| dc.description.abstract | This study was on the support systems for orphaned children in Nyang' oma sub location in Bondo District of western Kenya. It was carried out in Nyang' oma sub location and its environs in Bondo district. Bondo district is located on the shores of Lake Victoria and is surrounded by quite a number of beaches.
The study, therefore, aimed at examining the conditions under which orphaned children live. The study sought to investigate and describe people's attitudes towards orphanhood as well as the various forms of support systems and coping mechanisms for dealing with orphanhood in the study area. Specifically, the study aimed at describing people's attitudes towards orphanhood, investigating the social networks and cultural institutions for supporting orphans in the study area, and at examine the coping mechanisms adopted by the orphaned children to deal with their situation.
The study subjects mainly included orphans and their caretakers. However, people who were knowledgeable in the topic ~f orphanhood and who had knowledge of the community were also interviewed.
The study design was cross-sectional and adopted both qualitative and qua!1titative
methods of data collection where both interview guides and structural questions were
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used. Qualitative data was analysed using non-computerised methods while quantitative
data was analysed using Epi-Info computer softw.a.re to give tables of frequencies and percentages.
The findings suggest that the attitude of the people towards orphaned children has changed significantly due to the to forces of modernity originating from outside the community andreinforced by some cultural traits within the community. This change of attitude was found to affect the orphaned children negatively as far as the question of their support is concerned.
Social institutions within the study area were found not to be sensitive to the needs of orphaned children and were only concerned with helping their members meet funeral expenses. Cultural institutions, on the other hand, were trying everything possible within their means to support orphaned children. Unfortunately, their efforts are frustrated by
poverty, increased cost of living, the prevailing adult mortality rates and the large number of orphaned children left behind. The main coping mechanism for orphaned children was involvement in income generating activities and getting employed by people in the village who are relatively stable economically. The money they get goes towards meeting household subsistence needs and acquisition of personal effects.
On the basis of the study findings, it was concluded that modern living conditions in which people are forced to depend on resources outside the community, coupled with the escalating levels of poverty, were responsible for the changes in the people's attitudes and support systems for orphaned children. These changes have affected the orphaned children negatively, most particularly their access to education, food, clothing and health care.
It is, therefore, recommended that policies designed to improve orphaned children's access to education should strive to improve their household living conditions. Non-governmental organizations, such as churches, as well as the Department of Social Services, should sensitise the people about the declining support for orphaned children and help come up with community-based initiatives to assist orphaned children as well as
empowering orphans themselves. The findings of this study should be communicated to the people studied to sensitize people ;tithe plight of orphaned children. | en |
