While researching for topics to do my school speech on I came across child soldiers, a terrible issue that is difficult to combat. I instantly became attached to these children and was so horrified to find out what these children (boys and girls) have to go through everyday. Suffering physical, psychological and or sexual abuse.
Did you know that in Burma (Myanmar) alone there are 75,000 innocent children forced to become child soldiers, in other words every third soldier is under 18! Children are usually brought into this life because of the extreme poverty that they live in, so they and their families feel that the army will be the best option as it will give them the best chance at life. Although in Burma the most common way for children to be brought into army life is by soldiers confronting children who are by themselves in the streets and asking them to produce their identity card. if they are unable to do this then the soldier will give them two options either go to prison or join the army. But in reality they have no choice either way they would still be recruited and the soldier would get cash in return for the child.
These children then have to go through an 18 week basic military training. Where they learn to fire and disarm a rifle, layout explosives , and target practice in addition to continuous abuse. Then usually at the age of 12 they are forced into armed conflict, raiding villages, spying, domestic tasks , etc. Then for some at the tender age of 12 they make their first kill, something that will haunt them and never leave them for the rest of their lives! Could you live with that?
It really does sicken me that people can be so heartless and be apart of recruiting child soldiers. As everyday these kids are having their childhoods ripped away from them and facing horrors that not even a grown man should have to face!
Thankfully though there are people out there who do care. Like Project AK-47, who focus their efforts in South East Asia and Latin America.Through their contacts with local governments they are able to persuade them, usually with educational incentives to hand over the children. educational incentives work because the governments can see that by educating their people their nations can grow. So now these children are put into children homes set up by Project AK-47 where they begin the rehabilitation process. As they say ...
"others train them to kill we train them to love"So do you care enough to make a difference and see these children live a life free from being a soldier?
Here is a quick clip from Project AK-47 (I promise you it's really good and may help you understand more :) )
http://vimeo.com/22565905
Love Beauté
