Mozambique: theater against domestic violence

Just a few streets away from the expensive restaurants and villas of the rich, the poor live in Mozambique's capital, Maputo: The Luis Cabral district consists mainly of tightly packed shacks and garbage. Right in the middle of it all: the children's and youth center of "Meninos de Moçambique".

Loud children's shouts echo from the courtyard, and an exhibition titled "Este corpo é meu!" (My body is mine!) hangs on the walls. Around a hundred girls and boys come to the Meninos de Moçambique center every day, whose work is supported by terre des hommes . Some play, some receive tutoring, and many older children discuss issues. For example, how they can curb the domestic violence against girls and women that is widespread in the neighborhood. "The young people here at the center develop and perform plays," says psychologist Camila Rodrigo. "They write articles for the local media, and they are contact persons for the neighborhood when cases of abuse and violence are suspected."

Once a week, Camila and her team also inquire at the police station about new cases in order to support the victims with the help of lawyers. Most cases involve sexual violence against girls, sometimes abandoned or neglected children. Traditional male power dynamics, often linked to alcohol, play a significant role.

Mauricio is 16 and has been going to the center since he was 14. He knows how important it is for girls and boys to stand up together against the injustices in their impoverished neighborhood: "There's a lot of violence here in Luis Cabral," he says. "But I think it's decreased since we've become active. I'm in the theater group. We've performed several plays. People should understand: violence is wrong! Yes, a lot has changed."