Refugees International: Reports: Visual Mission: Demobilizing Child Soldiers in Rwanda and DRC

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Visual Mission: Demobilizing Child Soldiers in Rwanda and DRC

There are some 300,000 children fighting in armies and militia groups around the world, and tens of thousands of them are in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where there is an active effort to demobilize child soldiers and prepare them for civilian life. Refugees International recently visited demobilization centers in both DRC and Rwanda. The disparities between the two programs were significant and reflected varied goals and resources.

DRC 2005: Center for Transit & Orientation Assists Former Child Soldiers

Credit: Refugees International
10/28/2005
Funded by UNICEF and run by the French non-profit Solidarite, the Center for Transit and Orientation, called CTO Karibu, in Goma, DRC offers training and re-education to former child soldiers from that country. Housed in extremely modest facilities, it opened in April 2002 and has seen increased activity since March 2005, when a broad demobilization, or ‘brassage’ effort began in eastern DRC. The Center has hosted 165 children, formally defined as those under age 18, who remain at the Center until they are returned to their families. It currently works with 40 ex-combatants, two of whom are women, one the mother of an infant. The majority said they became involved with the military between ages 15 and 17, though one joined at eight years old.