Fighting the odds: strategies of female caregivers of disabled children in Zimbabwe

Caregivers of disabled children face numerous challenges in meeting their child’s needs. Research on Zimbabwean caregivers of disabled children is limited. Yet the difficult socio-economic, political and institutional context is expected to complicate the caregiving task. This article examines the resources and caring strategies of female caregivers in Mutare, Zimbabwe, using a well-being framework. Through a mixed-methods approach, the data reveals that external support is extremely limited, particularly due to stigma and a weak state. Caregivers are mostly self-reliant and their strategies focus on enabling themselves to take care of their child.