on Zimbabwe, a country whose economy has long been anticipated to collapse but has so far evaded that implosion. It explores to which extent remittances are cushioning Zimbabwe’s economy from collapse. This report uses a survey of a number of role players to show how remittances have cushioned that economy from the effects of international isolation and sanctions. Zimbabweans who “escaped” the economic hardships in their country of origin have been consistently sending money home to their friends and relations. Money received has partly been invested in small businesses and part of the forex has been used to procure commodities that the country has struggled to acquire through official channels. The study found that the amount of remittances sent for 2005 and 2006 has respectively contributed approximately 25.5 and 25 percent to the GDP of Zimbabwe. The study further made a number of interesting findings. One of these seems to be the undocumented phenomenon of the deflection of remittances to more stable economies or currencies. Such remittances would be kept in the country where it is generated, or it would be sent back in a stable country, or could even be in the form of products such as food.

As a result of the Zimbabwean socio-economic and political crisis many have joined the Diaspora leaving their children behind in the care of others. Qualitative research in the form of in-depth semi-structured interviews carried out with seventeen adolescent Zimbabwean Diaspora orphans evidenced a number of emerging themes that illuminate how these adolescents view their situation, such as symptomology of depression, feelings of abandonment and rejection, conflicting feelings, lack of social support, the importance of communication, role changes and additions, materialism, challenges presented by relationships with caregivers, and vulnerability to sexual abuse and molestation. Most of the themes do not appear to be country specific but are shared by adolescent Diaspora orphans world-wide. Defence and coping mechanisms employed by these adolescents to cope with parental absence were also identified. Recommendations aimed at optimising their integration in society and suggestions for further research in this field conclude this study. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Text in English / Zimbabwe‘s economic and political instability has resulted in the migration of over four million of its people. Many of those who join the Diaspora leave their children behind in the home country, a phenomenon known as ―Diaspora orphans‖. Little is known of the experiences of these Zimbabwean adolescents affected by parental out-migration. A Pilot Study in 2011 highlighted emergent themes and explored the use of defence and coping mechanisms, by thematically analysing in-depth interviews carried out with these youngsters. This study re-examined these interviews and carried out follow-up ones, with a view to establish whether longitudinal changes take place. Resilience levels of participants were also measured, using the Child and Youth Resilience Measure ‒ 28, in individual, relational and contextual areas, to establish whether high resilience results in better coping and adjustment to parental absence. Findings confirm this and evidence that multiple stressors result in lower resilience levels and seem to indicate that a reciprocal relationship exists between resilience levels and optimal coping. Recommendations on how best to help these youngsters to cope with their altered circumstances, with special emphasis on the role of educational establishments, and suggestions for further research in this field conclude this study. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)