The author provides a descriptive study of street children in Zimbabwe who are unaccompanied Mozambicans. Both the reasons for and types of parent-child separations are examined. Individual case histories are presented to highlight the children's social, emotional, psychological andphysical experiences. The author's findings indicate that unaccompanied Mozambican children in Zimbabwe are found in refugee camps, urban centres, commercial farms, communal areas and children's institutions. They range in age from early infancy to 18 years and they are predominantly males. The article highlights the vulnerabilities of unaccompanied children, but also provides examples of their coping strategies. It concludes with concrete recommendations on policy and programmatic intervention strategies for this marginalised group.
Read
