Editorial

3

Editorial

Social workers and social development workers and educators face enormous
challenges in the Africa of the '90s. Widespread political unrest and political
changes and realignments in Africa itself, and globally, reflect and imply a
continent at the crossroads, ata fune when ideas are in flux, when old directions
can be reassessed and new directions taken. It is a time which can be used to
build a sense of community on the continent, a recognition of similar problems
and possibilities, of the strength that can come with unity of purpose and a
common stand. Africa has been divided not only within countries but across
tradition, culture,
the continent
tribe, religion, and
politics. This decade is an opportunity for the continent
to come together, to
buildfor a united future forallits peoples. This is the challenge for Africa, and
for its people.

in terms of language,

This issue of the Journal contains a wide range of articles on development
and social work concerns. Although they do not yet reflect the major global
and continental changes taking place, they do identify a number of challenges
that face social workers at present. Not least among these challenges is that of
AIDS, and for the first time in this Journal an article on AIDS in Africa, Helen
Jackson's "AIDS and Social Work in Africa",
is included. This is a timely
article. An understanding of the ways in which the various problems
associated with AIDS can be dealt with is clearly becoming more and more
vital as the disease becomes more widespread, and more devastating in its
implications and consequences
in many countries of Africa. The AIDS
question, however, as pointed out by Jackson, may also provide an opportunity
to reflect on, reorient and reassess social work practice and training in Africa.
This is the theme also implied by Gerry Salole's challenging article "Not
Seeing the Wood for the Trees: Searching for Indigenous Non Government
Organisations
This
article focuses on the strengths and potential of indigenous selfbelp voluntary
associations
the importance of
recognising and supporting these initiatives as people-centred and people-led,
organisations with significant potential for development. This contrasts with
Eddie Kasek.e's contribution "Social Work Practice in Zimbabwe" which
identifies and recognises the need to indigenise and localise social work, and
set it in a developmental
context, while also noting the continuing and
pervasive emphasis on traditional curative (casework based) social work,

in the Forest of Voluntary 'Self Help' Associations".

in Ethiopia, drawing conclusioos

about

4

Editorial

this is clearly an area in which social workers

particularly in the Department of Social Welfare. While no role for social
workers is actually identified in the Rene Loewenson
article, "Child Labour
in an advocacy
in Zimbabwe",
in this area may also
or conscientising role could playa part - but involvement
in aradicalrestructuring
imply challenge - an involvement
and transformation
of the social system,
to enable
it to meet
population.
Attitudes
consistent with societal
kind of occupation
might have.
unemployment,
this situation,

the
In his article Kwaleu Osei- Hwedie attempts to identify the ''Work
if these are
and norms, and how they relate to the
of youth
populations
the problems of youth
in
for an improvement

identifiable
issues surrounding
and the lack of any clear prescriptions

and Life Goals of Zambian Youth"

the needs of all sectors of

the fmdings relating to preferences

are not surprising ...

In view of the major

prescriptions

preferences

different

and to fmd out

The responses were generally very positive,

questionnaire was circulated with Vol 5 No 1 1990.

An evaluation
The
responses have now been colIat.ed, and will be summarised inthe next issue of
the Journal.
and respondents
there was
indicated an intention to continue to support
Ina Joumal
a call for the Journal
is placed on
which is still establishing
unsolicited contributions, and even where contributions
are solicited they are
often not forthcoming, making a thematic approach rather difficult. However,
future themes in ongoing issues of the
it may be possible to advertise potential
Journal, and hope that they willl~d
to a greater response than ryquests for the
submission of particular work in the past has done.

to take a more thematic approach by issue.
itself this is very difficult. Reliance

the Journal. However,

The Journal,

from time to time, receives unsolicited requests

to advertise
etc. The Editorial Board has
calls for papers, conferences, new publications,
agreed that, on a selective basis (at the discretion of the Editor),
the Journal
could respond positively to such requests, particularly if they come from Third
Word countries or are of particular value (X' interest
to these countries. Please
send your notices to the Editor in good time, and note that this Jol.ll1Ullusually
goes to press in early December,
for
the July issue.

for the February issue, and in early May,

Editor