This article discusses the psychosocial challenges of widows in the Binga District in Zimbabwe. The feminist and ecological perspectives were used as theoretical frameworks to elucidate the various challenges faced by the widows in the district. Using a qualitative research approach which locates the participants in their cultural contexts and habitants, a phenomenological research design was employed. Aiming at providing a bifocal perspective on the psychosocial plight of widows, samples were drawn from populations of both widows and social service providers. Purposive sampling was used for selecting three categories of participants, namely ten widows for in-depth interviews, two focus group discussants with each group consisting of seven widows, and nine social service providers who were individually interviewed as key informants. Data were thematically analysed with predetermined themes and emerging themes. The results showed that widows in the Binga District were vulnerable and experienced intense psychosocial problems, which need systematic, interconnected, professional and localised social interventions.

The lives of women change immediately after the death of their husbands. After the death of their husbands, they experience extraordinary isolation which excludes them from important socioeconomic decisions. This paper discusses how widows are isolated and excluded in pertinent socioeconomic spheres and decisions that impact negatively on their lives including the lives of their children in low resourced communities of Binga District in Zimbabwe. Twenty-four widows were participants in this study, which used a qualitative research approach, a phenomenological research design and purposive sampling strategy. Ten widows participated in individual interviews whilst fourteen widows participated in two separate focus group interviews comprising seven widows each to provide insights on how they were isolated after the death of their husbands. Germain to isolation, thematic data analysis findings revealed that, upon the death of their husbands, widows are vulnerable to exclusion from critical decisions on accrued wealth, socioeconomic amenities and activities needed for their optimal well-being and the welfare of their children. The findings show the need for negotiated professional and community social interventions that are organised and integrated.

This article discusses a social work intervention model that addresses the psychosocial plight of widows in Zimbabwe. The ARTICLE uses a qualitative approach and a phenomenological research design as a basis for one-on-one interviews, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews that provided the information needed for the formulation of a social work basic care integrative model. The findings of the research indicate that there are gaps in social work interventions that suggest the need for an integrative intervention model to guide social workers in practice in meeting the welfare needs of the widows in Binga District.

Unless widows recount their painful experiences of caring for their children, their day-to day lived challenges of childcare may be misunderstood if not totally missed by social workers in practice. This article discusses the widow’s painful experiences of caring for their children in Binga District in Zimbabwe and the critical aspects needed for consideration by social workers in practice. A qualitative research approach using a phenomenological research design was adopted to capture the lived struggles of the widows in caring for their children. Using purposive sampling, twenty-four widows participated in the in-depth interviews, with ten widows participating in individual interviews whilst fourteen widows participated in two separate focus group interviews with seven widows in each group. Data were analysed thematically with predetermined and emerging themes critically discussed and compared with existing literature. The findings showed that due to dwindling resource bases, widows are bound to fail to meet the physiological, psychosocial, economic and educational needs of their children. The article recommends deliberate and systematic social work considerations in efforts to intervene and avert the circumstances of the widows that have a negative impact on childcare.

Due to the patriarchal and oppressive nature of the communities, Zimbabwean widows need interventions through empowerment and rights-based approaches. This article argues that those in rural area such as Binga District are more prone to oppression and widowhood has a greater impact on them as they lack the necessary resources coupled with lack of prioritisation in professional interventions. With the aim of refocusing social work interventions on empowerment and rights of widows, the article reviews literature from various sources to discuss how social work may intervene. Literature is reviewed thematically to give structure and to ensure focus on relevant discussion points. This revealed the current perspectives on widowhood elucidating on the loopholes existing within these perspectives suggesting that a more comprehensive and context specific understanding of widowhood is needed especially taking into account the young generation of widows in Zimbabwe that needs empowerment and rights-based intervention approaches. This paper has shown that such social work interventions are possible as it is a professional and ethical requisite to intervene where people are marginalised and oppressed in an endeavor to restore their worth and dignity.