Erziehung einer Gesellschaft der Zukunft: Kinderbetreuung in Uganda in Zeiten von AIDS

Abstract

Currently more than half the population of Uganda is 18 years or below a demographic division caused by civil war, poverty and the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Drawing upon ethnographic research in south-eastern Uganda the study analyses the difficulties of integrating rising numbers of orphans and other vulnerable children in the Ugandan society. While aid organisations and researchers in general agree that the extended family should be given first priority to take care of orphans and other vulnerable children and institutional care is viewed as the last resort, this article rises some strong questions against this common perception. The author argues that understanding consequences of childcare must take point of departure in the interpersonal relationships between care-giver(s) and care-recipient(s) and cultural notions of childcare. By focussing on children’s position in society, patterns of parental relations, leviratic practices, and importance of land and education the author provides an understanding of the complexity and changing patterns of childcare relations. Patterns which she argues calls in question whether family care taking continually should be given preference to institutional care.