Role of social workers in mitigating the effects of climate change in Makonde communal lands, Zimbabwe

Climate change is among the most vital environmental aspects that the human community is endowed with. Climate as a factor of life is particularly strong to low income rural communities whose livelihoods heavily depend on rain-fed subsistence agriculture like Makonde communal lands. The purpose of s...

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Main Authors: Nyahunda, Louis, Matlakala, Frans Koketso, Makhubele, Jabulani Calvin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 2019
Online Access:http://journalarticle.ukm.my/20147/1/36303-114489-1-SM.pdf
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author Nyahunda, Louis
Matlakala, Frans Koketso
Makhubele, Jabulani Calvin
author_facet Nyahunda, Louis
Matlakala, Frans Koketso
Makhubele, Jabulani Calvin
author_sort Nyahunda, Louis
collection UKM
description Climate change is among the most vital environmental aspects that the human community is endowed with. Climate as a factor of life is particularly strong to low income rural communities whose livelihoods heavily depend on rain-fed subsistence agriculture like Makonde communal lands. The purpose of social work within the context of climate change is to enhance community expertise and empower members for participation in the decision-making process through all stages of risk assessment, rescue, planning and intervention for recovery and preparedness. This paper sought to explore the role of social workers in mitigating the effects of climate change in Makonde communal lands of Zimbabwe. The objectives of the study were to identify what roles if any are social workers playing in mitigating the effects of climate change and if not, what are the impediments in that sphere. A qualitative research approach was followed within the traditional framework of descriptive and exploratory designs. Simple random, purposive and snowballing sampling techniques were used to gather twenty-five participants in the study. The Thematic Content Analysis was followed to analyse data inductively. The study found that Social Workers are not directly involved in climate change interventions in the Makonde area owing it to lack of training on climate change issues. The study recommends that climate change falls within the purview of the social work practice therefore social workers must take the lead in supporting families and communities affected by climate change following the values, knowledge base, skills and principles of the profession.
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spelling ukm.eprints-201472022-10-18T07:20:26Z http://journalarticle.ukm.my/20147/ Role of social workers in mitigating the effects of climate change in Makonde communal lands, Zimbabwe Nyahunda, Louis Matlakala, Frans Koketso Makhubele, Jabulani Calvin Climate change is among the most vital environmental aspects that the human community is endowed with. Climate as a factor of life is particularly strong to low income rural communities whose livelihoods heavily depend on rain-fed subsistence agriculture like Makonde communal lands. The purpose of social work within the context of climate change is to enhance community expertise and empower members for participation in the decision-making process through all stages of risk assessment, rescue, planning and intervention for recovery and preparedness. This paper sought to explore the role of social workers in mitigating the effects of climate change in Makonde communal lands of Zimbabwe. The objectives of the study were to identify what roles if any are social workers playing in mitigating the effects of climate change and if not, what are the impediments in that sphere. A qualitative research approach was followed within the traditional framework of descriptive and exploratory designs. Simple random, purposive and snowballing sampling techniques were used to gather twenty-five participants in the study. The Thematic Content Analysis was followed to analyse data inductively. The study found that Social Workers are not directly involved in climate change interventions in the Makonde area owing it to lack of training on climate change issues. The study recommends that climate change falls within the purview of the social work practice therefore social workers must take the lead in supporting families and communities affected by climate change following the values, knowledge base, skills and principles of the profession. Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 2019 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://journalarticle.ukm.my/20147/1/36303-114489-1-SM.pdf Nyahunda, Louis and Matlakala, Frans Koketso and Makhubele, Jabulani Calvin (2019) Role of social workers in mitigating the effects of climate change in Makonde communal lands, Zimbabwe. e-BANGI: Jurnal Sains Sosial dan Kemanusiaan, 16 (9). pp. 172-183. ISSN 1823-884x https://ejournal.ukm.my/ebangi/issue/view/1228
spellingShingle Nyahunda, Louis
Matlakala, Frans Koketso
Makhubele, Jabulani Calvin
Role of social workers in mitigating the effects of climate change in Makonde communal lands, Zimbabwe
title Role of social workers in mitigating the effects of climate change in Makonde communal lands, Zimbabwe
title_full Role of social workers in mitigating the effects of climate change in Makonde communal lands, Zimbabwe
title_fullStr Role of social workers in mitigating the effects of climate change in Makonde communal lands, Zimbabwe
title_full_unstemmed Role of social workers in mitigating the effects of climate change in Makonde communal lands, Zimbabwe
title_short Role of social workers in mitigating the effects of climate change in Makonde communal lands, Zimbabwe
title_sort role of social workers in mitigating the effects of climate change in makonde communal lands zimbabwe
url http://journalarticle.ukm.my/20147/1/36303-114489-1-SM.pdf
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