Social work methods borrowed from the West are failing many African communities when they are applied without local adaptation, scholars warned on Monday, October 19.
The warning came during a one-day International Online Colloquium themed “Social Transformation: Interdisciplinary Dialogues in Social Work and Development Studies,” jointly hosted by Bugema University, Babcock University and Friedensau Adventist University. The event brought together academics, researchers and students from Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and Germany.
Presenting a review of diversity’s impact on social work practice in Nigeria, Adeniyi Ayomide Victoria and Rita Ezeokoli of Babcock University said the profession risks becoming culturally unresponsive when standardised, Western-oriented frameworks are transferred into African settings.
They explained that culture shapes almost every part of social work, including how people seek help, whether they accept interventions, how they communicate, family and gender expectations, religion and spirituality, and even professional ethics. In many communities, people turn first to family, elders or religious leaders before they ever approach a social worker.
The presenters also noted that indigenous welfare systems should not be treated as something of the past. Many of these systems, such as extended family networks and community support groups, remain active and trusted today, and social workers stand to gain by working with them rather than around them.
The call for locally grounded solutions was echoed in other presentations. Dr. Bose, presenting on climate change as a contemporary social work challenge, explained that climate hazards affect individuals, families and communities unequally, and that social workers must connect directly with the communities they serve.
Nancy Wanja, speaking on the binary paradox of resettlement, said resettlement is not only a destination but a process lived through time, shaped by hope, waiting, aspiration and constraints. Her presentation was a reminder that support must be built around people’s real experiences rather than assumptions.
Isaac Adjei of Friedensau Adventist University discussed development, displacement and belonging around Ghana’s hydroelectric dam, showing how large projects can uproot whole communities. Participants also highlighted the growing power of citizen journalism in giving affected communities a voice.
Participants agreed that development must be rooted in social justice, and that social work and development need supportive policies to carry out their activities, such as providing psychosocial support to communities.
Bugema University was well represented throughout the day. Oloo Stephen Nyanjwa moderated the afternoon session, while Clare Kyomuhendo, Petronella Munemo and David Atombire Adumbire of Bugema University and the University of Ghana presented on the experiences of international students in Ghana during COVID-19. Prof. Dr. Ulrike Schultz of Friedensau Adventist University also shared methodological possibilities in qualitative research.
Participants had the opportunity to ask questions and engage the presenters during the discussion sessions, making the colloquium both informative and interactive. The event closed with remarks from Rita Ezeokoli of Babcock University and Clare Kyomuhendo of Bugema University.
With the colloquium successfully conducted, participants now look forward to continued partnership and to building social work practice that truly fits the realities of African communities.
