The Ahikuntaka

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Results and Discussion
Tables 1 and 2 elaborate the distribution of the heads of households in the sample in relation to gender and age respectively. It is
evident from Table 1 that the majority (58.26%) of the households are headed by male respondents. Table 2 indicates that out of
this majority of male heads of households, 30.28% belong to the age group of 34 - 41 years, followed next by age group 41 - 50 years
(19.71%) while only a very small percentage (7.69%) belongs to the age group of above 60 years. In contrast in the case of households
headed by females 38.25% are headed by the age group over 60 years followed by 30.87% falling within the age group 51 - 60 yrs
while a very small almost insignificant percentage of 1.34 is headed by the age group 18 - 25 yrs of age. Thus it is revealed that males in
this community take over the family responsibilities at a relatively younger age by being the head of the family than females who may
be compelled to take on family responsibilities at a comparatively older age due perhaps to the loss of their husbands or separation from
the husband or the lack of a male able to handle the responsibilities
Table 1: Distribution of the heads of households in the sample in relation to their gender
Gender Frequency % of total
Male 208 58.26
Female 149 41.74
Total 357 100
Table 2: Distribution of the head of the household in the sample in relation to their gender and age
Age (in years) Male Female
Frequency % of total Frequency % of total
18 - 25 years 32 15.38 2 1.34
26 - 33 years 37 17.79 9 6.04
34 - 41 years 63 30.28 11 7.38
42 - 50 years 41 19.71 24 16.10
51 - 60 years 19 9.13 46 30.87
More than 60 years 16 7.69 57 38.25
Total 208 100 149 100
68 The Ahikuntaka