Abstract:
Although the strain of COVID-19 pandemic outbreak is unprecedented and has affected all
people globally, its impacts exacerbate existing socioeconomic disparities, exposing low-income
families and marginalized groups to greater vulnerabilities and difficulties. It had
disproportionately affected women specifically low-income women. The study was amid to
explore the lived experience of low income women headed households during the pandemic and
also describe the sociocultural and economic effect it had. Their coping mechanisms and their
experience to government‟s response has been explored. A qualitative study method has been
followed to conduct the study. The data collection was conducted from May to June 20223in the
six clusters of Woreda 10 of Kirkos Sub City using Key informant interview, in-depth interview
and focus group discussions using purposive sampling method. Thematic analysis was
employed, and the discussion is presented descriptive narrations. This study found that due to
the work the study participants were engaged in, they were vulnerable to contracting COVID-19
and had no protective equipment, which they tried to cope with using locally available resources
like scarfs and local dinks as sanitizers. The pandemic impacted their sociocultural, health, and
economic well-being. Women lost livelihood means and the income they earned decreased
drastically. Social interactions weekend due to physical distancing and women faced stress and
anxiety. Hence, to cope with the challenges, women executed different strategies and this in tern
played significant role in depleting assets of women leaving them to struggle to reopen their
small businesses. The study recommend for the government to be in a better position in
strengthening its preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation strategies to be in a better
position to deal with and respond to needs of women with low income.
