Mozambique is experiencing significant population growth. Over the last 20 years, the population has risen from 18 to 34 million. The population is therefore very young, with 50% of inhabitants under the age of 16. In recent years, there has also been rapid urbanisation, causing an increase in the number of people forced to live on the streets. Among them are many children and adolescents.
In Nampula, the Community of Sant'Egidio, which supports people living on the streets by distributing evening meals, has opened a home for homeless adolescents.
On 15 July, Andrea Riccardi visited this house, which now welcomes six teenagers. During the visit, the young people told their stories and how they got to Nampula, often walking long distances, even from the most remote villages in the province, only to end up living on the streets. All of them emphasised the importance of obtaining identity documents but above all of finding a home that is a safe haven. This has allowed them to go back to school and see new possibilities for their future.
In the video, the visit to the home for teenagers in Nampula
