2023
Nilsen, A. C. E., Kalinganire, C., Mabeyo, Z. M., Manyama, W., Ochen, E. A., Revheim, C., & Twikirize, J. (2023). Re-imagining social work education in East Africa. Social Work Education, 42(2), 169–184. https://doi.org/10.1080/02615479.2022.2161503
Abstract: To an increasing extent, scholars of social work have called for social work education and practice to be more responsive to local norms, customs and needs. Commonly referred to as indigenization, these scholars argue that social work curricula should incorporate practices, theories and understandings that are developed locally, eschewing the ‘professional imperialism’ that have come to dominate the discipline. This is also the case at universities in East Africa. Over the last decades, research emerging from local knowledge has developed substantially in the region. In this article we ask to what extent this is reflected in the social work curricula at three universities in Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, including a Norwegian comparative case. The article relies on a review of the curricula, addressing the characteristics of the teaching materials, the nationality and gender of the authors of the teaching materials, and the local relevance of the teaching materials, questioning whether they build on empirical data from a local or African context and to what extent they address issues of local or regional relevance. Our findings reveal that the presence of national or African authors and publications with a local empirical content is still marginal at the three East African universities.
2024
Turyomurugyendo, Florence; Twikirize, Janestic Mwende; Walakira, Eddy J. & Revheim, Cecilie (2024). Negative reactions of Uganda’s parents towards the disclosure of child sexual abuse and perceived psychosocial consequences on survivors.Journal of Social Work in Developing Societies (JSWDS). ISSN 1115-3946. doi: 10.4314/jswds.v6i3.1.
Abstract: Disclosure of child sexual abuse is the first step toward receiving social and systemic support. While parents are important recipients of disclosure, there is limited evidence regarding their reactions and how survivors perceive them. This study describes parents’ reactions that survivors consider as negative and the psychosocial consequences associated. A case study utilizing qualitative research methods was adopted. Narrative inquiry was used to collect data from 14 purposively-selected participants. Six in-depth interviews were held with key informants and 2 focus group discussions with community members. Data was analysed using themes and quotes. Survivors reported that their parents verbally abused them, sent them away from home, forced them to keep the abuse a secret, and denied them education after learning about the abuse. Participants associated the reactions with accumulation of anger, feelings of rejection and loss of self-esteem. Parents’ reactions are influenced by a complex web of factors including the struggle to manage their pain, frustration and disappointment as a result of their child’s abuse. In this regard, service providers particularly social workers ought to provide knowledge to young people on where to seek professional help and engage in awareness creation at the family and community level to support parents to provide constructive support to children exposed to abuse.
Mukayisenga, Genereuse; Walakira, Eddy J.; Sezibera, Vincent & Nilsen, Ann Christin Eklund (2024). Interplay of informal and formal social support systems for single teen mothers in Rwanda’s Gicumbi District. Journal of Social Work in Developing Societies (JSWDS). ISSN 1115-3946. 6(3), s. 110–128.
Abstract: This study explores how informal social support systems can work with formal social support to assist single teen mothers. It draws from 30 interviews, including single teenage mothers (10), some of their mothers (6), and professionals from formal social support systems (14), to explore informal and formal support mechanisms for single teen mothers. Data analysed revealed that family members, friends, peers, neighbours, and community care circles are important informal supporters. At the same time, governmental and non- governmental organisations working with teen mothers from village to district levels are critical formal support systems. Both informal and formal support systems are complementary in the lives of teen mothers. Furthermore, the research demonstrated the potential for enhancing the responsiveness of these systems to the challenges faced by single teen mothers through coordinated efforts in Rwanda. Finally, this study is helpful for social work professionals in coordinating all support systems to address the diverse needs of single teen mothers from a homegrown solution perspective. Having roots in informal social support systems, homegrown solutions can inspire formal social support systems in applying locally driven approaches to addressing teen motherhood issues.
Bimenyimana, P. C., Bukuluki, P., Rutembesa, E., Synness, R. M., & Byungura, J. C. (2024). Social Work Community Practice from a Government Discourse Perspective: Motives for Youth Volunteers in Controlling COVID-19 in Rwanda. Journal of Social Work in Developing Societies, 6(2). https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/jswds.v6i2.3
Abstract: During the COVID-19 pandemic, countries were in emergencies to contain the envisioned danger. Rwanda was no exception. Among strategies adopted by the country to control the pandemic were community interventions by youth volunteers. Using social movement and self-determination theories, the paper investigated the policy perspective of the motives for the voluntary engagement of these youths in controlling the pandemic so that these motives could be documented for future emergencies. A qualitative approach was adopted to explore what motivated these youths by analysing government discourses, where data were collected from six government policy documents. The content analysis was done after grouping the data into two categories and subcategories using MAXQDA 22, a qualitative data analysis software, for data mapping and visualization. The results indicate that youth volunteers have been mainly motivated by institutional-level motives, whereby government leadership mobilisation and coordination had a high occurrence, and under the individual-level motives category, civic-mindedness behaviour occurred high. The paper argues that conducive policies are a key motivation for social work community practices. Social workers should advocate for conducive policies to increase the productivity of voluntary activities. Another study involving talking to youth volunteers may complement the current findings.
Bimenyimana, P. C., Rutembesa, E., Synness, R. M., Josiane, U. K. N., Gerard, B., & Bukuluki, P. (2024). Social Innovations in an Emergency Setting: Opportunities and Challenges for Youth Volunteers in Curbing the Spread of COVID-19 in Huye District, Rwanda. Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental, 18(4), e06666-e06666. https://doi.org/10.24857/rgsa.v18n4-155
Abstract: Following COVID-19 at the close of 2019, countries have been in an emergency to contain the improvised danger to their citizens; Rwanda was no exception. The Government of Rwanda (GoR) turned to investing in different mechanisms to deal with the pandemic, including community-based interventions by youth volunteers, which is considered a social innovation to deal with the improvised societal challenge. This study investigated the motives, opportunities, challenges, and lessons that youth volunteers encountered while curbing the spread of the pandemic at the community level. Social innovation concepts contribute to social change and provide actors with the means to meet societal challenges. The social innovation concepts were adopted as the theoretical concepts underpinning the study. The study followed a descriptive qualitative design. Using key informants and in-depth interview techniques (KIIs), data were collected from 13 interviews with youth volunteers and opinion leaders among citizens of the Huye District of Rwanda who were selected using network and purposive sampling techniques. Interviews were uploaded in MAXQDA 2022 to visualize and map the data. The results indicate that youth volunteers have encountered various challenges where a poor mindset had a big occurrence, followed by aggressive attitudes from beneficiaries of their interventions. However, despite the challenges, there were opportunities whereby youth volunteers showed a high level of patriotism for their country and learned new skills like public speaking. The study suggests that in similar future interventions, the government should mitigate the identified challenges and enhance the highlighted opportunities for the intervention to be more impactful.
2025
Celestin, B. P., Synnes, R. M., Eugene, R., & Bukuluki, P. (2025). Social media and self-resilience during pandemics: experiences from youth volunteers in Rwanda. Discover Social Science and Health, 5(1), 68. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44155-025-00223-3
Abstract: The current study intends to investigate how social media may have played a considerable role in the youth volunteers’ self-resilience during the hard times of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Huye district of Rwanda. This study adopted a qualitative approach. Data were collected through 21 interviews with youth volunteers, local leaders, leaders from the central government, and opinion leaders among citizens of the Huye district in Rwanda selected on a network and purposive sampling bases. The data analysis followed a narrative thematic analysis inspired by four elements of self-resilience by Jurgens and Helsloot. The findings revealed that social media were instrumental in information gathering, information dissemination, facilitating collaborative problem-solving, and coping with new situations, such as how people managed to handle their daily initiatives without meeting physically. Nevertheless, there is an acknowledgment that social media can also, at times, act as a distraction rather than a beneficial tool in the context of a pandemic. The study brings insight into how social media can be effective in social work community interventions, especially working with young people.
Twikirize, J.M, A. Handulle & A.C.E. Nilsen (2025): Decolonizing Social Work in Africa (editorial). Journal of Comparative Social Work 20 (1), https://doi.org/10.31265/jcsw.v20i1.905
This editorial article introduces the special issue on decolonizing social work in the Journal of Comparative Social Work and discusses some of the key insights and challenges that the articles in the special issue address.
Mwinyi, R., Omona, J., Mabeyo, Z., & Bønnhoff, H. E. D. (2025). Self-care and Productive Ageing Practices among Rural Pensioned Retired Primary School Teachers in Tanzania. Journal of Comparative Social Work, 20(1), 217–244. https://doi.org/10.31265/jcsw.v20i1.706
Abstract: Productive ageing as a global agenda and initiative aims to improve the productivity of the older population, evidenced to be gradually increasing and living longer. Older people are a significant resource in most African communities. Understanding their productive ageing practices and experiences in their localities informs social work practitioners on how they can promote and support productivity for other older people in their respective communities. This study conducted in Iringa, Tanzania explored two questions: (i) What practices do retired primary school teachers engage in to achieve productive ageing in their local communities? (ii) In what ways can social work practitioners integrate the practices of productive ageing towards enhancing the well-being of older people in their communities? We applied a case study design that involved 14 purposively selected participants, with data gathered through interviews and thematically analysed. The findings reveal that older people actively engage in several practices and activities that nurture their productive ageing, while empowering them to be relevant and providing support within their local communities. Self-care practices revealed include proper hygiene, diet and exercise engagement. Furthermore, the types of socio-economic activities and participation that include farming, livestock keeping, self-help groups and community shared events are shaped and influenced by cultural factors, community values, individual preferences, the abilities of older people and the availability of resources at their disposal. The productive ageing practices and engagements are practical and relevant to rural contexts. Despite commonalities in some aspects of productive ageing informed by international literature, this study reveals distinct variations in activities and other dimensions of productive ageing, such as self-care. Consequently, this study highlights the necessity for upholding and encouraging local and context-based productive ageing practices that have proven to be beneficial, practical, relevant and responsive to local realities.
Kiwelu, A., Steen-Johnsen, T. (2025). Ubuntu: A resource for Help Groups for Older Persons Living with HIV in Korogwe District in Tanzania. Journal of Comparative Social Work, 20(1), 192-216. https://doi.org/10.31265/jcsw.v20i1.704
Abstract: Ubuntu is an indigenous African philosophy that promotes collectivism, solidarity and mutual interdependence as vital for majority welfare. In this paper, it is used to discuss the findings from a qualitative study of how older people living with HIV (OPLHIV) in Korogwe, Tanzania use help groups for informal social support to battle their daily challenges as a result of HIV and ageing in a rural context. Interviews with 13 OPLHIV showed that there are voluntarily formed groups and arranged groups. We find that voluntarily organised groups seem to build on, and benefit from Ubuntu values. The study further showed that Ubuntu values in group organisation, is currently challenged by, donor dependency, heterogeneity and poverty in local communities. Social work practice is recommended to acknowledge the strength of Ubuntu to support already existing initiatives in the field but also to recognise the factors that challenge it.
Manda, C.A, N. Asingwire, D. Mafigiri, R. Kroken & J. Nyoni (2025): Economic Participation among Older People: Key Influencing Factors and Social Work Practice Implications. (2025). Journal of Comparative Social Work, 20(1), 245-270. https://doi.org/10.31265/jcsw.v20i1.733
Abstract: Economic participation studies often emphasize challenges of accessing and engaging in formal employment after retirement. However, they tend to overlook personal factors, traditional values, and culturally specific elements in rural settings that influence participation in informal work. This study explored the factors that influence the participation of older people in handcraft activities to provide a deeper insight into their continued engagement and its implications on social work practice. A phenomenology method was used, and in-depth interviews were employed to collect data from purposively sampled older people working in handcraft through the lens of decolonial theory. The analysis revealed that older people’s participation in handcraft activities was triggered by poor living conditions, the need for income to meet essential needs, a lack of formal and inadequate informal support, parenting and grand-parenting obligations, as well as the desire to maintain personal agency and avoid dependence syndrome. The findings suggest that the traditional role of extended family and community, as a pillar of care and protection of older people, should be enhanced to improve their working lives and well- being. Older people working in handcraft activities should be empowered in their socio- economic issues to improve their working and quality of life in rural communities. Collaboration between social workers and the community at the grassroots level is crucial, and social work knowledge and practice that reflect and promote indigenous knowledge and practices should be developed and adopted.
Turyomurugyendo, F., Walakira, E. J., Revheim, C., & Twikirize, J. M. (2025). Experiences of child sexual abuse survivors with formal child protection systems: An indigenist perspective. Journal of Comparative Social Work, 20(1), 110-136. DOI: https://doi.org/10.31265/jcsw.v20i1.711
Abstract: Preventing abuse in childhood and providing services to the victims requires a comprehensive child protection framework. Even when the government of Uganda has made deliberate efforts to facilitate protection of children, research shows that their efforts have largely been inadequate. Adopting an indigenous perspective that centers the structural inequalities that inform social relationships in families, communities and the society rather than the individual is paramount. Thus, this study examined how indigenous child protection systems can be integrated to complement formal approaches in responding to child sexual abuse. This article presents experiences of five adult women from Luuka district, Uganda who experienced rape during their childhood. Narrative inquiry was used to explore survivors’ experiences. This information was complemented by information from social workers who were purposively selected and interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the findings and four major themes relating to survivors’ experiences emerged from this study. Survivors reported challenges with investigations, access to justice, lack of protective shelter and challenges in accessing medical services. In addition to formal child protection systems, survivors utilised services from indigenous child protection systems which included; Local Council 1, community volunteers, social groups and savings groups. Indigenous practices based on mutual aid and community organising addressed broader welfare needs of survivors, including enabling them to access education, linkage to services and access to shelter. The social support provided through indigenous models involved multiple social welfare functions, and addressed different child protection needs. However, poverty at the household and community level limits the scalability of such approaches. Accessing formal child protection services was found to be costly for the survivors. The Informal Child Protection System is more accessible, offers comprehensive services and demonstrates to buffer the formal systems.
Opobo, T., Abalo, J. Kafuko, A. Twikirize, J.M, Awich, E.O & Mugumya, F. (2025). Engaged Scholarship through Community Social Labs. Advancing Indigenisation of Social Work Education in Uganda. Journal of Comparative Social Work, 20(1), 79-109, DOI: https://doi.org/10.31265/jcsw.v20i1.730
Abstract: The indigenisation of social work education in Africa is a response to the limitations of Western-centric approaches to addressing complex local social issues. This paper explores the role of engaged scholarship and community social labs in indigenising social work education in Uganda. The study analyses data from four focus group discussions, and student WhatsApp conversations, to examine how these approaches facilitate meaningful community engagement and the integration of local knowledge into the social work curriculum. The results show that community social labs can help with cultural sensitivity and problem-solving that is relevant to the situation. They also demonstrate that institutional constraints and power dynamics may hinder this transition.Despite these issues, the study suggests that engaged scholarship through community social labs has significant potential to make social work education and practice in Uganda more culturally sensitive and responsive to local realities. Even with these challenges, the study suggests that engaging scholars in community social labs has a lot of potential to make social work education and practice in Uganda more sensitive to local cultures and needs.
Ntezimana, A., Hahirwa, G. J., Randy, K., & Asingwire, N. (2025). Assessing the role of partners in rural youth village saving and loan associations’ activities in Byumba sector-Rwanda. Journal of Social Work in Developing Societies, 7(2), 86–107. https://doi.org/10.4314/jswds.v7i2.6
Abstract: Partner institutions significantly support rural Youth Village Savings and Loans Associations – a self-initiated approach to address unemployment and related socioeconomic problems of rural youth in Rwanda – their role is not highlighted in the literature. This study describes the role of partner institutions in those savings groups’ activities. A case study utilizing a mixed method was adopted towards the purposively selected respondents. The questionnaire was opted to collect quantitative data from 54 rural youth’s members of saving groups whereas three focus group discussion with committee members and 9 in-depth interviews with the representatives of different partner institutions of rural youth saving groups were conducted to collect qualitative data. The Statistical Package for Social Scientists and thematic analysis were used to analyse quantitative and qualitative data separately. This study revealed that governmental and Non-Governmental Organisations, business companies, financial institutions, and Faith-Based organisations support rural youth saving groups significantly through training and capacity building (96.3%), advocacy (96.3%), networking (81.48%), technical assistance (79.63%) and financial support (64.81%). The later apply social work practice and use social work methods and theories. Social workers should document their achievements and duplicate them to reduce rural youths unemployment and its related socioeconomic problems.
Mwinyi, R., Omona, J., Twesigye J., Mabeyo, Z., & Bønnhoff, H.E.D. (2025). Experiences of planning for pension benefits among retired primary school teachers in Tanzania. Journal of Social Work in Developing Societieshttps://doi.org/10.4314/jswds.v7i2.4
Abstract: This qualitative study explored pension benefits planning among retired primary school teachers in Tanzania. The guiding research question was, “What practices do retired primary school teachers engage in when planning their pension benefits?” Data was collected from 14 informants through in-depth interviews and analysed thematically. Findings reveal that time influenced informants’ planning for their pension benefits with reference to planning initiations and commencements. Further, the study highlights the involvement of various stakeholders in the planning process and its realisation; these include children, spouses, parents and religious leaders. This study enhances the understanding of how retired primary school teachers plan and manage their once-paid lump-sum pension benefits towards achieving well-being. The findings provide insights and reflections for social work practitioners and the government on tapping the experiences and practices of financially empowered retired primary school teachers, other retirees and prospective retirees to enhance their planning for pension benefits and optimise their wellbeing with their pension benefits.
Opobo, T., Abalo, J., Mugumya, F., Kafuko, A., & Twikirize, J. (2025). Social work education in Uganda: A paradigm shift through community social labs approach. Journal of Social Work in Developing Societies, 7(2), 67–85. https://doi.org/10.4314/jswds.v7i2.5
The Department of Social Work at Makerere University, Uganda, implemented the social labs model, which this paper examines as an innovative approach to address the limitations of traditional practicum models in social work education. Guided by experiential learning theory and the concept of communities of practice, the study applied the social labs methodology to inform data collection, analysis, and interpretation. The data for this study were collected through four separate focus group discussions, involving a total of 40 undergraduate and graduate students. These students were purposely selected due to their involvement in social labs located in the Eastern and Northern regions of Uganda. Thematic analysis was used to identify recurring themes and patterns in the collected data, providing valuable insights into the perspectives and realities of students from specific regions. The findings indicated that students faced challenges in the traditional field practicum, including insufficient supervision, limited time for practical application, and inadequate practical training, hindering the integration of theory and practice. In contrast, the social labs model enhanced practical experience through community engagement and fostered a supportive learning environment. However, it faces challenges such as limited partnerships, funding constraints, insufficient pre-placement preparation, and restricted field-based learning opportunities. This research highlights the potential of social labs, informed by experiential learning theory and communities of practice, to address deficiencies in social work education and provides a basis for developing more impactful learning opportunities.