Peace Lives - Child Soldier Reenactment, DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo)

Описание: http://www.exileinternational.org/

A drama/re-enactment by former child soldiers at The Peace Lives Restoration Center in DR Congo.

The Peace Lives Center in Goma, DR Congo was started with a dream of 24 former child soldiers to return to their villages and teach about peace, reconciliation, and forgiveness from their own survival stories. Two local leaders had taken these boys under their wing, built small shacks for their shelter, and began teaching them how to live again.

The program now serves 75 former child soldiers and orphans. Additionally, 50+ more youths are served by satellite projects of the Peace Lives Center.

Exile International is committed to walking hand-in-hand with this project through raising financial support, training caregivers, providing art therapy and trauma care for the programs, and in finding sponsors for each of the former child soldiers.

The vision of this center is not only to help the boys heal from their wounds of trauma, but to teach them leadership, reconciliation and peace building skills so that they can fulfill their own dreams of becoming the future peacemakers of Congo.

The 75 youths currently served are the first of hundreds that we aim to reach in this region.

Currently, an average of 200 children are rescued from the bush in the Goma area each month and few receive of those children have the opportunity to receive rehabilitative and support they need. Through this center, we hope to change that.

See more at: http://exileinternational.org/peace-l...

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Context:
In Central and East Africa, children as young as 7 are kidnapped and forced to fight in rebel armies. Many are psychologically tortured and brainwashed to commit atrocities against their own families and communities. Young girls are abducted and abused, becoming victims of rape and sexual violence. If these children finally escape or are released, they are left with deep and lasting emotional scars from what they've seen and been forced to do. Many are unable to return home because they have lost all family members and/or because of stigmatization for atrocities they were forced to commit in their communities.

Our mission does not stop at rehabilitation -- our programs empower and equip children of war to become leaders for peace in their communities.