Abstract: Orphaned learners in South Africa are vulnerable and frequently absent from school. These learners are often physically abused and may be stigmatized due to their state of homelessness, as a result potentially turning to substance use or abuse. This article focuses on the lived experiences of orphaned learners and their perspectives relating to the support offered by the School-Based Support Team (SBST) within schools, in two education districts of the Free State province, South Africa. Twenty-five orphaned learners from five schools in two education district (n=25) between the ages of 11 and 15 years were purposively selected, and in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted. An interpretative and phenomenological analysis of the transcribed data revealed that orphaned learners need emotional and psycho-social support. Furthermore, they need individual support with regard to their social, psychological, physical and emotional needs. Despite these challenges, orphaned learners typically develop survival strategies that can enable them to cope without additional support.
