WORKING PAPER 7 - What about those shoes? Street children and NGOs in Maputo, Mozambique

Abstract The implementation of a structural adjustment program in a war damaged Mozambique in 1987 had devastating consequences for the majority of the population. As people became squeezed between the increasing costs of living and no access to formal employment, more and more children and youth are seen making a living and/or living on the streets. The ‘phenomenon’ of street children has been targeted by many non-governmental organizations (NGOs). As NGOs, in the context of economic liberalisation, take the place of governments regarding social services, it is important to understand the nature and quality of NGO assistance. Furthermore, the question of how street children view and experience these services is one that needs to be explored. In this paper I aim to explore these questions in the context of urban Maputo.Citar como/Please quote as: Moreira, Andrea. 2011. What about those shoes? Street children and NGOs in Maputo, Mozambique. Working Paper CRIA 7, Lisboa. PEst-OE/SADG/UI4038/201