ORPHAN PREVALENCE AND EXTENDED FAMILY CARE IN A PERIURBAN COMMUNITY IN ZIMBABWE

An orphan enumeration survey was conducted in 570 households in and ar ound Matare, Zimbabwe in 1992; 18.3% (95% CI 15.1-21.5%) of households included orphans. 12.8% (95% CI 11.2-14.3%) of children under 15 year s old had a father or mother who had died; 5% of orphans had lost both parents. Orphan prevalence was highest in a peri-urban rural area (17 .2%) and lowest in a middle income medium density urban suburb (4.3%). Recent increases in parental deaths were noted; 50% of parental death s since 1987 could be ascribed to AIDS. Orphan household heads were li kely to be older and less well-educated than non-orphan household head s. The majority of orphaned children were being cared for satisfactori ly within extended families, often under difficult circumstances. Care giving by maternal relatives represents a departure from the tradition al practice of caring for orphans within the paternal extended family and an adaptation of community-coping mechanisms. There was little evi dence of discrimination or exploitation of orphaned children by extend ed family caregivers. The fact that commumnity coping mechanisms are c hanging does not imply that extended family methods of caring are abou t to break down. However, the emergence of orphan households headed by siblings is an indication that the extended family is under stress. E mphasis needs to be placed upon supporting extended families by utiliz ing existing community-based organizations. Orphan support programmes may need to be established initially in high risk communities such as low-income urban areas and peri-urban rural areas.