The South African family well-being is compromised by issues of child neglect, paternal absence, and gender-based violence (GBV), among other issues. The institution of family and its well-being are undergoing significant transformations globally, and South Africa is not exempt from these changes and challenges. Furthermore, the impacts of globalisation and urbanisation have forced many families to relocate from their native communities, driven by economic, political, and social motivations. From a Christian theological perspective God ordains families for flourishing; love, unity, and provision reflect His will through care (Psalm 127:1; Joshua 24:15; Ephesians 5:25). As familial structures and dynamics develop, their well being may adapt to remain relevant to societal needs, deliver effective care, and function as a social buffer against these detrimental and destructive issues. This research explored these realities through an interdisciplinary lens, recognising that improving family well-being requires collaboration between different disciplines. Drawing on contemporary theories and frameworks, it highlighted culturally responsive, contextually grounded, and strength-based approaches to understanding and supporting families in crisis. The discussion emphasised the importance of integrating professional practice, community-based support, and policy reform to promote protective and nurturing environments for children. Situating the South African experience within a global perspective, the research offered insights into how evidence-informed and collaborative interventions can enhance resilience, restore family functioning, and build more equitable systems of care. Ultimately, it called for collective responsibility and innovative, multidisciplinary responses to address the persistent social and structural factors threatening South African children and families’ well-being.
The phenomenon of broken families resulting from parental separation or divorce has emerged as a serious concern due to its substantial influence on children’s psychological and educational development, particularly among students in primary and secondary schools. Students experiencing family disruption may face various emotional and psychological challenges, including anxiety, depression, diminished self-confidence, and reduced motivation to learn, all of which can negatively affect their academic performance. This study examines the psychological dynamics of students from broken home backgrounds and investigates the role of Islamic Education in providing intervention and support to facilitate their academic achievement. Employing a qualitative approach with a case study design, the findings reveal that students from broken families frequently encounter internal emotional conflicts that interfere with their concentration, classroom engagement, and learning processes. Nevertheless, the internalization of Islamic educational values, including tawakkal (reliance on God), patience, sincerity, and character formation through consistent religious practices, can contribute to strengthening students’ psychological resilience. Islamic Education therefore extends beyond the transmission of religious knowledge and serves as a spiritual and moral support system that enables students to respond to difficult family circumstances with greater emotional stability and inner peace. Furthermore, Islamic value-based learning can help students reinterpret their family experiences positively and transform adversity into motivation for academic improvement. Islamic Education teachers also serve as significant others by offering emotional support, moral direction, and encouragement, thereby helping students manage stress and maintain their commitment to educational goals. The study concludes that integrating psychological support with Islamic educational values is essential for mitigating the adverse effects of family disruption and fostering students’ resilience and academic success despite challenging family circumstances.
Purpose This study aims to investigate the livelihood approaches, socio-economic effects and challenges related to informal waste collection, focusing on informal women waste collectors in rural QwaQwa, South Africa. It addresses gaps in gender and rural–urban divides by positioning these women as active place-makers who, through their daily practices, transform marginalised rural spaces into cleaner, more functional and resilient environments. This spatial agency supports household survival, inclusive rural development, and reduced vulnerability while advancing circular economy principles. Design/methodology/approach Grounded in the sustainable livelihood framework (SLF) and place-making theory, the study adopted a qualitative case study design. Data were collected through focus group discussions, interviews, field observations and secondary sources and analysed thematically. Findings Informal waste collection serves as a vital livelihood strategy for women in rural QwaQwa, driven by poverty and unemployment. Leveraging social networks, local knowledge and child collaboration, these women generate income and contribute to sustainable waste management. Critically, their everyday practices of waste recovery actively reshape rural landscapes, reducing illegal dumping, improving public spaces and fostering environmental stewardship, positioning them as unrecognised place-makers. However, earnings remain insufficient for resilient livelihoods, and they face significant challenges including resource scarcity, institutional neglect, social stigma, child labour concerns and exposure to violence. Research limitations/implications This research examines rural QwaQwa as a case study, limiting the generalisability of its findings to other rural areas in South Africa and beyond. Nonetheless, it provides insights into women’s roles in informal waste collection, its impact on livelihoods and the relevance of the SLF in analysing gendered livelihood systems. The integration of SLF and place-making theory provides a novel lens for understanding how marginalised women exercise spatial agency to build more sustainable rural places. Practical implications The study highlights the need for policy changes to integrate women who collect waste informally into formal waste management systems. Providing equipment, infrastructure and capacity-building programmes enhances their income, productivity and safety while reducing exploitation. Empowering these women supports rural livelihoods and promotes poverty alleviation, gender equity and environmental stewardship through initiatives like formal registration and participatory policy forums. Social implications The results highlight significant societal issues like stigma, gender inequality and child labour. Addressing these through awareness campaigns, social protection programmes and inclusive governance can enhance the dignity and well-being of women in the informal sector. Originality/value This study makes a novel contribution by foregrounding rural contexts and demonstrating the interconnectedness of informal waste collection, gender, livelihoods and place-making in QwaQwa. Guided by the SLF and place-making theory, it reveals how women transform passive survival strategies into active processes of spatial transformation, generating income alongside broader social and environmental value. This nexus offers a framework for reducing vulnerability and promoting inclusive rural development.
Maternal health refers to the health of women during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period, and this definition conforms to the attainment of Sustainable Development Goal three (SDG 3). However, achieving this SGD remains a mirage in sub-Saharan Africa, as the region continues to possess the highest rates of maternal mortality across the globe. Large intraregional disparities in terms of coverage of basic maternal health still exist across the region, and the causes of these preventable deaths must be analyzed frequently to guide interventions if progress is to be made. The health status of pregnant women remains an important indicator of the general state of health of any given population and also influences the health of their babies. Hence, fetal and infant health is one of the main determinants of health in childhood and adulthood. Maternal health still faces multilayered challenges like inadequate infrastructure, low education, and financial constraints, yet also holds significant prospects for improvement through targeted interventions and policy changes. This chapter explores maternal health, contextualizing and localizing the sub-Saharan African perspectives, taking into consideration the region’s challenges and prospects for improving and mitigation strategies toward maternal health in sub-Saharan Africa, focusing on the impact of maternal health on both women and their children, and the need for a more holistic approach to improve services and address underlying social determinants.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Of 50 million people with epilepsy globally, up to 10 million with lesional drug resistance epilepsy may be able to achieve seizure control with surgical options. Although multidisciplinary surgical care for epilepsy is available in high-income countries, few programs exist in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). In 2019, a global collaboration between CURE Uganda and Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital in the United States established a surgical epilepsy program in Uganda for the pediatric population. This study identifies key pillars for sustainable neurosurgical program development in LMICs. METHODS: Interdisciplinary health care providers from CURE and Lurie Children's who participated in the development of the surgical epilepsy program from 2019 to 2024 underwent semistructured qualitative interviews. A thematic analysis framework was used to identify themes from interviews related to program development, sustainability, and targets for future work. RESULTS: Nine participants were interviewed, with representation from roles of pediatric neurologist, pediatric neuroradiologist, electroencephalogram technologists, medical officer, and pediatric neurosurgeon. Thematic analysis revealed 4 themes (with subthemes) related to sustainable global surgical program development: (1) Intentional planning (integrating global policies into program development, rigorous case selection for great outcomes to build confidence for public/administrative support, defining barriers and optimizing solutions); (2) interdisciplinary collaboration (communication and trust are vital, new initiatives may require sacrifice, true partnerships allow for bidirectional learning, creative problem solving is crucial); (3) skill transfer and education (on-the-ground skill transfer needed, technology integration facilitates continuous learning, enable development opportunities for teammates); and (4) targets for future work (public education, expanding clinical capacity in LMICs, sustainable education centers, research dissemination). CONCLUSION: Global collaborations create opportunities to increase access to neurosurgical care. Creating interdisciplinary programs across borders requires trust and open communication by all members. Sustainable programs can be further enabled with intentional planning, humility, and bidirectional skill transfer.
Rya Muller, Omolabake Oyetayo, Emmanuel Wegoye et al.
