Social Capital: Namibia
Learners stand with their peers during the morning assembly
Social capital within various contexts can take form in very different ways, making it difficult to observe and measure. In the context of developing countries, Widner and Mundt suggest that the components to consider include: “levels and patterns of trust, frequency of social context, extent and form of perceived obligations to invest or co-operate, and norms that accord prestige or status to people who generate and share information” (1). Unlike industrialized countries, developing countries may rely on social capital derived from trust and cooperation between people within villages more so than the social capital often derived from those with higher education and income. These differences are important when understanding social capital and education in Namibia.
Parents & HIV/AIDS
The trust and loyalty between family members are particularly strong in Namibian families and offer a good source of social capital. In my experience, it was quite common for children to live with extended family members to attend better schools or if their biological parents were unable to support them. A daughter of one of the teachers I stayed with lived with her aunt throughout primary school then returned and lived with her biological mother during her secondary years. However parents and family members as a primary source of social capital can have devastating effects due to the high mortality rate caused by HIV/AIDS in Namibia. In fact, the 2006-07 Namibia Demographic and Health Survey reported 17% of Namibia’s children have been orphaned by at least one parent due to HIV (2). Although efforts are made within schools through HIV/AIDS Awareness Week and activities, this disease continues to impact the adult population in Namibia and thus eliminate perhaps the most important source of social capital for children.
Impact of Hostel Schools
Like students in the U.S., those with parents who did not attend college need additional support from teachers and community members to provide information, guidance, and encouragement to attend university. This was sorely missing within the hostel school where I taught as learners were only exposed to teachers during the school day and few adult figures outside of school. The hostel school also limited learner’s abilities to communicate with their parents and other family members due to banning of cell phones in the living quarters and few alternatives to communicate. In many ways, the hostel school environment prevented learners from utilizing social capital necessary to make future plans for their education. In non-hostel schools, there may be fewer barriers to realizing social capital. However limited access to technology, especially computers, is a barrier for these learners as well which keeps them from being exposed to all their options for the future.
High Mobility
A final issue pertaining to social capital and learner’s education in Namibia deals with the high mobility rate of families and individuals. For a variety of reasons ranging from job changes to death of family members, families often move depending on their current situation and needs. Movement occurs both from villages to urban settings and vice versa, as was was the case for one learner who moved to the villages from the capital, Windhoek. The learner's mother heard Ongha S.S.S. was one of the best schools in the northern region and wanted her daughter to be away from some of the negative influences of the city causing them to move away from the city. Additionally, as mentioned previously, it was not uncommon for learners live with a number of relatives in different villages during the course of their schooling. This constant movement can prevent learners from building relationships with community members and peers that may be helpful when they pursue tertiary education or enter the workforce.
Parents & HIV/AIDS
The trust and loyalty between family members are particularly strong in Namibian families and offer a good source of social capital. In my experience, it was quite common for children to live with extended family members to attend better schools or if their biological parents were unable to support them. A daughter of one of the teachers I stayed with lived with her aunt throughout primary school then returned and lived with her biological mother during her secondary years. However parents and family members as a primary source of social capital can have devastating effects due to the high mortality rate caused by HIV/AIDS in Namibia. In fact, the 2006-07 Namibia Demographic and Health Survey reported 17% of Namibia’s children have been orphaned by at least one parent due to HIV (2). Although efforts are made within schools through HIV/AIDS Awareness Week and activities, this disease continues to impact the adult population in Namibia and thus eliminate perhaps the most important source of social capital for children.
Impact of Hostel Schools
Like students in the U.S., those with parents who did not attend college need additional support from teachers and community members to provide information, guidance, and encouragement to attend university. This was sorely missing within the hostel school where I taught as learners were only exposed to teachers during the school day and few adult figures outside of school. The hostel school also limited learner’s abilities to communicate with their parents and other family members due to banning of cell phones in the living quarters and few alternatives to communicate. In many ways, the hostel school environment prevented learners from utilizing social capital necessary to make future plans for their education. In non-hostel schools, there may be fewer barriers to realizing social capital. However limited access to technology, especially computers, is a barrier for these learners as well which keeps them from being exposed to all their options for the future.
High Mobility
A final issue pertaining to social capital and learner’s education in Namibia deals with the high mobility rate of families and individuals. For a variety of reasons ranging from job changes to death of family members, families often move depending on their current situation and needs. Movement occurs both from villages to urban settings and vice versa, as was was the case for one learner who moved to the villages from the capital, Windhoek. The learner's mother heard Ongha S.S.S. was one of the best schools in the northern region and wanted her daughter to be away from some of the negative influences of the city causing them to move away from the city. Additionally, as mentioned previously, it was not uncommon for learners live with a number of relatives in different villages during the course of their schooling. This constant movement can prevent learners from building relationships with community members and peers that may be helpful when they pursue tertiary education or enter the workforce.
1. Widner, J., & Mundt, A. (1998).
Researching social capital in Africa. Journal of the International African
Institute, 68(1), 1-24.
2. Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) [Namibia] and Macro International Inc. 2008. Namibia Demographic and Health Survey 2006-07. Windhoek, Namibia and Calverton, Maryland, USA: MoHSS and Macro International Inc.
2. Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) [Namibia] and Macro International Inc. 2008. Namibia Demographic and Health Survey 2006-07. Windhoek, Namibia and Calverton, Maryland, USA: MoHSS and Macro International Inc.