Chapter 10: Development of multi-disciplinary model for OVC
5. Risks and coping mechanisms
8.3.2 Material needs
8.3.2.1 Lack of basic necessities
Participants indicate that not only is stigma a problem, but the issue of mocking is problematic. Pillay (2018) agrees with the issue caused by teasing and mocking, and adds that the majority of OVC are often mocked by other learners, because of their socioeconomic circumstances. Mocking can have negative psychological effects on children, especially OVC, whose self-confidence is already lower than that of other children. If they are emotionally attacked or disturbed at school, while they have no-one to confide to when they arrive at home, it means they have to carry the burden alone. In most cases, caregivers are preoccupied with their own burdens. This explains some of the reasons why most OVC tend to internalise their emotions and are preoccupied with deep thinking. This can result in a host of psychological and medical issues, which may eventually lead to how they interact with others and see themselves.
Their responses indicate the struggle they face daily to have access to the basic necessities such as food and clothes:
“Sometimes, we don’t have food and it becomes difficult to tell other people that you don’t have food. That is why it’s easy for us to engage in criminal activities like
stealing from Indian shops, when friends entice us and do to get resources. And you may find that after stealing from Indian shops … around … you get caught and get arrested. Your schooling will be at … stake and there will be no one to pay for your bail. It is a serious problem”.
They reveal that sometimes, the lack of basic necessities goes as far as the lack of food leading to severe hunger. The lack of food is detrimental to both the physical and psychological development of the children (Macleod, 2020). Lack of food may also lead to poor health, which will negatively affect their schooling.
Their views are as follows:
“Sometimes, we come to school hungry, we only balance with one meal provided here at school”.
When asked whether they get money for lunch; one participant replies:
“Other times, I am given five rand and in some cases I don’t get anything”.
However, the problem of hunger is not attributed solely on the lack of basic necessities such as food. Participants give a different view on the problem of hunger.
“In some cases, when we fail to finish all home duties, we are denied food as a form of punishment and it means you have to sleep without food”.
Two participants support the view:
“There is a situation where they give you all the duties at home. If you complain and refuse to do those duties, you are denied food and you will sleep hungry”.
“I sometimes go without food, because there is none at home and how do I tell people that I don’t have food”.
South Africa has a comprehensive social security system, which can make one assume that children are no longer going hungry (Maluleka, 2020). However, the participants’
reports provide a different picture and suggest that they do face hunger at some point in their lives. Several reasons are attributed to the situation, such as poverty and punishment, among others. Though customs and traditions expect children to perform some household duties, it becomes a problem when children have to work hard at home and at school and then do not receive food, because their survival depends on it and second, adults may take advantage of their vulnerability (ILO, 2020).
What makes matters worse is that in the lives of these children, the lack of basic necessities is not limited to food only, but also includes other basic categories that are necessary for their survival. Their views suggest the following:
“Sometimes, our caregivers don’t give us life’s necessities like clothes and they say that they don’t have money. Wena, you see that they do, because when their children ask them, then they give them. It is just they don’t want to spend it on you”.
On the other hand, there is evidence that suggests that not all children are mistreated by their caregivers. Some participants indicate that there are good caregivers, who take good care of them, but that they are limited by their socioeconomic status. This participant reflects a different view:
“My caregivers do try to give me what I need, it is just that we are many. This creates a problem, where one has to wait for a long time to get needs met. I understand their situation, because I also can see that there are many of us”.
The lack of basic necessities makes the lives of these children difficult. It can affect their physical and mental health. In these contexts, vulnerabilities are commonly overlapping.
Though caregivers may have a desire to meet the needs of all their children, they are limited by their socioeconomic conditions. It may be the reason why in some instances, they disregard the children that are not their own, because their resources are limited.
The role of poverty in worsening vulnerability cannot be ignored. Poverty subjects people to many hardships and vulnerabilities (Mamotsheare, 2016; Moser, 2013). Research studies have found that increased poverty exerts more pressure on the already burdened families, and having to care for extra children is difficult (Moser, 2013; Pillay, 2016).