Thriving despite adversities: resilience strategies of school-going mothers in Hurungwe, Zimbabwe

BACKGROUND: School-going mothers in Zimbabwe continue to face academic, social, and economic barriers that threaten their educational continuity. However, many demonstrate remarkable resilience in balancing motherhood and schooling. This study explored the resilience strategies adopted by school-going mothers in the Hurungwe District to sustain their education despite adversities. METHODS: This study was anchored on Norman Garmezy and Emmy Werner's resilience theory and employed a qualitative case study design. Fifteen school-going mothers from three secondary schools in the Hurungwe District were purposively selected. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and were analysed thematically to identify emerging resilience strategies. RESULTS: The findings revealed four key resilience strategies: personal motivation, supportive school environments, assistance from non-governmental organisations, and strategies to overcome stigmatisation. These factors collectively strengthened participants' capacity to persevere academically while managing parenting responsibilities. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the importance of psychosocial, institutional, and community support in promoting the educational resilience of school-going mothers. However, its findings are limited to a small sample from one district and cannot be generalised nationally. Future studies should consider mixed-methods designs and broader geographic coverage to deepen the understanding of resilience among adolescent mothers.