Abstract
M.A. (Development Studies)
Despite South Africa‟s commitment to strive for universal primary education, cross-border migrant children and children with disabilities continue to be marginalised from access to schooling. This is even more apparent in the case of cross-border migrant children with disabilities, who face multiple overlapping vulnerabilities. Caregivers of cross-border migrant children with disabilities often seek the expertise of Non-Governmental Organisations in attempting to enrol their children in schools when they have exhausted all other options. This study sought to uncover the experiences of these caregivers throughout the process of accessing schools for their children before seeking support from local Non-Governmental Organisations, particularly Afrika Tikkun. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 caregivers and the findings, although non-generalisable, indicate that these caregivers, in addition to xenophobic and prejudiced treatment, were excluded from receiving health care, security and protection, and most importantly for this study, access to schools. Their children were often placed on long waiting lists, or turned away for not having the right documents, despite the universal right to education. These unemployed single mothers also had a weak support structure and were unable to financially support their families. Whilst these experiences did not necessarily vanish when they joined the Non-Governmental Organisations, caregivers report having felt better equipped to deal with their challenges. They had more information regarding their rights as well as support from other caregivers, which enabled them to feel less distraught about their predicaments. This study was important in highlighting the experiences of this generally hidden population that occupies an under-researched field of study.