Creating Synergy between Indigenous Knowledge Systems and National Case Management in Zimbabwe: A Social Work Perspective

This study interrogates the socio-cultural dimensions underpinning the efficacy of Zimbabwe's National Case Management System (NCMS) for child welfare, foregrounding the imperative integration of African Indigenous Knowledge Systems (AIKS) to enhance programmatic responsiveness within rural communities. Grounded in the Ubuntu philosophy, which posits communal responsibility and relational humanism as foundational to child-rearing and welfare, the research adopts an interpretivist paradigm to elucidate the complex interplay between indigenous cultural frameworks and formal child protection mechanisms. Employing an exploratory phenomenological design, qualitative data were harvested through purposive sampling involving in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews within Rushinga district, a rural locale beset by socio-economic vulnerabilities and entrenched traditional practices. Thematic analysis unveiled critical gaps in community awareness, engagement, and involvement in NCMS implementation, alongside persistent cultural practices that inadvertently perpetuate child rights violations such as early marriages and child labour. Findings underscore the exigency for deliberate advocacy, robust community participation, and strategic incorporation of indigenous epistemologies within policy and practice to reconcile tensions between modern child welfare protocols and local sociocultural realities. The study recommends institutionalising community-centred dialogues, capacity-building initiatives for indigenous knowledge documentation, and elevating traditional leadership roles in program governance to foster culturally consonant, sustainable child protection outcomes. Ultimately, this research contributes to the discourse on decolonising social welfare systems by advocating for a culturally grounded, participatory approach that respects and harnesses indigenous knowledge as a transformative conduit for strengthening child welfare frameworks in Zimbabwe