Mozambique

The civil war in Mozambique in the 1990s forced many children into armed conflict.  Many of these child soldiers were left stranded on the streets when peace resumed, and these troubled children became street children.   However, these children have now grown up, moving on to leave space for a new type of child to come to the streets. These are the children who run to the streets as a result of crippling poverty and lack of education opportunities.  Poverty in Mozambique is widespread as a direct result of the war, and HIV/AIDS continues to spread throughout the surrounding areas, eliminating an entire generation and forcing older generations to look after very young families.  Children often feel that they have no choice but to live on the streets, begging and working so that they can survive.

Our partner in Mozambique estimates that there are currently around 250 children and young people living on the streets of Maputo, the capital of Mozambique. These children sleep on pavements, in abandoned houses, or in their own makeshift shelters made out of discarded cardboard.  They rely on each other for support but are, never the less, extremely vulnerable to abuse and exploitation.  Girls in this position often quickly turn to prostitution.