Gender differences in livelihood coping strategies of children affected with HIV/AIDS related deaths in a housrhold: a case study of george and Chazanga compounds of Lusaka

The study focused only on children who had lost one or both parents in a household and (1) examined the gender differences in livelihood coping strategies of children affected by HIV and AIDS related deaths of a parent(s) in a household (2) investigated the emotional coping strategies employed by children affected by HIV/AIDS related deaths of a parent in a household (3) investigated children’s experiences with regard to meeting their health and education needs in households affected by HIV/AIDS related deaths of a parent. Data was collected from children aged 10-20 years old that have experienced HIV and AIDS related deaths of a parent or parents in a household. Chazanga compound had 264 children on the list and of these, 154 were females and 110 were males while George compound had 339 children of which 207 were females and 132 were males. The study employed random sampling, more specically systematic sampling was used. The overall picture from the findings of the survey was that there were gender differences in coping strategies of children affected by HIV/AIDS. The study concluded that boys employed livelihood strategies such as doing piece work and going on the streets to beg while girls were more into selling and prostitution as a way of livelihood coping strategies. In addition, the survey also revealed that children employed different types of emotional coping strategies either positive or negative ones. The study also concluded that most children had stopped school due to lack of sponsorship and for some, lack of learning materials such as uniforms and books. Some of them indicated that they stopped school because they had to generate income after the death of their parent/parents. It is clear also those children in homes that have experienced HIV/AIDS related deaths struggle when it comes to health. Most of them may have access to the health facilities but do not have money to pay for the prescribed medicines which puts them at a risk of ill health