Learning to live together

The Millennium Stars football team helps rehabilitate young people - including ex-child soldiers - affected by civil war in Liberia [Martin Lueders]

Don Bosco Homes is a leading child protection NGO in Liberia and work with orphans, ex-combatants and children who live and work on the streets

In the immediate aftermath of the war in Liberia, CAFOD partner Don Bosco Homes set up interim care centres in Monrovia, Tubmanburg and Buchanan to provide short-term shelter, welfare, rehabilitation and reintegration services for former child soldiers and other separated children.

All but one of these centres have now been closed as the children are gradually reintegrated into communities.

Discrimination

But some face discrimination from their local communities and are victims of ongoing human rights violations, and many are returning from other countries, such as Sierra Leone and Guinea.

Women and girls have been, and continue to be, particularly vulnerable to rape, sexual abuse and other human rights violations.

Female children associated with fighting forces have particular difficulties integrating, especially those mothering children of former rebels.

Individual and group counselling aim to reduce stress in thsoe facing problems, and activities such as football, basketball, volleyball and card games keep children busy and help break barriers.

Joe Wiah, Don Bosco's deputy director, explains: “Up to 1,300 children have passed through our centres. After they have been disarmed we return them to their communities.

"This is difficult because often they have caused atrocities there. We talk to their families and to the child before reuniting them.

"We also work with children from other countries, such as helping to return those caught up in the fighting that came from the Ivory Coast. We are returning them to safe areas there and, where possible, reuniting them with their families.”

To ensure they have skills for the future, Don Bosco Homes provides training placements with local artisans and workshops in communities in activities, such as carpentry, hairdressing, cosmetics, cane work and pastry making as well as business skills.

Joe says: “Some of the children have missed out on an education so we help them earn a living. They also get capital to start their own business or we may arrange an internship for them.

"We also teach agricultural techniques so that those from rural communities can contribute when they go back.

Joe comments: “We train people in conflict resolution so they are able to resolve conflicts that might arise in the community. When young people return to communites, they are not always accepted because of their part in the atrocities.

"Representatives are trained to talk to the communities and say 'these are our children – although we don’t condone what they did we now need to try and live together peacefully'.”

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