Survival Coping Strategies by Persons with Disabilities during Economic Depression in Urban Zimbabwe

The study critically investigates survival strategies employed by persons living with disabilities amidst economic depression. With a view to exploring survival strategies employed by persons with disabilities in the middle of economic depression, the researcher investigated survival strategies employed by persons with visual impairment and persons with physical disabilities. Although there are several disability categories, the researcher decided to use two disabilities in the study. These disability categories were chosen chiefly because the prevailing economic situation is likely to have adverse impact on persons with visual impairment and persons with physical disabilities. These are likely to be stigmatised and discriminated due to stereotypes associated with these disability categories especially in societies where the medical model of disability is used to understand the concept of disability. Due to the nature of the topic, the researcher utilised qualitative methodology as it is ideal for one to have an in-depth understanding of a phenomenon being studied. In-depth interviews, focus group discussions, documentary analysis and key-informant interviews were utilised to collect data. The study reveals that most of the survival strategies employed by persons with disabilities are not effective to alleviate poverty among them. The study further brings to the fore the fact that economic depression has severely affected both formal and informal social safety nets of persons with disabilities as they now depend on unsustainable survival strategies such as begging, street vending and depending on family and friends thereby precipitating vicious cycle of poverty among persons with disabilities. Though the government has taken several initiatives to promote the welfare of persons with disabilities, there are several factors that precipitate poverty among persons with disabilities. The study also uncovered several factors that precipitate poverty among persons with disabilities chief among them physical, social and institutional barriers that hinder participation of persons with disabilities.