fend (v)

Dave spent all night fending off bugs instead of sleeping.
After moving to the city, she had to learn to fend for herself, from cooking to managing finances.
The wilderness survival course taught participants how to fend for themselves in challenging outdoor conditions.
As the eldest sibling, he often had to fend for his younger brothers and sisters in the absence of their parents.
Living independently in a foreign country required her to quickly adapt and learn how to fend for her needs.