GUATEMALAN MIGRANT CHILDREN IN THE SOUTH BORDER OF MEXICO: COMPANIONS OR WORKERS

The present study was realized in the region of Soconusco in the state of Chiapas, in the crop of coffee. This region haves historical, social and economical characteristics that allow the temporal migration of families and under age, from Guatemala be a constant in every phase of the productive process of the coffee crop, mainly in the crop phase. The mobility of migrant children with their parents, make them to change the meaning of their life experiences. Many of them generally migrate as companions of their parents or of other adults, but when they arrive to the region, contribute to their parents work and to the family income. The work they do have serious consequences to their education, health and life conditions.The objective of this article it′s to describe and analyze the contribution and consequences of the children work consider as help or paid of Guatemalan families, employed in coffee crops of Soconusco Region, Chiapas.