“I Don’t Know Where I Have to Knock for Support”: A Mixed-Methods Study on Perceptions and Experiences of Single Mothers Raising Children in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Abstract

Introduction and Objectives: It is well-documented that single mothers in sub-Saharan Africa face unique psychosocial challenges which can lead to child health and developmental disadvantages, often impacting life trajectories for both the mother and child. Years of instability, conflict, and widespread poor governance within the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have resulted in magnified challenges for parents, making it more difficult to provide supportive and effective parenting. To address gaps in knowledge regarding the specific challenges experienced and adaptations made among single mothers raising children in contexts of adversity, the present study aimed to investigate the phenomenon of single mother parenting in the DRC. Methods: Cognitive Edge SenseMaker, a mixed-method data collection tool, was used to collect self-interpreted narratives among parents in eastern DRC. Quantitative SenseMaker data were uploaded into Tableau, a data organization and analysis tool, to visualize differences in response patterns between single mother (n = 263) and two-parent family study participants (n = 182). Single mother micronarratives (n = 251) were then coded line-by-line and analyzed thematically. Qualitative themes identified in the single mother micronarratives were used to facilitate a deeper and more nuanced understanding of key quantitative SenseMaker findings. Findings and Conclusions: Our study found that single mothers experienced immense challenges raising children in the DRC, including financial-, health- and parenting-related hardships. Single mothers described negative emotions and higher levels of household adversity while providing for their children in situations of extreme poverty compared to two-parent family respondents. Self-reliance was exhibited among most single mothers in an attempt to overcome challenges, primarily financial barriers, and to prioritize the health and well-being of their children. However, many children still lacked access to sufficient food, education, and healthcare. Limited governmental and social security support for single mothers was identified as contributing to heightened challenges and the self-reliance observed among single mothers. Findings emphasize that additional research and attention should be directed towards identifying the specific needs of, and available resources for, single mothers in different localities in an effort to inform policies and programs that best support families.

Analisis situasi kejadian stunting pada bayi di bawah lima tahun (balita)

“…Bayi yang lahir dari ibu remaja akan berisiko mengalami kekurangan gizi (Haque et al, 2022), demikian juga halnya dengan status perkawinan. Anak lebih berisiko mengalami stunting pada ibu tunggal sekitar 1,79 kali dibandingkan dengan anak yang tinggal dengan orang tua yang lengkap (Callaghan et al, 2021;Mwamba, 2021), hal ini bisa saja terjadi karena ibu sebagai orang tua tunggal akan lebih fokus dalam mencari nafkah sehingga asupan intake yang diberikan kepada anaknya tidak terpenuhi. Keluarga…”

Mamá o papá soltero: ventajas y desventajas

“…• La disminución del ingreso económico puede llevar a que la madre o el padre que esté como responsable del ingreso tenga que incrementar su jornada laboral, con la consiguiente disminución del tiempo que pueda tener con los hijos/as o disminuir su periodo de descanso. Sin embargo, el problema económico se incrementa cuando la mujer es responsable de la familia y en todo caso el hogar empobrecido afecta de manera directa a las hijas/os generando desigualdad y exclusión social (Callaghan et al, 2021;Nishioka, 2021;May et al, 2022).…”

“…• Los conflictos sociales o de inestabilidad política generan condiciones económicas y de apoyo social más desfavorables para la crianza y educación en las familias de madres solteras (Callaghan, 2021). emocional.…”