Dealing with Orphanage and Vulnerability in Education. A Socio-Ecological Handbook for Sustainable Education in Zimbabwe - Maxwell Munashe Chigumbu

Grounded in the Social Ecological Strategy and the Zimbabwean ethos of Unhu, this book chronicles a transformative Participatory Action Research (PAR) project designed to empower secondary school Orphaned and Vulnerable Learners (OVLs). While existing literature often focuses on remote rural or dense urban narratives, this work centres on the peri-urban landscape - a space where traditional values are often eroded by modernity, fiscal instability, and the commodification of human relationships. The study challenges the tendency of adults to dismiss the "minor" struggles of youths, arguing that what is often overlooked can have profound long- term implications. In an era of government fiscal shortfalls and donor fatigue, this book explores the revival of indigenous knowledge and grassroots entrepreneurship - such as mobile tuckshops and the Zunde Ramambo - to build sustainable, internal support systems. By adopting a Critical Emancipatory Research approach, this "heads-on and hands-on" study illustrates how moving away from aid dependency toward community-driven autonomy can foster true resilience and social competence.