TITLE:
Social Scars: The Impact of Out-Migration on the Livelihoods of Families Left behind in Macheke Farming Community
AUTHORS:
Jayjay Karumazondo, Naomi Wekwete, Lazarus Zanamwe
KEYWORDS:
Out-Migration, Sustainable Livelihoods, Household, Remittances, Non-Migrant Households
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.10 No.6,
June
30,
2022
ABSTRACT: Migration is a complex
phenomenon in both developing and developed nations due to its variation across
regions, countries and over time, including its possible multiple occurrences
in the life of a human being. Yet, little is known about the emotional impact of out-migration on the livelihoods of women who are left behind in rural households,
Macheke farming community in Mashonaland East Province of Zimbabwe being
a case in point. A triangulation of qualitative and quantitative research
methods was used. The research methodology followed a multi-stage approach. At
first, five focus group discussions were
carried out followed by a survey with 596 household-heads to quantify
the magnitude of the problem under scrutiny. Five in-depth interviews were also carried out with the aid of an in-depth
interview guide. Respondents were de facto household heads and the majority was females. Fifty-three percent of the migrants emigrated for
employment reasons and they were a mixture
of both skilled and unskilled migrants. The employment rate of household
heads was found to be low, with surveyed households reporting various on-farm
and off-farm economic activities. Remittances were a major contributor to
household income as a supplementary to migrant households’ livelihood strategies. Migrant households had
higher ratings on their livelihood indicators
compared to non-migrant households. However, women in migrant households had poor social integration compared to
their non-migrant counterparts. The study made a recommendation on the
need for institutions and policies that encourage saving as well as investment
of remittances for sustainable livelihoods.