21 Child Soldiers Need Vital Help

Furaha was 12 years old when a militia group recruited her from her village Kokola in North Kivu province. For two years she lived as a child soldier until, last December, the Congolese military defeated her captors in the bush. She was rescued and released to our partner CRC. Furaha was badly malnourished, disoriented, and physically scarred from her devastating and frightening life under the militia’s control.

Henri and his team provided her with emergency food, bedding, clothes, and medicine to begin the long process of reintegration. Despite much effort, CRC could not locate Furaha’s family. They had fled their village amid constant and violent attacks from militia and could not be traced. She was placed in the hands of a stable and experienced foster family and given counselling to address the trauma inflicted by years of psychological and physical abuse.

At first returning to civilian life, Furaha was full of sadness and remorse for her actions. She found it especially difficult to relate to the lives and experiences of other children, with whom she struggled to communicate.

Six months on, Furaha is feeling her way back into community life. She is still living with her loving foster family and is receiving regular counselling sessions. She has started to work part-time in a salon, putting into practice training she received from CRC staff in cutting, washing, and styling hair. She has also returned to school, with all of her fees paid for by the money raised for CRC. Furaha now dreams of completing her education, before starting a career as a hairdresser. Henri is still working to locate her family.

Furaha’s life has improved dramatically in the short time that she has returned to her community. She is receiving vital counselling, living in a safe, stable environment, and has been provided with the opportunity to shape her own future. However, for children like Furaha, the journey is far from over. CRC are not only committed to rescuing child soldiers, but also to their complete rehabilitation. This process is long, arduous, and riddled with complexities.

Thank you to everyone who has donated so far, every contribution to our cause will make a genuine difference to CRC’s work and to the lives of the children they tirelessly strive to help. Two weeks in, we are halfway to our target, so if you haven't had a chance to donate, please do.