Colombia: No Child Should be a Soldier

In June, we shared an update with you about the launch of the Saquen mi cuerpo de la guerra (“Take my body out of the war”) campaign, an initiative displaying photos and texts created by former child soldiers who participate in art therapy workshops run by Taller de Vida, MADRE’s sister organization in Colombia.

Using photography and other expressive art mediums, these former child soldiers were able to express themselves artistically and share their experiences of armed conflict. Today, I am very happy to share with you some of the powerful photographs and commentaries created by the children who participated in this campaign.

Captions:

Photo 1:
“Nadie tiene derecho a utilizar mi cuerpo...
 solo tenía 13 años "nunca debí haber vivido el abuso y el horror,- saquen mi cuerpo de la guerra”-

“Nobody has the right to use my body…
I was only 13 years old “I never should have experienced the abuse and the horror, - take my body out of the war -”

Photo 2:
“Soy un alma en pena” –Fue una experiencia difícil, me siento como tierra seca, como pedacitos de recuerdos que no me dejan, que me obligan a recordar eso”

“I am a soul in sorrow” – It was a difficult experience, I feel like dried earth, like little pieces of memories that do not leave me, that force me to remember that”