The experiences of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in Zimbabwe find expression in the maxim that says ‘Where two elephants fight, the grass suffers the most’. Orphans and vulnerable children in Zimbabwe have been the casualties of disharmony between traditional and contemporary leadership philosophies for more than three decades. Using a phenomenological approach, the study involved 20 key informants, who included community leaders and OVC caregivers. Underpinned by the traditional leadership perspectives, the study examined the role of traditional leaders in supporting OVC for the purposes of integrating its relevant compatible elements with modern OVC care and support systems. The study showed that there is lack of synchronicity between traditional and contemporary OVC care and support systems, which ultimately compromises the effectiveness of the social care professions in rural communities in Zimbabwe. The study recommends the establishment of an integrated contextually-based OVC care and support model to enhance the relationship between traditional and contemporary leadership in Zimbabwe.

中文翻译：

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传统领导在支持津巴布韦孤儿和弱势儿童方面的作用：非洲传统领导视角

津巴布韦孤儿和弱势儿童 (OVC) 的经历体现在“两头大象打架的地方，草受害最大”的格言中。三十年来，津巴布韦的孤儿和弱势儿童一直是传统和现代领导理念不和谐的受害者。该研究采用现象学方法，涉及 20 名关键知情人，其中包括社区领袖和 OVC 护理人员。在传统领导视角的支持下，该研究考察了传统领导在支持 OVC 中的作用，目的是将其相关兼容元素与现代 OVC 护理和支持系统相结合。研究表明，传统和现代 OVC 护理和支持系统之间缺乏同步性，这最终会损害津巴布韦农村社区社会护理专业的有效性。该研究建议建立一个基于情境的综合 OVC 关怀和支持模式，以加强津巴布韦传统和现代领导力之间的关系。