Conceptualising schools as a source of social capital for HIV affected children in southern Africa

Many AIDS-affected African children lack forms of adult support and guidance traditionally provided by families. There is growing policy attention to the role schools might play in caring for children in extreme adversity in ways that go far beyond traditional education. We use the concept of the “HIV competent school,” which incorporates bonding, bridging and linking social capital, to frame a selective review of the literature on school responses to HIV/AIDS in southern African countries, and an in-depth case study of indigenous school responses in eastern Zimbabwe. We call for greater attention to the ethic of care emerging from the interaction between AIDS-affected children and relevant peers and adults in the school setting and the way in which this is limited or enabled in particular social settings.