Surviving poverty and workfare: Lone mothers' families survival strategies under conditions of extreme social insecurity

This paper centers on the survival strategies deployed   and support networks mobilized by welfare-reliant lone mothers in Israel.  Support networks and survival strategies are analyzed within the context of welfare state retrenchment and a redefinition of the Israeli state commitment to women as mothers.  Based on the analysis of 25 in depth interviews with lone mothers participating in a workfare experimental program,  we ask  how welfare reliant  lone mothers cope with  extreme poverty and what is the role played by formal and informal  support networks in the provision of their families needs in crisis situations (such as the interruption of social assistance allowances). 

Our findings indicate that our interviewees deployed two main survival strategies:  attempting to enlarge their limited pool of resources by taking small loans from families, friends and banks, food packages from charities, buying at thrift shops, and by strictly administering their limited budgets. Moreover, in situations of extreme need   lone mothers' find temporary relief in their families of origin, mainly elderly parents, even if the parents have limited means.   The institutions of the welfare state and the various NGOs can only offer very limited support, and the extended family is turns into the last   resort safety net.