1 ISSN 1712-8056[Print] ISSN 1923-6697[Online] www.cscanada.net www.cscanada.org Canadian Social Science Vol. 16, No. 1, 2020, pp. 1-10 DOI:10.3968/11341 Copyright © Canadian Academy of Oriental and Occidental Culture Religion, Spirituality and Resilience of HIV Positive Children in Zimbabwe Seneliso Mpofu [a] ; Vincent Mabvurira [b],* ; Trevor Chirimambowa [c] [a] Social Work Intern, Million Memory Project Zimbabwe, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. [b] Research Associate, Department of Social Work, University of Limpopo, Polokwane, South Africa. [c] Coordinator, Million Memory Project Zimbabwe, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. * Corresponding author. Received 25 September 2019; accepted 10 December 2019 Published online 26 January 2020 Abstract HIV has widely affected many people including children and young people and has posed a threat to their lives. Various studies have, therefore, focused on bringing about interventions directed at improving the lives of people living with HIV. Religion and spirituality emerge as other factors enhancing the coping capacity of children living with HIV. The study aimed to explore the impact of religion and spirituality on the resilience of HIV positive children in Zimbabwe. The study was qualitative in nature and it targeted clients of a not for profit organizations (NPO) that provides psycho-social support to HIV positive children in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. The study was informed by the resilience theory which explains the importance of the coping capacity of children in adverse situations. A sample of 24 HIV positive children and three caregivers participated in the study. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and key informant interviews. The findings reflected that religion and spirituality are crucial in offering psychosocial support to HIV positive children. The key findings indicated that religion and spirituality help with emotional healing, acceptance of HIV status, conflict resolution and strengthens bonds promoting their resilience. However, it was shown that they also have negative impacts including involuntary disclosure, stigma and discrimination, poor adherence to medication and caused depression and anxiety. It was therefore recommended that there is need to create platforms for child participation, promote inclusion of children in religious organizations and sensitize religious leaders on HIV and its effects on the lives of children infected. Key words: Religion and spirituality; Resilience; HIV positive children; Resilience theory Mpofu, S., Mabvurira, V., & Chirimambowa, T, (2020). Religion, Spirituality and Resilience of HIV Positive Children in Zimbabwe. Canadian Social Science, 16 (1), 1-10. Available from: http://www.cscanada.net/index.php/css/article/view/11341 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3968/11341 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY According to UNICEF (2015), by the end of 2011 roughly 17.3 million children from the ages of eighteen and below lost one or both of the parents to HIV. This leads to family stresses and pressures, excluding the fact that these children have to also cope with their illness. Children living with HIV face numerous challenges which are economic, social, and psychological in nature hence there is need to build and maintain their resilience. Anand (2006) cited in UNESCO (2010), asserts that HIV infections can damage the neurological development of children, some experience loss of speech and adaptive and social skills and may have less interactions with the environment. HIV virus disrupts the developmental milestones that children have to go through, in some making them to have stunted growth with a short height, always susceptible to infectious diseases such as Tuberculosis, flue, headaches and diarrhea (Hein, Dell, Futterman, Rotheram and Shaffer, 2000). This at times causes infected children not to attend school like other children, and not to engage in other activities at school due to the virus. According to Nyesigomwe (2005), the absence of parents or caring caregivers exposes HIV positive children