Elderly Black widows in rural Zimbabwe.

This study describes the effects of rapid social change and the breakdown of traditional life and family support systems on Black rural widows of Zimbabwe. It examines women's perceptions of their lives before and after widowhood and identifies conditions which are related to changes in economic position, status, self-concept, life styles and social relationships. These changes have created an increasing number of socially and economically destitute elderly widows and contributed to the feminization of poverty. This has profound implications for social policy in developing countries with limited resources.