Associação cultural vocacionada no apoio psicossocial e recuperação de crianças de rua: Associação Cultural Muodjo

Abstract

The growing problem of street children in Maputo has become an urgent social issue, which can be seen in the number of children who serve as the driving force behind informal street trading, in drug-use hotspots, at traffic lights cleaning car windows, among other activities in which they are involved. Many young people face conditions of extreme poverty, abandonment, abuse andviolence, resulting in serious impacts on their mental health and psychosocial development. The lack of a safe environment and adequate support prevents access to educational opportunities and a dignified life. This situation harms and compromises this sensitive and crucial layer for the development and growth of Mozambican society. Driven by the desire to contribute to the construction of a space that not only serves as temporary shelter, but also offers opportunities for cultural, psychological and social development. Architecture, in this context, carries the potential to be a catalyst for change, creating and building environments that encourage interaction, learning and self-esteem, in addition to integrating the local community into the recovery of the children in question.