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Access status: Open Access ,
Examining the effects of religiosity, ubuntu values, aspirational social status, skin bleaching influenced authenticity, tiktok algorithm exposure, attitude towards bleaching/colourism, on consumer engagement and purchase intention in Zimbabwe
(BUSE, 2026-06) Munatswa, Alwyn
This research analysed the impact of religiosity, the Ubuntu values, and aspirational social status, influencer authenticity, the TikTok algorithm exposure, and perceptions about colourism; subsequently, these influences are linked to engagement in consumer bleaching and purchase intent. This quantitative study consisted of surveys from Zimbabwean TikTok users via a structured questionnaire. In total, 375 questionnaires were sent out with an estimated response rate of 72.8% (273 usable responses received). All data was analysed using SPSS and AMOS (the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences and Analysis of Moment Structures). Analysis methods employed were EFA (Exploratory Factor Analysis), CFA (Confirmatory Factor Analysis), testing for reliability using Cronbach’s alpha (all constructs were above the recommended 0.70 threshold), and SEM (Structural Equation Modelling) to verify hypothesised relationships. All hypothesised relationships in the model were found to be positive and statistically significant (p<0.05). Evidence from the research indicates a strong relationship between religiosity and influencer authenticity (β=0.267), the TikTok algorithm exposure (β=0.205), and individuals’ opinions on colourism (β=0.313). This suggests that religion continues to have an important role in influencing consumer perception towards beauty content. In addition to religiosity, we also found that Ubuntu value system to positively contribute toward influencer authenticity (β=0.309), the TikTok algorithm exposure ((β=0.405), and opinions on colourism (β=0.377). This indicates that consumers will be influenced in their buying behaviour by concepts related to communal identity and taking care of their fellow man. Aspirational social status also impacted positively on influencer authenticity (β=0.315), the TikTok algorithm (β=0.258) and opinions on colourism (β=0.250). This could imply that consumers’ drive to engage with beauty content may be motivated by their desire for social status. In addition to these three factors, influencer authenticity (β=0.419), TikTok algorithmic exposure (β=0.267) and attitudes toward colourism (β=0.257) all had a statistically significant relationship to consumer engagement in bleach purchases. Consumer engagement acted as a strong mediating variable in the relationship between consumer engagement and purchase intention (β=0.759). The study shows that the way consumers interact with online content related to bleaching is an important way of converting their cultural values, exposure to digital content and social influences into how they make decisions about purchasing products. This study concludes that the combined impact of cultural beliefs, aspirational motivations, algorithm driven exposure, influencer credibility and digital engagement create the intent for skin bleaching products in Zimbabwe. This study contributes to the current body of literature by combining African cultural concepts into the study of digital marketing and consumer behaviour and has practical implications for marketers, policymakers, and other stakeholders in regard to ethical beauty messaging and colourism's influence in the digital world.
Access status: Open Access ,
Beyond visibility: social workers’ perspectives on child neglect among children living with disabilities in Chitungwiza
(BUSE, 2026) Mahuni, Felistas
Child neglect remains one of the most prevalent forms of child abuse worldwide, with children living with disabilities being particularly vulnerable due to their increased dependency on caregivers and social support systems. This study explored social workers’ perspectives on child neglect among children living with disabilities in Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe. The study was guided by Attachment Theory and employed a qualitative research approach within an interpretivist paradigm to gain an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon. A case study design was adopted, and data were collected through semi-structured interviews with social workers and key informants drawn from government departments, non-governmental organisations, and community-based organisations working with children with disabilities. Purposive sampling was used to select participants with relevant experience and knowledge. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that child neglect among children living with disabilities manifests in various forms, including physical neglect, emotional neglect, educational neglect, and medical neglect. The study identified poverty, caregiver stress, limited knowledge of disability issues, stigma, and inadequate support services as key factors contributing to neglect. The findings further highlighted several consequences of neglect, such as poor physical and mental health, social isolation, low self-esteem, educational challenges, and compromised overall wellbeing. Social workers reported employing interventions such as case management, family counselling, community awareness campaigns, referrals, and advocacy; however, these efforts were constrained by high caseloads, limited resources, and inadequate inter-agency coordination. The study concludes that addressing child neglect among children living with disabilities requires a multi-sectoral approach involving government institutions, social workers, communities, and families. The study recommends increased funding for child protection services, strengthened community awareness programmes, enhanced support for caregivers, and improved coordination among stakeholders to promote the welfare and protection of children living with disabilities.
Access status: Open Access ,
An Evaluation on how school feeding programmes can enhance academic success among students. The case of Wayerera secondary school
(BUSE, 2026) Madzivanzira, Obert
The study aimed to design an intervention on how school feeding programmes can enhance academic success among students. Its objectives were threefold firstly, to examine how school feeding programmes influence students’ concentration and classroom participation, to explore the perspectives of beneficiaries on the impact of school feeding programmes on academic success and to propose an intervention model that strengthens scholastic achievement through feeding initiatives. The study is anchored in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, the study recognized that meeting students’ physiological and safety needs through consistent nutrition is a prerequisite for higher order outcomes such as learning, self esteem, and self actualization. A qualitative case study design was adopted, with purposive sampling selecting teachers, students, and caregivers as participants. Data were collected through in depth interviews and focus group discussions, guided by semi structured instruments. Findings revealed that while school feeding programmes improved attendance and reduced hunger, their academic impact was constrained by socio economic deprivation, inconsistent meal provision, weak infrastructure, and limited financing. Participants emphasized that poverty and inadequate resources undermined sustainability, leaving students vulnerable to poor concentration and reduced performance. The study concludes that sustainable academic success requires a feeding model that prioritizes nutritional equality, diversified financing, infrastructure development, and holistic interventions. Recommendations urge policymakers, educators, and communities to integrate school feeding into child development frameworks, advancing inclusive interventions aligned with Zimbabwe’s Education 5.0 strategy and the Ubuntu philosophy of collective responsibility
Access status: Open Access ,
Post treatment experiences of leprosy patients at Mutemwa Leprosy Catholic and Care Centre in Mutoko
(BUSE, 2026) Chidindi, Princess C.
For many years, leprosy has been medically curable through Multi-Drug Therapy (MDT), yet cured patients continue to face lifelong social, psychological, and physical complications due to stigmatization, rejection, and permanent disabilities. This has called for a deeper understanding of post-treatment lived experiences, particularly in institutional settings such as Mutemwa Leprosy Catholic and Care Centre in Mutoko, Zimbabwe, where cured patients remain resident long after biomedical cure. Hence the study sought to explore the post-treatment experiences of leprosy patients at Mutemwa Leprosy Catholic and Care Centre. The research objectives were to examine the post-treatment services given to cured leprosy patients, to scrutinize the complications associated with post-treatment lives, to analyses the coping mechanisms adopted by patients, and to propose recommendations to enhance service delivery and address complications. The study adopted a qualitative approach using a descriptive phenomenological design with a sample size of 12–14 participants selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through semistructured in-depth interviews and key informant interviews. Thematic analysis grounded in descriptive phenomenology was used to analyses the data. The findings show that post-treatment services at Mutemwa are limited to basic medical rehabilitation (wound care, physiotherapy) and spiritual support, with no formal psychological counselling, vocational training, or community reintegration programmes. Cured patients face profound complications including permanent physical disabilities, internalised stigma, social death (loss of identity and community ties), family rejection, economic dependency, and psychological distress such as depression and hopelessness. Coping mechanisms adopted include religious faith, peer support among residents, withdrawal from social contact, and acceptance of institutional dependency. The findings also identified challenges such as lack of trained mental health personnel, exclusion from national disability benefits, absence of discharge pathways, and policy fragmentation between health and social welfare sectors. Strategies that can be employed to address these challenges include integration of psychosocial services into leprosy care, establishment of vocational training and microenterprise support, family mediation and community sensitization, legal advocacy for inclusion in disability benefits, and development of formal community reintegration pathways. The study therefore recommends holistic, human rights-based approaches that extend beyond biomedical cure to include psychological rehabilitation, economic empowerment, legal protection, and community reintegration for cured leprosy.
Access status: Open Access ,
Experiences of male gender-based violence survivors: case of Padare men’s forum, Harare
(BUSE, 2026) Prisca, David
This study explored the experiences of male gender-based violence (GBV) survivors at Padare Men’s Forum in Harare, Zimbabwe. Guided by the Strength-Based Theory, the study employed a qualitative case study design involving five male survivors and three key informants. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings revealed that male survivors experienced physical, verbal, psychological,economic, and spiritual abuse. Survivors employed coping mechanisms including avoidance and denial, social isolation, substance use, faith-based coping, and helpseeking. Padare Men’s Forum provided counselling, peer support, legal advocacy, community awareness programme, and referral services, although economic empowerment support remained limited. The study concludes that male GBV is a significant but under-recognized social problem in Zimbabwe and that culturally responsive, gender-inclusive interventions are required. The study recommends strengthening support services, improving awareness, expanding economic empowerment initiatives, and promoting gender-inclusive policies and social work practice.