Up until 2006, the north of Uganda was gripped by an armed conflict lasting for two decades during which the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) tried to overthrow the government. The LRA was responsible for the killing, torture, rape, mutilation and abduction of thousands of adults and children. The UN estimates that the LRA abducted 20,000 children and 20-30% of these were girls. As well as taking part in armed conflict, they were used as servants and, on reaching puberty, were often forced to serve as ‘wives’ of LRA commanders, which led to many unwanted pregnancies. On return to their former communities, they experienced extreme prejudice, particularly if they returned with children born in captivity, and were often rejected by their families. Very few of these single mothers are able to resume formal education or start earning an income and subsequently have very limited opportunities.
In response, KICWA established the Girl Soldiers and War Affected Children project, which provides educational support to single mothers and their children and, for those who cannot continue with school, support for income-generating activities. KICWA provides children with school materials and uniforms and organises regular meetings with parents, teachers and pupils throughout the district, which aim to raise awareness about the importance of education, particularly for girls. KICWA helps the mothers towards independence by offering business training and micro-credit, enabling them to save money and establish successful income generating activities within their communities.
“I was trained on business management which helped in starting a small retail shop dealing mainly in vegetable products such as tomatoes, onions, and cabbages. I am now able to raise my two children’s school fees and meet their basic needs such as clothing, books and medical care”.
KICWA is committed to maintaining its presence as a safe option for these women following reintegration, by offering ongoing healthcare and psychosocial support in collaboration with the community and local service providers, and providing regular home visits to discuss any issues or concerns they may have. An important element of the reintegration process involves community reconciliation. KICWA runs meetings, campaigns and a radio talk show with the aim of reducing stigmatization of former child soldiers/sex slaves. This can be a slow process but ultimately it means that these women and girls are able to live in a safe, secure and inclusive environment with the support they so badly need. |
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