Browsing by Author "Amunyela, Loide"

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    Exploring survival strategies of female-headed households in Kaniita informal settlement, Omuthiya (Namibia)
    (University of Namibia, 2025) Amunyela, Loide; Tjirera, Ellison
    Namibia’s economy fell into recession in 2016 and has since struggled to recover. The economic crisis of 2017- 2018 turned into a developed depression as the country was confronted with a fiscal liquidity crisis. This was worsened by the massive drought, which had disastrous consequences for the local economy. The COVID-19 pandemic had an unprecedented impact on Namibia’s economy and worsened preexisting structural challenges. Female-Headed Households have now become highly prevalent across the world. Research in low-income urban populations has identified female household heads as more vulnerable and less secure. This study explores the livelihood situation and survival strategies of female headed households in Kaniita, an informal settlement in Omuthiya. This research adopted the Department for International Development (DFID) sustainable livelihood approach framework. The study revealed that since Female Headed Households have low level of educational attainment and employment access, most of them fall into low-income groups, making their livelihoods insecure. A qualitative case study design was employed to gather evidence from primary and secondary sources. The main objective of this study was to identify the challenges faced by female-headed households in a distressed economy in Kaniita informal settlement. Moreover, the study aimed to examine the survival strategies deployed by female-headed households in a distressed economy in Kaniita informal settlement and to identify and suggest support systems that could be put in place to assist female heads of households in a distressed economy. From the findings, it was discovered that the challenges faced by female-headed households in a distressed economy are lack of capital, lack of land, rural-urban migration, business going slow and availability of water and sanitation. It was also found that the survival strategies deployed by female-headed households were working, being street vendors, selling different products, social grants and worshipping. From the study, it was recommended that the government should give loans to women at a lower interest rate so that they can be able to fund their businesses, free training should be provided to women on how to run a business and manage their finances properly