Starting a cultural collective for mothers of children with disabilities: A case study
Background: Caring for children with disabilities in Tanzania involves significant challenges, including stigma, limited support and mental health risks. A cultural collective for caretakers of children with disabilities enrolled at a primary school was established to address these issues. Objectiv...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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AOSIS
2024-12-01
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| Series: | African Journal of Disability |
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| Online Access: | https://ajod.org/index.php/ajod/article/view/1367 |
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| author | Solfrid Raknes Siv Elin N. Sæbjørnsen Hege C. Aarlie Thrine Marie N. Bromstad Mariana J. Makuu Caroline Yamala Sarah Hean |
| author_facet | Solfrid Raknes Siv Elin N. Sæbjørnsen Hege C. Aarlie Thrine Marie N. Bromstad Mariana J. Makuu Caroline Yamala Sarah Hean |
| author_sort | Solfrid Raknes |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Caring for children with disabilities in Tanzania involves significant challenges, including stigma, limited support and mental health risks. A cultural collective for caretakers of children with disabilities enrolled at a primary school was established to address these issues.
Objectives: The study aims to explore the experiences of caregivers who started a cultural collective and to assess its impact on their lives in the short term.
Method: This study used a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach with a sequential mixed-methods design. Data were collected over a period of 8 weeks, while the participants in this study established a collective in Dar es Salaam. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, and qualitative data were analysed using Braun and Clarke’s method for thematic analysis.
Results: As assessed by a validated and normed questionnaire, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), 63% of the caregivers showed signs of depression before starting work in the collective. Economic needs, education and the desire for support were the primary motivations for joining. Starting the collective improved social support, fostered agency and began to enhance caregivers’ financial conditions.
Conclusion: The collective addressed caregivers’ needs for economic improvement, social support and mental support, and the experience was vitalising for the caretakers.
Contribution: This study deepens our understanding of holistic interventions for children with disabilities and their families in urban Africa. It offers valuable insights into a crucial stage of developing contextually relevant interventions for vulnerable, poverty-stricken populations. It provides a model that can be adapted for similar interventions in comparable contexts. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2cbef3f3152b4f3686138c55db65e40f |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2223-9170 2226-7220 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | African Journal of Disability |
| spelling | doaj-art-2cbef3f3152b4f3686138c55db65e40f2025-08-20T01:58:03ZengAOSISAfrican Journal of Disability2223-91702226-72202024-12-01130e1e1210.4102/ajod.v13i0.1367432Starting a cultural collective for mothers of children with disabilities: A case studySolfrid Raknes0Siv Elin N. Sæbjørnsen1Hege C. Aarlie2Thrine Marie N. Bromstad3Mariana J. Makuu4Caroline Yamala5Sarah Hean6Department of Health and Social Care, Molde University College, MoldeDepartment of Health and Social Care, Molde University College, MoldeDepartment of Welfare and Participation, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Western Norway University of Applied Science, BergenDepartment of Health and Social Care, Molde University College, MoldeDepartment of Sociology and Social work, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, The Open University of Tanzania, Dar es SalaamUhuru Mama Collective, Dar es SalaamDepartment of Social Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Stavanger, StavangerBackground: Caring for children with disabilities in Tanzania involves significant challenges, including stigma, limited support and mental health risks. A cultural collective for caretakers of children with disabilities enrolled at a primary school was established to address these issues. Objectives: The study aims to explore the experiences of caregivers who started a cultural collective and to assess its impact on their lives in the short term. Method: This study used a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach with a sequential mixed-methods design. Data were collected over a period of 8 weeks, while the participants in this study established a collective in Dar es Salaam. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, and qualitative data were analysed using Braun and Clarke’s method for thematic analysis. Results: As assessed by a validated and normed questionnaire, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), 63% of the caregivers showed signs of depression before starting work in the collective. Economic needs, education and the desire for support were the primary motivations for joining. Starting the collective improved social support, fostered agency and began to enhance caregivers’ financial conditions. Conclusion: The collective addressed caregivers’ needs for economic improvement, social support and mental support, and the experience was vitalising for the caretakers. Contribution: This study deepens our understanding of holistic interventions for children with disabilities and their families in urban Africa. It offers valuable insights into a crucial stage of developing contextually relevant interventions for vulnerable, poverty-stricken populations. It provides a model that can be adapted for similar interventions in comparable contexts.https://ajod.org/index.php/ajod/article/view/1367africacaretakerschildren with disabilitiescollectivecommunity-based participatory researchpeer supporttanzania |
| spellingShingle | Solfrid Raknes Siv Elin N. Sæbjørnsen Hege C. Aarlie Thrine Marie N. Bromstad Mariana J. Makuu Caroline Yamala Sarah Hean Starting a cultural collective for mothers of children with disabilities: A case study African Journal of Disability africa caretakers children with disabilities collective community-based participatory research peer support tanzania |
| title | Starting a cultural collective for mothers of children with disabilities: A case study |
| title_full | Starting a cultural collective for mothers of children with disabilities: A case study |
| title_fullStr | Starting a cultural collective for mothers of children with disabilities: A case study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Starting a cultural collective for mothers of children with disabilities: A case study |
| title_short | Starting a cultural collective for mothers of children with disabilities: A case study |
| title_sort | starting a cultural collective for mothers of children with disabilities a case study |
| topic | africa caretakers children with disabilities collective community-based participatory research peer support tanzania |
| url | https://ajod.org/index.php/ajod/article/view/1367 |
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