The Temporality of Mothering through the use of ICTs by Zimbabwean Women Informal Cross-Border Traders

The Temporality of Mothering through the use of ICTs by Zimbabwean Women Informal Cross-Border Traders

Jean Mandewo

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Pragna Rugunanan

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Kezia Batisai

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University of Johannesburg

The Temporality of Mothering through the use of ICTs by Zimbabwean Women Informal Cross-Border Traders

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Connecting with the Eternal Ground

Abstract

The article explores how Zimbabwean women cross-border traders travelling to Tanzania used Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) particularly the mobile phone for communicating with family, customers and shop owners. The African feminist theory explained the women’s traders’ innovation in using ICTs. The study was grounded in the qualitative approach with the case study being the research design. In-depth interviews were the main data collection method employed. Nine key informants were purposively selected and twelve women cross-border traders aged between 24 and 53 years were snowballed. Collected data was presented in both narrative and descriptive forms. The findings indicated that the participants were forced to navigate the borders searching for livelihoods as they engaged the precarious venture of informal cross-border trading. Their frequent absence from home meant they had to mother their children from a distance. The participants in this study used ICTs to fulfil their mothering roles which brings out the temporality of mothering from afar. In addition the findings indicated that the mobile phone was used to listen to music on the way to Tanzania.

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Funding

No external funding was declared for this work.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Ethical Approval

No ethics committee approval was required for this article type.

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Not applicable for this article.

How to Cite This Article

Jean Mandewo. 2026. \u201cThe Temporality of Mothering through the use of ICTs by Zimbabwean Women Informal Cross-Border Traders\u201d. Unknown Journal GJHSS-C Volume 22 (GJHSS Volume 22 Issue C4): .

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GJHSS Volume 22 Issue C4
Pg. 29- 36

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GJHSS-C Classification: DDC Code: 371.3078 LCC Code: LB1028.3

Submission ReceivedJuly 19, 2022
Peer Review Double Blind
Handling Editor
Accepted July 26, 2022
Published August 6, 2022

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August 16, 2022

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