‘You become two in one’: Women’s representations of responsibility and emotional vulnerability in Zimbabwean father-away families

Abstract

Unlike the economic costs of migration, the psychosocial conditions and emotional needs of migrant family members in Southern Africa are under-researched. Therefore, this article examines narratives of suffering provided by Zimbabwean non-migrant women. It demonstrates that the absence of men from the home creates a multidimensional deficit – not only a loss of caring hands but also forcing non-migrant women to double-up on the responsibilities in the family. Factors connected to women’s suffering include overwhelming responsibility at home and emotional insecurity created by prolonged separation and the potential disintegration of familial bonds. The article also considers the implications of non-migrant women’s experiences for social work research.