title: Survival strategies of elderly women in Ngangelizwe Township, Mthatha, South Africa: Livelihoods, social networks and income.
abstract: This study seeks to examine the critical issue of how the elderly women of Ngangelizwe, Mthatha, Eastern Cape, South Africa address the challenges they encounter in their attempts to provide for their needs and those of their dependants. These challenges include among others lack of education, access to resources, caring for their sick children suffering from AIDS related diseases as well as their orphaned grandchildren.
  
  
  METHODS
  In-depth interviews were held with 15 retired women above 60 years old who are also heads of households, receiving or not receiving state pension, and/or a child support grant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study reveals that friendship-based ties, social networks and their impact on the livelihoods, health, survival and social adjustment of the elderly women are essential components of their lives. The study also reports on the strategies they employ to alleviate poverty through their own and school-going age grandchildren's participation in income generating activities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study indicates that for most women, the inability to attain basic essentials of life leads to loss of self-dignity. Socio-economic factors such as low levels of education, unemployment, little or no income, poor access to resources, many dependants and looking after their children who are ill creates a situation where they operate within the "little opportunities" circle. The evidence in this study suggests that friendship-based ties, social groups, including social capital, pension grants, child support grants and remittances from their employed children help to mitigate some of the poverty experiences of the elderly women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, Howard College Campus, Mazisi Kunene Drive, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Room F125 MTB, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
authors.forename: Sinethemba S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Sidloyi
authors.affiliation: Department of Research Management, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, South Campus, Main Building, Room 1310, University Way, Summerstrand, Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Electronic address: nolunkcwe.bomela@nmmu.ac.za.
authors.forename: Nolunkcwe J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Bomela
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008875:Middle Aged; D011203:Poverty; D011632:Public Assistance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012179:Retirement; D066270:Social Capital; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013019:South Africa; D014505:Urban Population
keywords: Challenges; Friendship-based ties; Ngangelizwe; Social networks; Survival