In recent years there has been growing awareness about teenage motherhood, a phenomenon constructed as an economic and social concern in South Africa. This article presents a narrative inquiry undertaken with seven teenage mothers on their experiences of schooling and motherhood at a rural secondary school in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The study illuminates how the young mothers are positioned by dominant social narratives, how they position themselves through their own stories, and how they navigate existing narratives. The findings show that dominant pathologising narratives of deviance, shame and stigma shape the social realities of the young mothers. The young mothers receive limited support from the school to assist them in navigating barriers to curriculum access and quality education. Although extended families and community members provide networks of support, these are fragile in a context of poverty and disadvantage. Nevertheless, the findings show that although teenage motherhood and parenting remain stigmatised in the particular schooling context, the young mothers display resiliency and agency in the ways in which they navigate difficulties and commit to completing secondary education. The paper argues for interventions to support young mothers who have returned to school that are framed by a social justice education agenda.

This article presents a theoretically based narrative analysis of conversations held with six women in South Africa who position themselves as mothers of disabled children. We examine the dominant socio-cultural narratives that impact the lives of the mothers as they enact motherhood, and the counter-narratives that emerge in the process. Three key themes are discussed: struggle, resiliency and agency; motherhood and the intersections of personal histories, spirituality and Ubuntu; and the economics and politics of negotiating access to social benefits, including early intervention and education. The study highlights the contextual, situated and diverse nature of motherhood and the disabled child in contexts of early education and care.

The aim of this research was to explore the schooling experiences of academically high-functioning immigrant learners in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. The participants were six female immigrant learners (age range: 13-18 years) in Grades 8 to 11. The research tradition was narrative inquiry. Data generation involved open-ended interviews and a participatory research technique, photovoice. The findings revealed the resiliency and agency of the young learners as they navigate schooling in South Africa. It was apparent that they took on a positive stance despite the struggles they have experienced in the host country, including language and cultural barriers, social isolation and exclusion, and bullying and discrimination that heightened their vulnerability in schooling spaces. The study revealed their strong sense of self-efficacy, responsibility and self-discipline, determination to succeed, commitment to their studies, and to make the best of valued opportunities in South Africa. Social capital emerged as a key protective influence that shaped the schooling experiences of the learners.