Luisa has a family
Listening Here is your chance to read about Luisa from Mozambique. When she was little, her grandmother left left her to a center for children who cannot live with their parents. After 4 years in the center, Luisa moved in with Maria and Samuel who became her new family. Further down the page you will find a fact box about families in Sweden and the world.
In Mozambique, many children lack an adult to care for them. Many adults have died due to illness or natural disasters, so a church in Mozambique has set up a center for children, where they can stay until they find a new family to care for them.
Luisa is one of the children who has lived at the center. When Luisa was little, her grandmother left her at the center. She lived there for four years with many other children. After four years, she now has a new family.
Luisa's new family
Maria and Samuel became Luisa's new parents. Luisa's new family includes several children, so now she also has siblings. Xadreque, Mateus and Orlanda are her siblings.
- Here I get everything I need. We share food, blankets and things equally. We help each other with fetching water and washing dishes and helping with the crops. No one has to be alone. Everyone gets to help out equally. Except Orlanda, who is too small.
When Maria and Samuel chose to open their home to a child, they did so out of love. Maria wanted to help.
- I was alone and had a hard time as a child. I know how important a family is," she says.
The family helps out in the cornfield.
The whole family is having dinner.
The family helps out in the cornfield.
The whole family is having dinner.
The siblings Xadreque and Luisa
Xadreque and Luisa are almost the same age. He tells us that he was very happy when Luisa came to live with them.
- She has always been my friend. We always played together and went to the same school. She is a good sister," says Xadreque.
Xadreque and Luisa
Xadreque and Luisa
Luisa says that they always have to go home and leave their bags right after school.
- Mommy Maria and Daddy Samuel think it's important because then they know we've come home and are okay. Then we can go out and play. Many children live around here and we play with them. We play a lot of football and things like that.
The family plays football with other families in the village
The family plays football with other families in the village
Luisa in the future
Luisa wants to be a teacher when she grows up. She also wants to take care of children who need a family home then.
- Anna is a girl who lived in the center. Now she is an adult and has opened her home to other children. Both Anna and I know how important it is to have a family. You should help others the way you want to be helped!
Families in Sweden and the world
There are 2.3 billion children in the world. Their families all look different. A family can consist of different people and look different. But they all count as a family.
In Sweden
In Sweden, there are 1.2 million families with children under 18. Almost all children in Sweden talk to their parents every day. Children have the right to stay in touch with their biological parents whether they live with them or not.
4 out of 5 children in Sweden live with two adults. This can be two parents or one parent and another adult.
Most children in Sweden live with both parents. For those children who do not live with both parents, it is common for them to have one or more bonus parents. 215 000 children have at least one bonus parent.
1 in 5 children in Sweden have no siblings or do not live with their siblings.
In the world
2.7 million children worldwide are looked after by someone other than their parents. That is 1 in 1000 children.
Published: 04 May 2023
