The capability of grandparents in care and support of orphaned children in Magugu Community, Babati district

The study examined the capability of the grandparents in caring and supporting the orphaned children in Magugu Community, Babati District. A cross-sectional survey covering a sample of 200 respondents was employed using a self-administered questionnaire and a structured interview. Data were analysed qualitatively using descriptive or narrations while the quantitative data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 13. Chi-square test was employed to determine the relationship between availability of resources and the capacity of grandparents to care and support orphans. This study found out that there were multifaceted needs among orphaned children, some of which were specific to individual orphans. The most challenging needs for grandparents involved physical needs such as medical care, school requirements, clothes and food expenses. Emotional support such as love, active listening and empathy were found to be largely lacking. Secondly, grandparents were willing to care and help their grandchildren who were orphaned by their parents. However, grandparents were practically not capable of extending sufficient care and support to their orphaned grandchildren due to lack of resources as a result of acute poverty conditions. The study also found out that even in the same community orphans tended to experience different needs. On the basis of these findings, it was concluded that the extended family system in Tanzania puts the overall care burden of orphans to grandparents regardless of their capability to do so. A large number of households, especially grandmother-headed households are very poor and therefore cannot provide adequate support to the orphaned children. Very little is done to mobilize resources from communities so as to provide the required support to orphans. This study therefore, recommends that, in order to strengthen the capacity of grandparents to care for and protect the orphans, there must be strategies by the community, organizations and government to respond to orphan crisis. Capacity done through implementing the national policies for HIV/AIDS enhancement could be done through orphan care (URT, Guidelines on Care of Orphans, 2000). Also it was necessary to establish counselling programs in the communities that could be very essential for orphans, grandparents .and other caregivers. Lastly, individualized detailed case studies need to be undertaken to unveil the specific actual needs that orphans require.