Family in Southern Africa

Gwenzi charts the historical development of family in Southern Africa, the geographical context in which the study on family meanings is located. Changes that have taken place in Zimbabwean families due to modernisation and globalisation are also discussed, highlighting the impact of these changes on children and young people. In particular, Gwenzi highlights the impact of poverty and a protracted socioeconomic crisis on families. This, among other demographic changes, has led to the creation of social orphans and the proliferation of child welfare institutions in the country. Three distinct family forms that have emerged in Zimbabwe, namely child-headed households, grandparent-headed families and small-house families, are discussed in relation to the care and welfare of vulnerable children. This chapter further situates the study on the social construction of family by adolescents and youths in Zimbabwe’s child welfare institutions.