Paper short abstract:

Based on the results of an ethnographic research, this paper presents the everyday life of children in the suburbs of Maputo. The present of children is discussed, emphasizing its roots in personal, family and community past, as well as its relevance for the construction of the future.

Paper long abstract:

Based on the results of a 18-months research, this paper presents the everyday life of children of the suburbs of Maputo. The present of children is discussed, emphasizing its roots in personal, family and community past, as well as its relevance for the construction of the future. Special attention is given to the practice of children of taking care of other children, a very common activity in the studied context. The research method was ethnography, complemented by a set of tools inspired in the participatory and visual approaches. The research involved 120 children from 6th class between 10 and 17 years, more a relevant number of siblings and friend of children of the first group, through the snowball sampling. Results suggest that children are competent in representing the complex connections between different spaces and different times existing in their lives. Still, on the one hand,the practice of taking care of other children results from the development and updating of traditional cultural habits of Mozambican rural areas; on the other hand, an important value of children, especially girls, preparation to their future role of parents, is recognized to this activity.